Chris Crutchfield's Journey: Leading Omaha to Their First NCAA Tournament
Let me tell you a story about a coach who turned a struggling basketball program into a history-making team. Chris Crutchfield, a name that’s now synonymous with Omaha basketball, has led the Mavericks to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. This is the kind of Cinderella story that makes March Madness so special.
When Crutchfield took over as Omaha’s head coach in 2022, the team wasn’t exactly in top shape. They had just wrapped up consecutive five-win seasons, and the challenge ahead was daunting. But Crutchfield had a plan, one that he learned from his mentor, legendary coach Lon Kruger. It all started with recruiting the right players—young athletes who were talented, hungry, and committed to building something special. And just look at what happened: from nine wins in his first season to 15 in his second, and now a 22-13 record that earned Omaha the Summit League championship and a ticket to the Big Dance.
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Crutchfield’s path to this moment has been anything but ordinary. He was an assistant coach at Oklahoma, helping lead the Sooners to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four run. He played a major role in recruiting stars like Buddy Hield and Trae Young. After leaving OU, he had stints at Arkansas and Oregon before making what seemed like a career step back—coaching his sons at a Division II school. But that experience reinvigorated him. Then, almost out of nowhere, Omaha, his alma mater, called with an offer to lead the program. And just like that, a dream was set in motion.
Fast forward to now, and Omaha is ready to take on No. 2 seed St. John’s in their first-ever NCAA Tournament game. But there’s something else that makes this team stand out—something unique, something a little... unconventional. Their postgame celebration? Beating up a trash can. Yes, you heard that right. It all started after a tough losing streak when assistant coach Kyan Brown, in an effort to fire up the team, started kicking a trash can in the locker room. It sparked something in the players, and soon, it became a ritual. Every win meant another trash can took a beating. Call it bizarre, call it wild—but it’s worked. And now, this underdog squad is hoping to smash one more trash can after an upset win in March Madness.
Crutchfield’s impact on Omaha goes beyond wins and losses. He’s built a culture, a team that believes in itself, and a program that’s finally getting national recognition. He still talks regularly with Kruger, getting advice from the mentor who helped shape his coaching philosophy. And while some doubted whether Omaha could ever reach this level, Crutchfield and his team proved them all wrong.
So, as Omaha takes the court for their first NCAA Tournament game, remember this: They were never supposed to be here. But with heart, hustle, and maybe a little trash-can destruction, they’ve earned their place in history. And they’re not done yet.
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