The Guru’s AP Women’s Basketball Poll Coach Appearance History Update After Retirement of C. Vivian Stringer and Several Other Legends

By Mel Greenberg @womhoops guru

Quick hits on AP poll (week 19 for coaches’ appearances week No. 19-Final)  

(This is 824th poll after week 19 for 2021-22). (Records on pages through Season 2021-22 W19F)

Coaches with Four Ranked Teams

Jim Foster (St. Joe-35), (Vanderbilt-164), (Ohio St.-171), (Chattanooga-10), 380

Coaches with Three Ranked Teams  

C. Vivian Stringer (Cheyney-85), (Iowa-155), (Rutgers-199), 439

Gary Blair (Stephen F. Austin-79), (Arkansas-67), (Texas A&M-274) 420

Marianne Stanley (Old Dominion-141), (Southern Cal-24), (Stanford*-18), 183

Lin Dunn (Miami-2), (Mississippi-1), (Purdue-130), 133

Joe McKeown (New Mexico St.-6), (George Washington-110), (Northwestern-36) 152

Don Perrelli (Northwestern-52), (S. Conn.-20), (St. John’s-1), 73

Tom Collen (Colorado St.-34), (Louisville-17), (Arkansas-9), 60

Sharon Fanning-Otis (Kentucky-4), (Miss. St.-48), (Chattanooga-4), 56

Nell Fortner (Purdue 29) (Auburn 1) (Georgia Tech 14), 44

Debbie Yow (Florida-2), (Kentucky-21), (Oral Roberts-1), 24 

*- Filled in for Tara Vanderveer 1995-96 during Olympic Year 

Co-Coaches

Kittie Blakemore, Scott Harrelson – West Virginia 8 

Sonja Hogg, Leon Barmore – Louisiana Tech 51

Jill Hutchison, Linda Fischer – Illinois St. 3

Jim Jarrett, Joyce Patterson – Georgia St. 1

Marianne Stanley, Amy Tucker – Stanford 18

Jim Bolla, Sheila Strike – UNLV 18

Coaches All Time Ranking Appearances

1.**- Pat Summitt, Tennessee – 618 (missed just 14 polls in entire AP history as existed in 2012)

2.  Tara VanDerveer (2 schools – Ohio St., Stanford) – 614

3.  Geno Auriemma, Connecticut – 578

4. **-Andy Landers, Georgia – 522

5. **-C. Vivian Stringer (3 schools – Cheyney, Iowa, Rutgers) – 439

6. **-Gary Blair (3 schools – Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas, Texas A&M) – 420

7. **-Jody Conradt, Texas – 395

8. **- Sylvia Hatchell, North Carolina 384

9. **-Jim Foster (4 schools – St. Joseph’s, Vanderbilt, Ohio St., Chattanooga) – 380

10. Kim Mulkey (2 schools — Baylor 364, LSU 15) - 379

11. **-Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame 373

12. **-Rene Portland (2 schools – St. Joseph, Penn St.) – 336

13. Brenda Frese (2 schools – Minnesota -8 , Maryland 324) – 332

14.  **-Debbie Ryan, Virginia – 329

15. **- Kay Yow, North Caro. St. – 326

16. **-Leon Barmore, Louisiana Tech (51-shared with Sonja Hogg) – 325

17.**- Gail Goestenkors (2 schools – Duke, Texas) – 295

18. **-Joe Ciampi, Auburn – 290

19. **-Sue Gunter (2 schools – Stephen F. Austin, LSU) – 270

19. **-Joanne P. McCallie (2 schools – Michigan St., Duke) – 270

21. **-Joan Bonvicini (2 schools – Long Beach, Arizona) – 267

22. **- Sherri Coale, Oklahoma – 264

22. **-Marsha Sharp, Texas Tech – 264

24. **-Van Chancellor (2 schools – Mississippi, LSU) – 261

25. Jeff Walz, Louisville – 230

26. **-Chris Weller, Maryland – 227

27. Doug Bruno, DePaul – 226

28. **-Theresa Grentz (2 schools – Rutgers, Illinois) – 225

29. Dawn Staley (2 schools — Temple, South Carolina) — 218

30. Bill Fennelly (2 schools — Toledo, Iowa State 190

31. **-Marianne Stanley (3 schools – Old Dominion, Southern Cal, Stanford*) – 183

32. **-Paul Sanderford (2 schools – W. Kentucky, Nebraska) – 182

**-Not on the College Division I active head coaches list

Active Coaches-All Time AP Ranking Appearances

1. Tara VanDerveer (2 schools – Ohio St., Stanford) – 614

2. Geno Auriemma, Connecticut – 578 

3. Kim Mulkey, (2 schools — Baylor 364, LSU -15) – 379

4. Brenda Frese (2 schools, Minnesota, 8 Maryland 324) – 332

5. Jeff Walz, Louisville – 230

6. Doug Bruno, DePaul – 226

7. Dawn Staley (2 schools —Temple - 26, South Carolina 192) – 218

8. Bill Fennelly, (2 schools – Toledo, Iowa St.) – 190

9. Joe McKeown, (3 schools – New Mexico St., George Washington, Northwestern) – 152

10.  Kevin McGuff, (2 schools -- Xavier, Ohio State) – 142

11. Vic Schaefer, (2 schools — Mississippi State, Texas) – 140

12. @!@!-Kristy Curry (2 schools – Purdue, Texas Tech) – 136

13. Scott Rueck, Oregon State – 124

14. Kelly Graves, (2 schools — Gonzaga, Oregon) – 123

15. Cori Close, UCLA—120

16. Lisa Bluder (2 schools – Iowa, Drake) – 111

17.)))-Chris Gobrecht,Washington - 104 

18. Wes Moore, North Caro. St. 103

19. !!@@ Karen Aston, Texas 101

19. Suzy Merchant, Michigan St. — 101

21. Katie Meier, Miami –90

22. Kim Barnes Arico (2 schools – St. John’s, Michigan) – 87

23. Jose Fernandez, South Florida – 75

24. Teri Moren, Indiana — 59

25. - $$$ - Bonnie Henrickson ( 2 schools — Virginia Tech, Kansas) – 54

26.  Adia Barnes — 53

26. Lisa Fortier, Gonzaga — 53 

28. Jeff  Mittie, (TCU, Kansas St.) – 50

29. Kevin Borseth, Wis.-Green Bay – 46

30. Nell Fortner (Auburn, Purdue, Georgia Tech) – 44

31.  %=%= Matt Bollant, Wis.-Green Bay – 35

32. Lisa Stockton, Tulane – 34

)))-Active at Air Force; $$$-Active at UCSB;  %=%= Active at Eastern Illinois; @!@!-Active at Alabama; !!@@-Active at UTSA