Lou Carnesecca facts for kids
Carnesecca in 2008
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 5, 1925 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 30, 2024 (aged 99) |
| Alma mater | St. John's |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1950–1958 | St. Ann's Academy HS |
| 1958–1965 | St. John's (assistant) |
| 1965–1970 | St. John's |
| 1970–1973 | New York Nets |
| 1973–1992 | St. John's |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 205–34 (high school) 526–200 (college) 114–138 (ABA) |
| Tournaments | 17–20 (NCAA Division I) 10–6 (NIT) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| NCAA Division I Regional – Final Four (1985) NIT (1989) 5 Big East regular season (1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1992) 2 Big East tournament (1983, 1986) 2 CHSAA (1952, 1958) |
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| Awards | |
| 2× Henry Iba Award (1983, 1985) NABC Coach of the Year (1983) UPI Coach of the Year (1985) 3× Big East Coach of the Year (1983, 1985, 1986) New York City Basketball Hall of Fame (1993) |
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| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1992 (profile) |
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| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
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Luigi P. Carnesecca (January 5, 1925 – November 30, 2024) was an American men's college basketball coach at St. John's University. Carnesecca also coached at the professional level, leading the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association (ABA) for three seasons. Carnesecca was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.
He coached the St. John's basketball program to 526 wins and 200 losses over 24 seasons (1965–70, 1973–92). The colorful "Looie" (as he was popularly known by fans and by the media) reached the post-season in every season he coached the team, including a Final Four appearance in 1985. He was selected as the National Coach of the Year in 1983, and 1985 by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Carnesecca was widely known for his sense of humor and his signature sweaters. In November 2004, St. John's University officially dedicated and renamed the historic Alumni Hall to Carnesecca Arena.
Contents
Early life and education
The son of Italian immigrants, Carnesecca was born in New York City on January 5, 1925. He attended high school at St. Ann's Academy in Manhattan (now Archbishop Molloy High School). Upon graduation, he served for three years in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, where he served on a troop transport in the Pacific theater.
Basketball career
Upon discharge from the Coast Guard, he then enrolled at St. John's and graduated in 1950. He also coached his high school alma mater, St. Ann's, where he was succeeded by Jack Curran.
After beginning his coaching career at St. John's in 1965, Carnesecca jumped to the pro level. He was head coach and general manager of the ABA's New York Nets for three seasons from 1970 to 1973. The ballclub qualified for the postseason in each of the three campaigns with Carnesecca at the helm. The 1971–72 Nets finished third in the regular season but reached the ABA Finals, where they were defeated by the Indiana Pacers in six games. Despite the loss of Rick Barry and a 30–53 record, the Nets edged out the Memphis Tams for fourth place and the final playoff berth in the Eastern Division in 1972–73.
Carnesecca announced his return to St. John's on March 27, 1973. He replaced Frank Mulzoff, his successor from three years earlier who had resigned after a 19–7 campaign. He had two years out of a total of five remaining on his Nets contract in which he was to have received about $200,000 spread over seven years. His $22,000 salary at St. John's meant that he took a financial loss in the transition. He explained, "I've had my whack at pro ball and I'm very happy with it. But when the opportunity arose to return to St. John's, I wanted to go back."
Carnesecca was also a longtime announcer for the USA Network's coverage of the yearly NBA drafts of the 1980s.
Personal life and death
Carnesecca married Mary Chiesa in 1951, and they had one daughter. Carnesecca died on November 30, 2024, at the age of 99.
Head coaching record
High school
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Ann's Academy / Archbishop Molloy High School (Catholic High School Athletic Association) (1950–1958) | |||||||||
| 1950–51 | St. Ann's | 13–11 | |||||||
| 1951–52 | St. Ann's | 24–6 | CHSAA Champion | ||||||
| 1952–53 | St. Ann's | 26–5 | |||||||
| 1953–54 | St. Ann's | 29–1 | CHSAA Final | ||||||
| 1954–55 | St. Ann's | 26–4 | |||||||
| 1955–56 | St. Ann's | 26–4 | CHSAA Final | ||||||
| 1956–57 | St. Ann's | 29–3 | |||||||
| 1957–58 | Archbishop Molloy | 32–0 | CHSAA Champion | ||||||
| St. Ann's / Archbishop Molloy: | 205–34 (.858) | ||||||||
| Total: | 205–34 (.858) | ||||||||
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National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
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College
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's Redmen (NCAA University Division independent) (1965–1970) | |||||||||
| 1965–66 | St. John's | 18–8 | NIT first round | ||||||
| 1966–67 | St. John's | 23–5 | NCAA University Division Regional Fourth Place | ||||||
| 1967–68 | St. John's | 19–8 | NCAA University Division first round | ||||||
| 1968–69 | St. John's | 23–6 | NCAA University Division Regional Fourth Place | ||||||
| 1969–70 | St. John's | 21–8 | NIT Runner-up | ||||||
| St. John's Redmen (NCAA Division I independent) (1973–1976) | |||||||||
| 1973–74 | St. John's | 20–7 | NIT first round | ||||||
| 1974–75 | St. John's | 21–10 | NIT semifinal | ||||||
| 1975–76 | St. John's | 23–6 | NCAA Division I first round | ||||||
| St. John's Redmen (New Jersey-New York 7 Conference) (1976–1979) | |||||||||
| 1976–77 | St. John's | 22–9 | 3–2 | T–3rd | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
| 1977–78 | St. John's | 21–7 | 5–1 | T–1st | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
| 1978–79 | St. John's | 21–11 | 3–3 | T–3rd | NCAA Division I Elite Eight | ||||
| St. John's Redmen (Big East Conference) (1979–1992) | |||||||||
| 1979–80 | St. John's | 24–5 | 5–1 | T–1st | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
| 1980–81 | St. John's | 17–11 | 8–6 | T–3rd | NIT first round | ||||
| 1981–82 | St. John's | 21–9 | 9–5 | 3rd | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
| 1982–83 | St. John's | 28–5 | 12–4 | T–1st | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 | ||||
| 1983–84 | St. John's | 18–12 | 8–8 | T–4th | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
| 1984–85 | St. John's | 31–4 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Division I Final Four | ||||
| 1985–86 | St. John's | 31–5 | 14–2 | T–1st | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
| 1986–87 | St. John's | 21–9 | 10–6 | T–5th | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
| 1987–88 | St. John's | 17–12 | 8–8 | T–5th | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
| 1988–89 | St. John's | 20–13 | 6–10 | T–7th | NIT champion | ||||
| 1989–90 | St. John's | 24–10 | 10–6 | 4th | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
| 1990–91 | St. John's | 23–9 | 10–6 | 2nd | NCAA Division I Elite Eight | ||||
| 1991–92 | St. John's | 19–11 | 12–6 | T–1st | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
| St. John's: | 526–200 (.725) | 138–75 (.648) | |||||||
| Total: | 526–200 (.725) | ||||||||
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National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
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ABA
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYN | 1971 | 84 | 40 | 44 | .476 | 3rd in Eastern | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost in ABA Division semifinals |
| NYN | 1972 | 84 | 44 | 40 | .524 | 3rd in Eastern | 19 | 10 | 9 | .526 | Lost in ABA Finals |
| NYN | 1973 | 84 | 30 | 54 | .357 | 4th in Eastern | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost in ABA Division semifinals |
| Career | 252 | 114 | 138 | .452 | 30 | 13 | 17 | .433 |
See also
In Spanish: Lou Carnesecca para niños
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four appearances by coach
