From D3 to Coaching D1 MBB 'March Madness'

March Madness is in full swing.

Trine University took down top-ranked Hampden-Sydney to win the 2024 D3 Men’s Basketball National Title and NYU beat Smith to win the 2024 D3 Women’s Basketball National Title. Congrats to both the Thunder and the Violets on unbelievable seasons!

With NCAA Division 3 Hoops at a close until next season, many college basketball fans will undoubtedly turn to the NCAA Division 1 tournaments beginning this week.

And while most will be watching to see where Caitlin Clark shoots from or if LSU or UCONN will repeat, we will be tuning in to watch the teams coached by former NCAA Division 3 athletes & coaches. In this year’s field alone, there are number of options to choose from:

• 10 Teams coached by a former D3 player (+2 borderline “D3” cases)

• 3 Teams coached by a former D3 coach

If you dream of coaching after college, then you will be wise to tune in and remember this: Many of the greatest basketball coaches in the world right now got their start at the NCAA Division 3 level.

Here are the individuals who have made the jump from playing or coaching basketball at the NCAA Division 3 level to leading a team as a Head Coach in the 2024 D1 Men’s Basketball Tournament aka March Madness. Let’s begin 👇

Former D3 Players

1. Shaka Smart: Kenyon ➡ Marquette

2. Kevin Keatts: Ferrum ➡ North Carolina State

3. Lamont Paris: Wooster ➡ South Carolina

4. Tommy Lloyd: Whitman ➡ Arizona 

5. Brad Brownell: DePauw ➡ Clemson

6. T.J. Otzelberger: Wisconsin-Whitewater ➡ Iowa State

7. Griff Aldrich: Hampden-Sydney ➡ Longwood

8. John Becker: Catholic ➡ Vermont

9. Kyle Smith: Hamilton ➡ Washington State

10. Greg Gard: Wisconsin-Platteville ➡ Wisconsin

Thanks for reading! Did we miss anyone? If so, let us know.