Class of 2024 Hall of Fame

The road to back-to-back NCAA men’s basketball championships for Dan Hurley started at The Hive.

From 2001-2010, Dan Hurley was a history teacher and Head Basketball Coach at St. Benedict’s Prep. He compiled a 223-21 record that propelled Benedict’s into one of the top high school basketball programs in the country. Mr. Hurley was Head Coach at Wagner College and the University of Rhode Island before being named Head Coach of the UConn Huskies in 2018.

In 2023 and 2024, Mr. Hurley led the Huskies to the program’s first back-to-back NCAA Division I national championships. The feat was not only a first for UConn men’s basketball, it was only the third time a program captured consecutive champion wins in the last 40 years of the NCAA Tournament. Recognized as one of the best college basketball coaches in the country, Mr. Hurley spoke about the huge influence Benedict’s played in his growth as a teacher, coach, and human being.

“For me, Benedict’s came at a critical time. I had just gotten fired from Rutgers as an assistant coach and I was in a very tenuous position. It was a crossroads in my career and a crossroads in life, and St. Benedict’s came along at exactly the perfect time,” he stated. “Excellence across the board,” in teaching, learning and athletics had a lasting impact on the young coach.  

  Mr. Hurley also recognized the many Gray Bee basketball players who turned out to support their coach at the Hall of Fame. “I appreciate you guys so much for being here. You are special men who were part of a special program.”

UConn was ranked No. 3 overall in the 2024-25 preseason AP Top Poll in October. Mr. Hurley was named Naismith College Coach of the Year and Big East Coach of the Year in 2024.