Will Wade has High Expectations for NC State in Year 1. How have Former Wolfpack Coaches done in Year 1?

In Will Wade’s introductory Press Conference as NC State’s Men’s Basketball Coach, he made it crystal clear that NC State would bounce back next season in his first year at the helm.

I want to be very clear. This is not a rebuild. We’re going to be in the top part of the ACC next year, and we’re going to the NCAA tournament.

This is not something that’s going to take forever. Make sure you got that on camera. This is going to be done, and this is going to be done the right way, and this is going to be done quickly.

Looking all the way back to the hiring of the legendary Everett Case, how have past NC State Coaches done in Year 1?

Everett Case – 1946-47: 26-5 (11-2) (Southern Conference Regular Season & Tournament Champions)

Previous Year – 6-12 (5-7)

Press Maravich – 1964-65: 21-5 (10-4) (ACC Tournament Champions/NCAA Tournament Appearance)

Previous Year – 8-11 (4-10)

Norm Sloan – 1966-67: 7-19 (2-12)

Previous Year – 18-9 (9-5)

Jim Valvano – 1980-81: 14-15 (4-10)

Previous Year – 20-8 (9-5) (NCAA Tournament 2nd Round)

Les Robinson – 1990-91: 20-11 (8-6) (NCAA Tournament 2nd Round)

Previous Year – 18-12 (6-8)

Herb Sendek – 1996-97: 17-15 (4-12)

Previous Year – 15-16 (3-13)

Sidney Lowe – 2006-07: – 20-16 (5-11)

Previous Year – 22-10 (10-6) (NCAA Tournament 2nd Round)

Mark Gottfried – 2011-12: 24-13 (9-7) (NCAA Tournament Sweet 16)

Previous Year – 15-16 (5-11)

Kevin Keatts – 2017-18:  21-12 (11-7) (NCAA Tournament 1st Round)

Previous Year – 15-17 (4-14)

Will Wade – 2025-26: ?

Previous Year – 12-19 (5-15)

Notes

• Of the 9 previous NC State Men’s Basketball Coaches, 7 of them had winning seasons in Year 1 (Case, Maravich, Robinson, Sendek, Lowe, Gottfried and Keatts).
  • Six of them improved the win total from the year before (Case, Maravich, Robinson, Sendek, Gottfried and Keatts.
  • Four of them went to the NCAA Tournament (Maravich, Robinson, Gottfried and Keatts) (There was no NCAA Tournament in Case’s first year).