St. John’s men’s basketball coaching legend Lou Carnesecca, who coached the program for more than two decades, has died, the school announced Sunday night. He was just a few weeks shy of his 100th birthday.
Carnesecca was the coach of St. John’s for 24 seasons over two stints. He led the team to 18 seasons in which the team won at least 20 games and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams produced star players like Chris Mullin, Bill Wennington, Mark Jackson and Walter Berry.
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St. John’s won the NIT Championship in 1989 and he was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 – the year he retired from the sport.
"Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca '50C, '60GEd, '00HON, who led the St. John's men's basketball team for 24 seasons and endeared himself to generations of New Yorkers with his wit and warmth, passed away on Saturday surrounded by family," the team said.
"The legendary head coach leaves behind his beloved wife of 73 years, Mary, as well as his cherished family – daughter Enes, son-in-law Gerard (Jerry), granddaughter Ieva and her fiancé Frank, his dear niece and nephew, Susan Chiesa, John Chiesa and his wife, Nancy – as well as his extended family and his closest friends join them in their loss."
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Carnesecca took over for Joe Lapchick before the start of the 1965-66 season. He became the head coach for the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association in 1970 and later came back to the team, known then as the Redmen, replacing Frank Mulzoff.
His best team was the 1984-85 squad led by Mullin, Berry, Jackson and Wennington. They had 31 wins and were 15-1 in the Big East, making it to the Final Four before losing to the Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas.
The team won 31 games the next season as well, but was stunned in the second round of the tournament by Auburn.
Carnesecca was 526-200 in his coaching career. He was a three-time Big East Coach of the Year and two-time U.S. Basketball Writers Association Coach of the Year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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