{"id":56466,"date":"2025-05-25T22:39:26","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T22:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/56466\/"},"modified":"2025-05-25T22:39:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T22:39:26","slug":"dii-mens-basketball-programs-with-the-most-ncaa-dii-national-championships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/56466\/","title":{"rendered":"DII men’s basketball programs with the most NCAA DII national championships"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nova Southeastern is officially a dynasty. The Sharks, appearing in their third consecutive national championship game, won their second title in three years and become the 11th DII program to win the DII men’s basketball national championship more than once. It took every last second to defeat the upstart No. 7 Cal State Dominguez Hills 74-73, but the Sharks, behind DII player of the year MJ Iraldi’s game-clinching free throws, won yet again.<\/p>\n

2025 RECAP: Shark attack: Nova Southeastern wins second title in three years\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Wheaton (Ill.) won the first DII men’s basketball title in 1957, defeating\u00a0Kentucky Wesleyan 89-65. Wheaton has\u00a0never been back to the\u00a0championship game, but Kentucky Wesleyan\u00a0has advanced to 12 more title\u00a0games, winning an unprecedented eight along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at the programs with the most national championships in DII basketball.<\/p>\n

Kentucky Wesleyan, 8 (1966, 1968-69, 1973, 1987, 1990, 1999, 2001)<\/p>\n

NCAA Photos
\n \"Kentucky<\/p>\n

The Panthers are the benchmark when it comes to DII men\u2019s basketball. They have lost as many championship games (5) as the next closest has won. Kentucky Wesleyan\u2019s resume is as impressive as any program at any level. The Panthers have made 19 appearances in the Elite Eight, 17 appearances in the national semifinals, and have registered 87 tournament wins along the way. Only UCLA has more national championships in college basketball than the Panthers.<\/p>\n

Evansville, 5 (1959-60, 1964-65, 1971)<\/p>\n

Evansville Athletics
\n \"Jerry<\/p>\n

Not only have the Aces won five titles, but the same head coach also hoisted the trophy every time. No head coach in DII men\u2019s basketball has more titles than Evansville\u2019s Arad McCutchan, and that evidently paid off on his players. Jerry Sloan helped lead the Aces to back-to-back titles in 1964 and \u201965 before going on to a storied NBA coaching career himself. The Aces were the first team to go back-to-back in DII history and are one of four DII programs to finish a championship season undefeated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Northwest Missouri State, 4 (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The current dynasty in DII men’s basketball is Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats have won four of the last five championships, and became the first team\u00a0to repeat as champions since Cal State Bakersfield in 1994. In 2022, the Bearcats became the first DII men’s basketball team made history as the first to win three in a row. Ben McCollum, a graduated of Northwest Missouri State, has led his alma mater to all of its titles.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cal State Bakersfield, 3 (1993-94, 1997)<\/p>\n

Cal State Bakersfield Athletics
\n \"Cal<\/p>\n

A large part of the 1990s belonged to the Roadrunners, making six appearances in the national semifinals and winning three of their four national championship appearances in the decade. Head coach Pat Douglass led them to all three titles, with their 1993, 33-0 season one of the best in DII basketball history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Virginia Union, 3 (1980, 1992, 2005)<\/p>\n

The school that produced well-known NBA big men Charles Oakley and Ben Wallace also pumped out three national championship teams. The Panthers like to leave their mark across the decades, the only team to win one in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Teams with two<\/p>\n

Nova Southeastern is the latest program to join the multi-national championship fraternity. The Sharks won their first-ever DII men’s basketball title in 2023, narrowly missed on a buzzer-beater in 2024, and took No. 2 in a one-point thriller in 2025. Five other teams have won two titles. Florida Southern\u00a0picked up its second title in 2015, 34 years after winning its first.\u00a0Central Missouri\u00a0won its second title in 2014, 30 years after winning its first back in 1984, holding both of its opponents to 77 points.\u00a0Winona State\u00a0went to three-straight title games between 2006 and 2008, winning twice.\u00a0Metro State\u00a0(now MSU Denver) which played Kentucky Wesleyan in the championship game three times in four years, won in both 2000 and 2002. And lastly,\u00a0North Alabama\u00a0won twice, once in 1979 before winning again in 1991.<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0These are the highest scoring seasons in DII history<\/a><\/p>\n

