Coaching legend’s Queens roots run deep
ON THE WEB
VISIT US ONLINE AT QNS.COM
CHECK OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES:
www.facebook.com/timesledger
www.twitter.com/TimesLedger
www.instagram.com/qnsgram
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JAN. 17-JAN. 23, 2020 17
In conjunction with the
Greater Astoria Historical
Society, TimesLedger Newspapers
presents noteworthy
events in the borough’s history.
Born Luigi P. Carnesecca
on Jan. 5, 1925, in Manhattan,
Lou Carnesecca is a former
men’s basketball coach
at St. John’s University in
Queens.
Carnesecca graduated
St. John’s in 1950, and was
the head coach at his alma
mater for 24 seasons. He
led the former Redmen to a
record of 526 wins and only
200 losses, as well as five Big
East regular season titles,
two Big East Tournament
titles and an NCAA Tournament
Final Four appearance
in 1985. The legendary coach
retired in 1992 after winning
his fifth conference title, and
was elected to the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of
Fame in the same year.
Carnesecca grew up on
the Lower East Side of Manhattan,
and attended high
school at St. Ann’s Academy,
which moved to Queens and
was renamed Archbishop
Molloy High School in 1957.
After graduation, the young
man put his basketball career
on hold to serve the nation
in the Coast Guard during
World War II.
After the War, Carnesecca
returned home and graduated
from St. John’s University
in 1950. He returned
to his high school to coach
basketball, and became an
assistant coach at St. John’s
in 1958. He took over as head
coach in 1965, and went on
develop the basketball team
into one of the nation’s elite
college programs.
Carnesecca briefly left
the catholic university in
Queens to coach at the pro
level. As head coach of the
New York Nets in the now defunct
American Basketball
Association, he led his team
to the 1972 ABA Finals. The
following year, however, he
returned to his alma mater.
During his tenure at the
helm of the Red Storm, Carnesecca
became known for
his colorful, kaleidoscopelike
sweaters and animated
and energetic sideline coaching
style. The New York native
filled his rosters primarily
with homegrown talent,
and he led them to 18 20-win
seasons, with back-to-back
30-win seasons in 1985 and
1986. Carnesecca’s St. John’s
squad made it to the NCAA
Final Four in 1985, beating
legendary North Carolina
State coach and Queens native
Jim Valvano along the
way. His 1979 and 1991 teams
also advanced in NCAA Regional
Finals.
Coach Looie, as he was
called by fans, compiled a
roughly 69 percent winning
percentage over his 24 seasons
at St. John’s. Living
in Astoria while leading
his team to national prominence,
he was twice voted
National Coach of the Year
by the United States Basketball
Writers Association and
once by the National Association
of Basketball Coaches.
He was also honored as Big
East Coach of the Year three
times.
Carnesecca averaged 22
wins a season as head coach
at St. John’s and reached the
postseason every year. After
retiring as the winningest
coach in school history in
1992, he was inducted into
the Naismith Memorial Basketball
Hall of Fame as well
as the College Basketball
Hall of Fame in 2006.
In 2004, Alumni Hall,
which hosts women’s basketball
games for the Red Storm
and some men’s games as
well, was renamed Carnesecca
Arena. At age 94,
he is still involved in the
St. John’s basketball program,
and still considers the
Queens campus his home.
For further information,
contact the Greater Astoria
Historical Society at 718-278-
0700.
COLUMNS
LETTERS POLICY
Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten, and those longer
than 300 words may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters must
include the writer’s name and phone number for verifi cation. Names
may be withheld from publication if requested, but anonymously
sent letters will not be printed. Letters must be received by Thursday
noon to appear in the next week’s paper. All letters become the
property of Schneps Media and may be republished in any format.
LAST WEEK’S TOP STORY:
Seniors from a Jamaica high school win top prizes at a
Whitestone auto repair competition
SUMMARY: Students from a Jamaica technical education high
school cinched the top two prizes at the 30th annual New York City
Auto Tech Competition in Whitestone.
/QNS.COM
/TimesLedger
/qnsgram
/QNS.COM
/timesledger
/timesledger
/TimesLedger
/qnsgram