These are three of the best mid-major coaching hires in the 2026 cycle

Nov 6, 2024; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros head coach Kahil Fennell signals the team against the Creighton Bluejays during the second half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images Last year, I named Bryan Hodgson , Lennie Acuff and Eric Olen as the three best mid-major hires . I don’t have quite as strong of a conviction on three of them this year – there are a bunch that I really like – but what I did like about that group was how all three had different backgrounds.

They illustrated how you can find good coaches in a lot of different ways. Sure, all three of them were already in a Division-I head coaching job, but they got there differently. But I’ll do my best to single out three head coaching hires that I really like – all coming from different avenues – and then add a few more.

Kahil Fennell to Western Michigan In two years, Kahil Fennell revitalized the UTRGV program. In year one, he finished 70+ spots better than KenPom preseason expectation, with the program’s second-highest KenPom finish in 20 years. Then, in his second season, he finished 130 spots above preseason expectation, and 50 spots higher than any team in the last 30 years.

Sure, the drop from the WAC to the Southland made it easier to compete, but he put together better overall teams in a worse overall conference. Fennell’s teams have done a good job preventing rim attempts and threes despite not having a ton of size, and they emphasize catch-and-shoot offense and efficiency at the rim. If Western Michigan – which recently won the MAC in football and won a men’s hockey national championship – can put investment into basketball, Fennell will have them knocking on the door of the MAC’s upper class soon.