This is a list of college women's basketball coaches by number of career wins. The list includes NCAA, [1] AIAW and NAIA [2] levels. Tara VanDerveer, the head coach of Idaho from 1978–80, Ohio State from 1980–85, and Stanford since 1985 (with a hiatus in 1995–96 to coach the US Olympic team), tops the list with 1,216 career wins. The highest winning percentage in the group belongs to Geno Auriemma, head coach of the UConn Huskies since 1985, with an .883 career winning percentage. The fastest coach to reach 600 wins is GP Gromacki, current head coach of Division III Amherst College, who reached the mark in his 686th game on February 2, 2024. [3]
Expected to be active in the 2024–25 season | |
* | Elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach |
† | Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach |
** | Elected as a coach to both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame |
The source for all statistics and schedules for NCAA teams is https://stats.ncaa.org/head_coaches
Sources for NAIA teams are specified in the relevant entries.
Statistics updated at the end of the 2023–2024 season.
Rank | Name | Years | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Teams (Seasons) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tara VanDerveer ** | 45 | 1,216 | 271 | .818 | Idaho (1978–80), Ohio State (1980–85), Stanford (1985–95, 1996–2024) |
2 | Geno Auriemma ** | 39 | 1,213 | 162 | .882 | UConn (1985–) |
3 | Pat Summitt ** | 38 | 1,098 | 208 | .841 | Tennessee (1974–2012) |
4 | Barbara Stevens ** | 43 | 1,058 | 291 | .784 | Clark (MA) (1977–83), Massachusetts (1983–86), Bentley (1986–2020) |
5 | C. Vivian Stringer ** | 50 | 1,055 | 426 | .712 | Cheyney (1971–83), Iowa (1983–95), Rutgers (1995–2022) |
6 | Sylvia Hatchell ** | 44 | 1,023 | 405 | .716 | Francis Marion (1975–86), North Carolina (1986–2019) |
7 | Muffet McGraw ** | 38 | 936 | 293 | .762 | Lehigh (1982–87), Notre Dame (1987–2020) |
8 | Andy Yosinoff | 46 | 915 | 306 | .750 | Emmanuel (MA) (1977–) |
9 | Jim Foster * | 40 | 903 | 347 | .722 | Saint Joseph's (1978–91), Vanderbilt (1991–2002), Ohio State (2002–13), Chattanooga (2013–2018) |
10 | Jody Conradt ** | 38 | 900 | 309 | .744 | Sam Houston (1969–73), UT Arlington (1973–76), Texas (1976–2007) |
11 | Lisa Bluder | 40 | 884 | 396 | .691 | St. Ambrose (1984–90), Drake (1990–2000), Iowa (2000–2024) |
12 | Tom Shirley | 42 | 881 | 378 | .700 | DeSales (1981–89), Jefferson (1989–) |
13 | Joe Foley | 37 | 866 | 324 | .728 | Arkansas Tech (1987–2003), Little Rock (2003–) |
14 | Robin Selvig | 38 | 865 | 286 | .752 | Montana (1978–2016) |
15 | Andy Landers * | 36 | 862 | 299 | .742 | Georgia (1979–2015) |
16 | Gary Blair ** | 37 | 852 | 348 | .710 | Stephen F. Austin (1985–93), Arkansas (1993–2003), Texas A&M (2003–2022) |
17 | Curt Fredrickson | 39 | 846 | 306 | .734 | Northern State (1977–83, 1985–2018) |
18 | Wes Moore | 35 | 831 | 257 | .764 | Maryville (TN) (1987–93), Francis Marion (1995–98), Chattanooga (1998–2013), NC State (2013–) |