Here is the complete history of the DII men’s basketball championship game.\u00a0Note that there was no winner in 2020, as the tournament was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

\t\t\tyear
\n\t\t\tCHAMPION (RECORD)
\n\t\t\tCOACH
\n\t\t\tSCORE
\n\t\t\tRUNNER-UP
\n\t\t\tSITE<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2025
\n\t\t\tNova Southeastern (36-1)
\n\t\t\tJim Cruthfield
\n\t\t\t74-73
\n\t\t\tCSU Dominguez Hills
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2024\u00a0
\n\t\t\tMinnesota State (35-2)
\n\t\t\tMatt Margenthaler
\n\t\t\t88-85
\n\t\t\tNova Southeastern
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2023
\n\t\t\tNova Southeastern (36-0)
\n\t\t\tJim Crutchfield
\n\t\t\t111-101
\n\t\t\tWest liberty
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2022
\n\t\t\tNorthwest Missouri State (35-5
\n\t\t\tBen McCollum
\n\t\t\t67-58
\n\t\t\tAugusta
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2021
\n\t\t\tNorthwest Missouri State (28-2)
\n\t\t\tBen McCollum
\n\t\t\t80-54
\n\t\t\tWest Texas A&M
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2019
\n\t\t\tNorthwest Missouri State (38-0)
\n\t\t\tBen McCollum
\n\t\t\t64-58
\n\t\t\tPoint Loma
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2018
\n\t\t\tFerris State (38-1)
\n\t\t\tAndy Bronkema
\n\t\t\t71-69
\n\t\t\tNorthern State
\n\t\t\tSioux Falls, S.D.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2017
\n\t\t\tNorthwest Missouri St. (35-1)
\n\t\t\tBen McCollum
\n\t\t\t71-61
\n\t\t\tFairmont State
\n\t\t\tSioux Falls, S.D.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2016
\n\t\t\tAugustana [S.D.] (34-2)
\n\t\t\tTom Billeter
\n\t\t\t90-81
\n\t\t\tLincoln Memorial
\n\t\t\tFrisco, Tex.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2015
\n\t\t\tFlorida Southern (36-1)
\n\t\t\tLinc Darner
\n\t\t\t77-62
\n\t\t\tIndiana (Pa.)
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2014
\n\t\t\tCentral Missouri (30-5)
\n\t\t\tKim Anderson
\n\t\t\t84-77
\n\t\t\tWest Liberty
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2013
\n\t\t\tDrury (31-4)
\n\t\t\tSteve Hesser
\n\t\t\t74-73
\n\t\t\tMetro State
\n\t\t\tAtlanta, Ga.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2012
\n\t\t\tWestern Washington (31-5)
\n\t\t\tBrad Jackson
\n\t\t\t72-65
\n\t\t\tMontevallo
\n\t\t\tHighland Heights, Ky.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2011
\n\t\t\tBellarmine (33-2)
\n\t\t\tScott Davenport
\n\t\t\t71-68
\n\t\t\tBYU-Hawaii
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2010
\n\t\t\tCal Poly Pomona (28-6)
\n\t\t\tGreg Kamansky
\n\t\t\t65-53
\n\t\t\tIndiana (Pa.)
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2009
\n\t\t\tFindlay (36-0)
\n\t\t\tRon Niekamp
\n\t\t\t56-53 (ot)
\n\t\t\tCal Poly Pomona
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2008
\n\t\t\tWinona State (38-1)
\n\t\t\tMike Leaf
\n\t\t\t87-76
\n\t\t\tAugusta State
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2007
\n\t\t\tBarton (31-5)
\n\t\t\tRon Lievense
\n\t\t\t77-75
\n\t\t\tWinona State
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2006
\n\t\t\tWinona State (32-4)
\n\t\t\tMike Leaf
\n\t\t\t73-61
\n\t\t\tVirginia Union
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2005
\n\t\t\tVirginia Union (30-4)
\n\t\t\tDave Robbins
\n\t\t\t63-58
\n\t\t\tBryant
\n\t\t\tGrand Forks, N.D.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2004
\n\t\t\tKennesaw State (35-4)
\n\t\t\tTony Ingle
\n\t\t\t84-59
\n\t\t\tSouthern Indiana
\n\t\t\tBakersfield, Calif.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2003
\n\t\t\tNortheastern State (32-3)
\n\t\t\tLarry Gipson
\n\t\t\t75-64
\n\t\t\t**Kentucky Wesleyan
\n\t\t\tLakeland, Fla.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2002
