Lou Carnesecca

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Luigi P. Carnesecca (born January 5, 1925 in New York City) is a former basketball coach at St. John's University. He coached the Redmen'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 is widely known for his sense of humor and his signature sweaters. In November of 2004, St. John's University officially dedicated and renamed the historic Alumni Hall to Carnesecca Arena.

Carnesecca graduated from St. John's in 1950. He also coached his high school alma mater, St. Ann's (now academic and athletic powerhouse Archbishop Molloy High School), where he was succeeded by Jack Curran. Carnesecca also coached the New York Nets of the defunct American Basketball Association in the early 1970s, when they were playing in Island Garden in West Hempstead, New York (on Long Island. (They are now the NBA's New Jersey Nets)

Carnesecca was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

[edit] External links

• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• Carnesecca Court Dedication
• Looie & Lapchick: St. John's L-Shaped Legacy
• Red Storm Sports
• Unofficial Website for St. John's Athletics

Preceded by Joe Lapchick	St. John's University Men's Basketball Head Coach 1965–1970	Succeeded by Frank Mulzoff
Preceded by York Larese	New York Nets Head Coach 1970–1973	Succeeded by Kevin Loughery
Preceded by Frank Mulzoff	St. John's University Men's Basketball Head Coach 1973–1992	Succeeded by Brian Mahoney