19 | Kevin Borseth | 37 | 821 | 316 | .722 | Michigan Tech (1987–98), Michigan (2007–12), Green Bay (1998–2007, 2012–2024) |
20 | Michael Strong | 34 | 815 | 182 | .817 | Scranton (1979–94, 1995–2014) |
21 | Dave Slifer | 35 | 805 | 278 | .743 | Mount Mercy (1989–95), Missouri Western State (1995–2004), Central Missouri (2004–) |
22 | Mike Davis | 35 | 797 | 349 | .695 | Columbia (MO) (2001–14), Central Methodist (1987–99, 2015–2024) |
23 | Doug Bruno * | 38 | 786 | 405 | .660 | DePaul (1976–78, 1988–) |
24 | Harry Perretta | 42 | 783 | 489 | .616 | Villanova (1978–2020) |
25 | Nancy Fahey * | 36 | 779 | 232 | .771 | Washington (MO) (1986–2017), Illinois (2017–2022) |
26 | Bill Fennelly | 36 | 777 | 366 | .680 | Toledo (1988–95), Iowa State (1995–) |
27 | Joe McKeown | 38 | 768 | 414 | .650 | New Mexico State (1986–89), George Washington (1989–2008), Northwestern (2008–) |
28 | Michael Miller | 38 | 759 | 255 | .749 | Messiah (1986–) |
29 | Phillip Kahler | 34 | 757 | 171 | .816 | St. John Fisher (1974–2008) |
30 | Glenn Wilkes Jr. | 38 | 753 | 330 | .695 | Rollins (1986–) |
31 | Gordy Presnell | 37 | 751 | 368 | .671 | Seattle Pacific (1987–2005), Boise State (2005–) |
32 | Michael Durbin | 39 | 749 | 284 | .725 | Wittenberg (1985–86), Saint Benedict (1986–) |
33 | Dixie Jeffers | 39 | 744 | 287 | .722 | Rio Grande (1983–86), Capital (1986–2022) |
34 | Mark Campbell | 25 | 742 | 116 | .865 | Union (TN) (1999–) |
35 | Debbie Ryan * | 34 | 739 | 324 | .695 | Virginia (1977–2011) |
36 | Kay Yow ** | 38 | 737 | 344 | .682 | Elon (1971–75), NC State (1975–2009) |
37 | Joanne Bracker * | 42 | 736 | 403 | .646 | Midland (NE) (1970–2012) |
38 | Dale Neal | 26 | 735 | 185 | .799 | Freed–Hardeman (1994–2020) |
39 | Kim Mulkey † [lower-alpha 1] | 24 | 723 | 118 | .860 | Baylor (2000–2021), LSU (2021–) |
40 | Kris Huffman | 31 | 721 | 148 | .830 | DePauw (1993–) |
41 | Judy Blinstrub | 39 | 719 | 330 | .685 | Babson (1984–2023) |
42 | Brian Morehouse | 28 | 711 | 98 | .879 | Hope (1996–) |
43 | Sue Gunter ** | 34 | 708 | 308 | .697 | Stephen F. Austin (1968–80), LSU (1982–2004) |
44 | Cindy Russo | 38 | 707 | 408 | .634 | Lamar (1978–80), FIU (1977–78, 1980–2015) |
45 | Lonnie Kruse | 33 | 706 | 244 | .743 | Sterling (KS) (1981–2014) |
46 | Joan Bonvicini | 36 | 701 | 421 | .625 | Long Beach State (1979–91), Arizona (1991–2008), Seattle (2009–2016) |
47-T | Stephanie Gaitley | 37 | 698 | 410 | .630 | Richmond (1985–91), Saint Joseph's (1991–2001), LIU Brooklyn (2002–08), Monmouth (2008–11), Fordham (2011–2022), FDU (2023–) |
47-T | John Wethington | 35 | 698 | 409 | .631 | Lindsey Wilson (1989–) [4] |
49 | Dave Krauth | 34 | 695 | 302 | .697 | Augustana (SD) (1989–2023) |
50-T | Connie Tilley | 42 | 693 | 312 | .690 | St. Norbert (1977–2019) |
50-T | Rene Portland | 31 | 693 | 265 | .723 | Saint Joseph's (1976–78), Colorado (1978–80), Penn State (1980–2007) |
52 | Carmen Dolfo | 33 | 691 | 262 | .725 | Western Washington (1990–2003, 2004–) |
