For only the sixth time since the 1978-1979 college basketball season, a team takes the floor this week owing a record of 30-0 or better.The previous list includes the legendary Larry Bird-led Indiana State squad of 1978-79. The Sycamores, the national runner-up to Magic Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans, played in a contest the changed basketball – and sports television – forever.UNLV (1990-1991), Wichita St (2013-1014), Kentucky (2014-2015), and Gonzaga (2020-2021) round out of the list – until the most unlikely of additions this season.The Miami RedHawks, absent from the NCAA Tournament since 2007 and unranked since in the AP Top 25 poll since 1999, are officially America’s new college basketball Cinderella tale.“It’s not very often you’re going to be — whatever we are – undefeated,” Travis Steele said in an exclusive interview with WLWT. “It’s march now. That’s incredible. Maybe people would say even this is a once in a lifetime deal.”Steele’s arrival at Miami four years ago came on the heels of four seasons at Xavier University. After being let go by the Musketeers, Steele had his doubts about landing another head coaching job.Then the dad of two, with another child on the way, received a unique offer from the RedHawks: Don’t move your family. Take over in Oxford.After 12-20 and 15-17 seasons to get the rebuild off the ground, 2025 delivered the best regular season in school history. Miami’s 25-9 team came up a couple possessions short of a long-awaited NCAA Tournament berth.Remarkably, Steele retained his top talent, sans Kam Craft departing for Georgia Tech, and then the fun really started in Oxford. The run to 30-0 has a silver lining for the Steele family too.In a business where far too often coaches are forced to push away time with family, Steele has managed to do the opposite.His three kids are seemingly everywhere with the team, including young son Anderson getting a special exception to sit on the bench with dad during a road game this season at Buffalo.Miami’s kept winning. And dad, somehow, has just kept being dad.“As intense as he is on the court, and everyone sees that side of him, he comes home and he wakes up and he is the same guy whether we lose or win,” Amanda Steele said. “Every single morning, we get up, we make the kids breakfast together, and we get them out to school. He is just incredible, and these kids just love him.”“You figure out what your priorities are,” Steele said. You have to make decisions, and to coach and be a great family man I think you got to be able to combine it.”“She (Amanda) has been my rock. Through good and through bad times she’s always stayed consistent,” he said.
For only the sixth time since the 1978-1979 college basketball season, a team takes the floor this week owing a record of 30-0 or better.
The previous list includes the legendary Larry Bird-led Indiana State squad of 1978-79. The Sycamores, the national runner-up to Magic Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans, played in a contest the changed basketball – and sports television – forever.
UNLV (1990-1991), Wichita St (2013-1014), Kentucky (2014-2015), and Gonzaga (2020-2021) round out of the list – until the most unlikely of additions this season.
The Miami RedHawks, absent from the NCAA Tournament since 2007 and unranked since in the AP Top 25 poll since 1999, are officially America’s new college basketball Cinderella tale.
“It’s not very often you’re going to be — whatever we are – undefeated,” Travis Steele said in an exclusive interview with WLWT. “It’s march now. That’s incredible. Maybe people would say even this is a once in a lifetime deal.”
Steele’s arrival at Miami four years ago came on the heels of four seasons at Xavier University. After being let go by the Musketeers, Steele had his doubts about landing another head coaching job.
Then the dad of two, with another child on the way, received a unique offer from the RedHawks: Don’t move your family. Take over in Oxford.
After 12-20 and 15-17 seasons to get the rebuild off the ground, 2025 delivered the best regular season in school history. Miami’s 25-9 team came up a couple possessions short of a long-awaited NCAA Tournament berth.
Remarkably, Steele retained his top talent, sans Kam Craft departing for Georgia Tech, and then the fun really started in Oxford.
The run to 30-0 has a silver lining for the Steele family too.
In a business where far too often coaches are forced to push away time with family, Steele has managed to do the opposite.
His three kids are seemingly everywhere with the team, including young son Anderson getting a special exception to sit on the bench with dad during a road game this season at Buffalo.
Miami’s kept winning. And dad, somehow, has just kept being dad.
“As intense as he is on the court, and everyone sees that side of him, he comes home and he wakes up and he is the same guy whether we lose or win,” Amanda Steele said. “Every single morning, we get up, we make the kids breakfast together, and we get them out to school. He is just incredible, and these kids just love him.”
“You figure out what your priorities are,” Steele said. You have to make decisions, and to coach and be a great family man I think you got to be able to combine it.”
“She (Amanda) has been my rock. Through good and through bad times she’s always stayed consistent,” he said.