\n\t\t\tMetro State (29-6)
\n\t\t\tMike Dunlap
\n\t\t\t80-72
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2001
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (31-3)
\n\t\t\tRay Harper
\n\t\t\t72-63
\n\t\t\tWashburn
\n\t\t\tBakersfield, Calif.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2000
\n\t\t\tMetro State (33-4)
\n\t\t\tMike Dunlap
\n\t\t\t97-79
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan
\n\t\t\tLouisville, Ky.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1999
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (35-2)
\n\t\t\tRay Harper
\n\t\t\t75-60
\n\t\t\tMetro State
\n\t\t\tLouisville, Ky.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1998
\n\t\t\tUC Davis (31-2)
\n\t\t\tBob Williams
\n\t\t\t83-77
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan
\n\t\t\tLouisville, Ky.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1997
\n\t\t\tCal State Bakersfield (29-4)
\n\t\t\tPat Douglass
\n\t\t\t57-56
\n\t\t\tNorthern Kentucky
\n\t\t\tLouisville, Ky.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1996
\n\t\t\tFort Hays State (34-0)
\n\t\t\tGary Garner
\n\t\t\t70-63
\n\t\t\tNorthern Kentucky
\n\t\t\tLouisville, Ky.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1995
\n\t\t\tSouthern Indiana (29-4)
\n\t\t\tBruce Pearl
\n\t\t\t71-63
\n\t\t\tUC Riverside
\n\t\t\tLouisville, Ky.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1994
\n\t\t\tCal State Bakersfield (27-6)
\n\t\t\tPat Douglass
\n\t\t\t92-86
\n\t\t\tSouthern Indiana
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1993
\n\t\t\tCal State Bakersfield (33-0)
\n\t\t\tPat Douglass
\n\t\t\t85-72
\n\t\t\tTroy
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1992
\n\t\t\tVirginia Union (30-3)
\n\t\t\tDave Robbins
\n\t\t\t100-75
\n\t\t\tBridgeport
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1991
\n\t\t\tNorth Alabama (29-4)
\n\t\t\tGary Elliot
\n\t\t\t79-72
\n\t\t\tBridgeport
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1990
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (31-2)
\n\t\t\tWayne Chapman
\n\t\t\t93-79
\n\t\t\tCal State Bakersfield
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1989
\n\t\t\tNorth Carolina Central (28-4)
\n\t\t\tMichael Bernard
\n\t\t\t73-46
\n\t\t\tSoutheast Missouri State
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1988
\n\t\t\tMassachusetts-Lowell (27-7)
\n\t\t\tDon Doucette
\n\t\t\t75-72
\n\t\t\tAlaska Anchorage
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1987
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (28-5)
\n\t\t\tWayne Chapman
\n\t\t\t92-74
\n\t\t\tGannon
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1986
\n\t\t\tSacred Heart (30-4)
\n\t\t\tDave Bike
\n\t\t\t93-87
\n\t\t\tSoutheast Missouri State
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1985
\n\t\t\tJacksonville State (31-1)
\n\t\t\tBill Jones
\n\t\t\t74-73
\n\t\t\tSouth Dakota State
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1984
\n\t\t\tCentral Missouri (29-3)
\n\t\t\tLynn Nance
\n\t\t\t81-77
\n\t\t\tSaint Augustine’s
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1983
\n\t\t\tWright State (18-4)
\n\t\t\tRalph Underhill
\n\t\t\t92-73
\n\t\t\tDistrict of Columbia
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1982
\n\t\t\tDistrict of Columbia (25-5)
\n\t\t\tWil Jones
\n\t\t\t73-63
\n\t\t\tFlorida Southern
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1981
\n\t\t\tFlorida Southern (24-8)
\n\t\t\tHal Wissel
\n\t\t\t73-68
\n\t\t\tMount Saint Mary’s
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1980
\n\t\t\tVirginia Union (26-4)
\n\t\t\tDave Robbins
\n\t\t\t80-74
\n\t\t\tSUNYIT
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1979