53 | Yvonne Kauffman | 42 | 689 | 328 | .677 | Elizabethtown (1970–2012) |
54 | Cheri Harrer | 34 | 688 | 246 | .737 | Baldwin Wallace (1990–) |
55 | Theresa Grentz ** | 35 | 681 | 362 | .653 | Saint Joseph's (1974–76), Rutgers (1976–95), Illinois (1995–2007), Lafayette (2015–17) |
56 | Jamie Sale | 26 | 680 | 208 | .766 | Briar Cliff (1998–2001), Morningside (2001–) [5] |
57 | Brian Niemuth | 37 | 679 | 298 | .695 | Simpson (1987–) |
58 | Russ Davis | 28 | 677 | 185 | .785 | Vanguard (1996–2024) |
59 | David Smalley | 32 | 676 | 350 | .659 | Rio Grande (1992–) [6] |
60 | Nancy Winstel | 32 | 675 | 255 | .726 | Midway (1978–81), Northern Kentucky (1983–2012) |
61 | Karl Smesko | 25 | 672 | 137 | .831 | Walsh (1997–98), Purdue Fort Wayne (1999–2001), FGCU (2002–) |
62 | Amy Ruley * | 29 | 671 | 198 | .772 | North Dakota State (1979–2008) |
63 | Lisa Stone | 36 | 667 | 375 | .640 | Cornell (IA) (1985–88), Wisconsin–Eau Claire (1988–2000), Drake (2000–2003), Wisconsin (2003–2011), Saint Louis (2012–2022) |
64 | Fred Richter | 34 | 665 | 254 | .724 | De Sales (1990–) |
65 | Nancy Funk | 40 | 663 | 353 | .653 | Messiah (1977–86), Johns Hopkins (1986–2017) |
66 | Gary Fifield | 27 | 660 | 137 | .828 | Southern Maine (1987–2008, 2009–15) |
67 | Steve Brooks | 24 | 659 | 176 | .789 | Indiana Wesleyan (1999–2016), Saint Francis (2017–21), Marian (IN) (2021–2024) |
68 | Lisa Stockton | 33 | 654 | 371 | .638 | Greensboro College (1987–90), Tulane (1994–2024) |
69 | Lonnie Bartley | 31 | 652 | 258 | .716 | Fort Valley State (1984–2013, 2015–2017) |
70 | Mike McLaughlin | 28 | 650 | 223 | .745 | Holy Family (1995–2009), Penn (2009–2020, 2021–) |
71 | Tim Shea | 30 | 649 | 197 | .767 | Salem State (1981–2011) |
72 | Mary Beth Spirk | 37 | 648 | 345 | .653 | Moravian (1987–) |
73 | Carroll LaHaye | 38 | 647 | 376 | .632 | Randolph–Macon (1982–2020) |
74-T | Michael McDevitt | 32 | 646 | 224 | .743 | Southern Maine (2008–09), St. Joseph (ME) (1987–2003, 2009–) |
74-T | Joanne P. McCallie | 28 | 646 | 255 | .717 | Maine (1992–2000), Michigan State (2000–2007), Duke (2007–2020) |
76 | Mary Fleig | 37 | 645 | 377 | .631 | Franklin & Marshall (1983–90), Millersville (1990–2020) |
77 | Jeff Mittie | 32 | 644 | 370 | .635 | Missouri Western (1992–95), Arkansas St. (1995–99), TCU (1999–2014), Kansas St. (2014–) |
78 | Stephanie Findley | 37 | 640 | 484 | .569 | Oklahoma Christian (1985–) |
79 | Brenda Frese | 25 | 639 | 191 | .770 | Ball State (1999–2001), Minnesota (2001–02), Maryland (2002–) |
80 | Robin Hagen-Smith | 24 | 637 | 161 | .798 | Shawnee State (1989–2013) |
81 | Tom Jessee | 31 | 636 | 273 | .700 | Bluefield St. (1988–1997), Tampa (2002–) |
82 | Bob Schneider * | 28 | 634 | 201 | .759 | Texas Woman's (1978–81), West Texas A&M (1981–2006) |
83 | Lori Culler | 35 | 633 | 430 | .595 | Huntington (1986–2022) |
84 | Buffie Burson | 30 | 632 | 284 | .690 | North Georgia (1994–) |
85 | Kathleen Delaney-Smith | 39 | 630 | 434 | .592 | Harvard (1982–2020, 2021–2022) |
