What is Shaka Smart's NCAA tournament record? Exploring his coaching history and achievements as Marquette head coach

Heading into March Madness, Shaka Smart's NCAA tournament record sits at 7-9. In his 14 years as a college head coach, he has reached the big stage on ten separate occasions.

Smart's coaching journey began back in 2009 when he accepted a position with Virgina Commonwealth. He went on to spend six years with the program before making the jump to coach at Texas University.

Smart had a stellar run with Texas, posting a 109-86 record. However, he once again parted for a new venture after six seasons.

The longtime head coach now finds himself leading the program at Marquette. In just his second season, they posted a 28-6 record and won the Big East tournament. Following their conference tournament win, Marquette was given a No. 2 seed for this year's tournament.

Looking at Shaka Smart's NCAA tournament record, many can expect that he hasn't had many deep runs. However, he has reached the Final Four on one occasion. That came back in 2011 during his second season as a head coach. With his Marquette team entering as two seed, Smart has an opportunity to get his tournament record above .500.

Other achievements outside of Shaka Smart's NCAA tournament record

While Shaka Smart's NCAA tournament record might not jump off the page, the Marquette head coach still has some impressive achievements under his belt. Most notably with his time with Virgina Commonwealth.

During his first six seasons as a head coach, Smart had a record of 163-56. Along with his .744 winning percentage, he also led the program to its first Final Four appearance in school history.

Before he got into coaching, Smart was a player himself. He played in high school and college and had successful stints as a point guard.

During his high school career, Smart set records with his playmaking ability. He holds the school record for assists in a game, assists in a season and assists for a career. Smart also holds school records at Kenyon College for assits in a season and career. After achieving his master's degree, Smart transitioned into coaching.

Throughout his career as a college coach, Smart has coached a handful of players that have gone on to play in the NBA. The first was former Milwaukee Bucks big man Larry Sanders, and some more recent ones are Mo Bamba of the LA Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes.