Izzo: Top 10 longest-tenured college basketball coaches ft. Tom Izzo

Michigan State Spartans fans can count on death, taxes and coach Tom Izzo, who began coaching at the school as an assistant in 1983 and became the head coach in 1995. The venerable Michigan native has taken the Spartans to the Final Four eight times in his nearly three decades in charge of the program.

But as impressive as Izzo's tenure is, it's not the longest in college basketball. No, a pair of other Division I coaches have been at their current jobs even longer than Izzo. The longest? That's Oakland's Greg Kampe.

With the 2023 retirement of Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, Kampe became the dean of Division I coaches. He's been at Oakland, which is also in Michigan, for four decades.

Who else besides Lampe (and Izzo) is on the list of the longest-tenured college basketball coaches?

Longest-tenured college basketball coaches

Purdue coach Matt Painter is one of five coaches who have held their current jobs since 2005, tying him for the 10th longest tenure of active college basketball coaches.

#10, 5-way tie including Matt Painter, Purdue

Several coaches began their current work in 2005, including Purdue coach Matt Painter. In his 19 seasons in West Lafayette, Painter has won four Big Ten regular season titles and a pair of conference titles. He's still looking for his first Final Four with a squad returning National Player of the Year Zach Edey.

The other coaches tied with Painter are Bellarmine's Scott Davenport, Charleston Southern's Barclay Radebaugh, Richmond's Chris Mooney and Utah Tech's Jon Judkins. Each is just a season from two decades on his current job.

#8 (tie), Scott Drew, Baylor

Drew took the Baylor job in 2003, after a season coaching at his alma mater, Valparaiso. He has won over 430 games at Baylor, including the 2021 NCAA championship. While that is Drew's only Final Four trip at Baylor, he has led the Bears to two more Elite Eights and two other Sweet 16s.

#8 (tie), Bill Self, Kansas

Self has been at Kansas since 2003, matching Drew for longevity. Unlike Drew, he has a pair of NCAA titles, with the 2008 and 2022 championships. Self reached the NCAA Tournament with Tulsa and Illinois before taking the Kansas job. He has won over 570 games at Kansas and is going strong.

#7, Leonard Hamilton, Florida State

Hamilton has been the head man at Florida State since 2002. Hamilton, who is 75 years old, took the FSU job after coaching the NBA's Washington Wizards. The former Kentucky assistant coach has won over 430 games at FSU and has taken the Seminoles to three NCAA Sweet 16 finishes.

#6, Randy Bennett, St. Mary's

Bennett took his first head coaching job at St. Mary's in 2001 and has been at the school since that time. He has won over 510 games and has led the Gaels to the Sweet 16 in 2010. At just 61 years old, Bennett may well climb this list even further.

#4, (tie) James Jones, Yale

Forgive Jones if he decides to party like it's 1999. That was the year he took the Yale basketball job. The longest-tenured African American coach in college basketball, Jones is approaching 400 wins at Yale, which was his first head coaching job.

#4, (tie) Mark Few, Gonzaga

Gonzaga coach Mark Few has been in Spokane since 1999, making him one of just five college basketball coaches who has held his job since before 2000.

Like Jones, Few has been at his job since before the days of Y2K. But while Jones can claim just one NCAA Tournament win, Few has picked up 41 such wins at Gonzaga. With 700 wins and a pair of Final Four appearances, Few has elevated the Bulldogs on the college basketball stage.

#3, Tom Izzo, Michigan State

Since taking the Michigan State job in 1995, Izzo has landed MSU in the Final Four in three different decades, including claiming the 2000 NCAA title. A Basketball Hall of Fame honoree, Izzo is approaching 700 wins at State, his first head coaching job.

#2, Ron Cottrell, Houston Christian

Cottrell took the job at a school then called Houston Baptist in 1991. It was then an NAIA program, and in nearly three-and-a-half decades, he has guided the squad to the NCAA Division I Southland Conference. Cottrell made the NAIA Tournament 10 years in a row but is still looking for his first NCAA Tournament appearance despite winning over 510 games.

#1, Greg Kampe, Oakland University

When Kampe took the Oakland job in 1984, Ronald Reagan was president, the film "Back To the Future" had not yet been released, and Kampe himself was a 28-year-old assistant coach from Toledo. In four decades at Oakland, Kampe has won almost 700 games, including earning three NCAA Tournament appearances.