86-T | Gene Roebuck | 25 | 628 | 145 | .812 | North Dakota (1987–2012) |
86-T | David Smith | 34 | 628 | 333 | .653 | St. Joseph's (IN) (1976–78, 1984–90), Shippensburg (1990–98), Bellarmine (1998–2012), West Virginia State (2012–2016) |
88 | Chris Gobrecht | 44 | 626 | 662 | .486 | CSUF (1979–1985), Washington (1985–1996), Florida St. (1996–97), USC (1997–2004), Yale (2005–2015), Air Force (2015–2024) |
89-T | Bill Gibbons Jr. | 34 | 613 | 410 | .599 | Holy Cross (1985–2019) |
89-T | Robert Skinner | 44 | 613 | 586 | .511 | Paine (1980–1991), Albany St. (GA) (1991–2024) |
91 | Dawn Staley | 23 | 612 | 186 | .767 | Temple (2000–2008), South Carolina (2008–) |
92 | Susan Dunagan | 33 | 611 | 271 | .693 | Roanoke (1981–2014) |
93-T | Wendy Larry | 27 | 608 | 234 | .722 | Virginia Wesleyan (1977–78), Arizona (1985–87), Old Dominion (1987–2011) |
93-T | Sharon Fanning | 36 | 608 | 460 | .569 | Chattanooga (1976–87), Kentucky (1987–95), Mississippi State (1995–2012) |
93-T | Wendee Saintsing | 35 | 608 | 368 | .623 | Barton (1989–2024) |
96-T | Joe Ciampi * | 27 | 607 | 213 | .740 | Army (1977–79), Auburn (1979–2004) |
96-T | Mike Granelli | 32 | 607 | 249 | .709 | Saint Peter's (NJ) (1972–2004) |
98 | J. Randall Ognibene | 33 | 606 | 264 | .697 | Mount Saint Mary (1980–2013) |
99 | Kelly Graves | 27 | 605 | 273 | .689 | Sint Mary's (CA) (1997–2000), Gonzaga (2000–14), Oregon (2014–) |
100 | Lynne Agee | 33 | 602 | 334 | .643 | Roanoke (1978–81), UNC Greensboro (1981–2011) |
101 | G. P. Gromacki | 23 | 601 | 88 | .872 | St. Lawrence (1998–2004), Hamilton (2006–07), Amherst (2007–) |
102 | Royce Chadwick | 35 | 600 | 449 | .572 | Oklahoma Panhandle (1984–86), Sam Houston (1986–89), SFA (1994–2001), Marshall (2001–12), Texas A&M Corpus Christi (2012–) |
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Tara Ann VanDerveer is a retired American basketball coach who was the head women's basketball coach at Stanford University from 1985 until her retirement in 2024. Designated the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women's Basketball, VanDerveer led the Stanford Cardinal to three NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championships: in 1990, 1992 and 2021. She stepped away from the Stanford program for a year to serve as the U.S. national team head coach at the 1996 Olympic Games. VanDerveer is the 1990 Naismith National Coach of the Year and a ten-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year. She is also one of only nine NCAA Women's Basketball coaches to win over 900 games, and one of ten NCAA Division I coaches – women's or men’s – to win 1,000 games. VanDerveer was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. On December 15, 2020, she passed Pat Summitt for most wins in women's college basketball history. On January 21, 2024, she won her 1,203rd game as a head coach, becoming the head coach with the most wins in college basketball history, women’s or men’s.
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