\n\t\t\tNorth Alabama (22-9)
\n\t\t\tBill Jones
\n\t\t\t64-50
\n\t\t\tGreen Bay
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mo.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1978
\n\t\t\tCheyney (26-2)
\n\t\t\tJohn Chaney
\n\t\t\t47-40
\n\t\t\tGreen Bay
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mo.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1977
\n\t\t\tChattanooga (27-5)
\n\t\t\tRoShumatete
\n\t\t\t71-62
\n\t\t\tRandolph-Macon
\n\t\t\tSpringfield, Mass.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1976
\n\t\t\tPuget Sound (27-7)
\n\t\t\tDon Zech
\n\t\t\t83-74
\n\t\t\tChattanooga
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1975
\n\t\t\tOld Dominion (25-6)
\n\t\t\tSonny Allen
\n\t\t\t76-74
\n\t\t\tNew Orleans
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1974
\n\t\t\tMorgan State (28-5)
\n\t\t\tNathaniel Frazier
\n\t\t\t67-52
\n\t\t\tMissouri State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1973
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (24-6)
\n\t\t\tBob Jones
\n\t\t\t78-76 (ot)
\n\t\t\tTennessee State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1972
\n\t\t\tRoanoke (28-4)
\n\t\t\tCharles Moir
\n\t\t\t84-72
\n\t\t\tAkron
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1971
\n\t\t\tEvansville (22-8)
\n\t\t\tArad McCutchan
\n\t\t\t97-82
\n\t\t\tOld Dominion
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1970
\n\t\t\tPhiladelphia University (29-2)
\n\t\t\tHerb Magee
\n\t\t\t76-65
\n\t\t\tTennessee State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1969
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (25-5)
\n\t\t\tBob Daniels
\n\t\t\t75-71
\n\t\t\tMissouri State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1968
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (28-3)
\n\t\t\tBob Daniels
\n\t\t\t63-52
\n\t\t\tIndiana State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1967
\n\t\t\tWinston-Salem (30-2)
\n\t\t\tC.E. Gaines
\n\t\t\t77-74
\n\t\t\tMissouri State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1966
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan (24-6)
\n\t\t\tGuy Strong
\n\t\t\t54-51
\n\t\t\tSouthern Illinois
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1965
\n\t\t\tEvansville (29-0)
\n\t\t\tArad McCutchan
\n\t\t\t85-82 (ot)
\n\t\t\tSouthern Illinois
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1964
\n\t\t\tEvansville (26-3)
\n\t\t\tArad McCutchan
\n\t\t\t72-59
\n\t\t\tAkron
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1963
\n\t\t\tSouth Dakota State (22-5)
\n\t\t\tJim Iverson
\n\t\t\t44-42
\n\t\t\tWittenberg
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1962
\n\t\t\tMount Saint Mary’s (24-6)
\n\t\t\tJames Phelan
\n\t\t\t58-57 (ot)
\n\t\t\tSacramento State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1961
\n\t\t\tWittenberg (25-4)
\n\t\t\tRay Mears
\n\t\t\t42-38
\n\t\t\tSoutheast Missouri State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1960
\n\t\t\tEvansville (25-4)
\n\t\t\tArad McCutchan
\n\t\t\t90-69
\n\t\t\tChapman
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1959
\n\t\t\tEvansville (21-6)
\n\t\t\tArad McCutchan
\n\t\t\t83-67
\n\t\t\tMissouri State
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1958
\n\t\t\tSouth Dakota (22-5)
\n\t\t\tDuane Clodfelter
\n\t\t\t75-53
\n\t\t\tSaint Michael’s
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1957
\n\t\t\tWheaton (Ill.) (28-1)
\n\t\t\tLee Pfund
\n\t\t\t89-65
\n\t\t\tKentucky Wesleyan
\n\t\t\tEvansville, Ind.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\u00a0
\n\t\t\t**Student-Athletes declared ineligible
\n\t\t\t\u00a0
\n\t\t\t\u00a0
\n\t\t\t\u00a0
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