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3 Best Coaches in Notre Dame Men’s Basketball History

By Daniel Morrison

SOUTH BEND, IN - JANUARY 19: Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach and current ESPN college basketball analyst Digger Phelps speaks to the crowd after being inducted in the Notre Dame Ring of Honor during halftime of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Purcel Pavilion on January 19, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Virginia Tech 70-63. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - JANUARY 19: Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach and current ESPN college basketball analyst Digger Phelps speaks to the crowd after being inducted in the Notre Dame Ring of Honor during halftime of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Purcel Pavilion on January 19, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Virginia Tech 70-63. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 21: Mike Brey the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish gives instructions to his team against the Indiana Hoosiers during the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 21, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

3. Mike Brey 2000-present

Digger Phelps (more on him later) had left the program nearly a decade prior, and Notre Dame had recently found itself in the Big East. The program was struggling. They had made a post-season tournament just three times in nine seasons. Each of those appearances was in the NIT.

Brey took Notre Dame to the NCAA Tournament in his first season with the Irish. Then he did so again in his second season. By his third season as the head coach of Notre Dame he had the Irish in the Sweet Sixteen. That’s the furthest a Notre Dame team had made it in the tournament since the 1986-87 team.

It wouldn’t be until Notre Dame’s first season in the ACC that they’d miss the post-season. Brey quickly followed that up with a conference tournament championship the next season, and back to back elite eights. The Irish hadn’t gone that far since the 1978-79 season.

Brey did this by developing players in the era of the one and done. While teams like Duke and Kentucky look to reload with the most talented freshmen in the class for success, teams like Notre Dame take what is undeniably lesser talent and develop them into players who can compete with that high end talent.

The two-time coach of the year has helped to send several players to the NBA as well. Among them are Luke Harangody, Ben Hansbrough, Jerian Grant, Chris Thomas, and Troy Murphy.

As it stands now, Brey is still the head coach at Notre Dame. This means he has time to move up the list further if he can get Notre Dame back to playing at the level they’ve been accustomed to under him. With a couple more tournament runs, Brey could be considered the best coach in Notre Dame men’s basketball history.

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