There are likely some younger college basketball fans that aren’t even vaguely aware of whom Jim Phelan is. They’d be wise to do their research on a man who most definitely deserves his rightful place on this list.

When you think of Mount Saint Mary’s basketball, you think of Phelan first and foremost. The coach who always wore a spiffy bowtie around his neck spent all 49 years of his head coaching career at Mt. St. Mary’s out of Maryland.

While there, he transcended the program from the Division III to Division I level, a status the program achieved in the late 1980s (they currently play in the Northeastern Conference). In all, Phelan racked up 830 career victories across all three NCAA divisions, along with the 1962 Division II national championship.