Steve Lappas

Steve Lappas
Sport(s) Basketball
Current position
Title Head coach
Biographical details
Born March 18, 1954 (1954-03-18) (age 57)
Place of birth New York City, N.Y., U.S.
Playing career
1972–1977 City College (N.Y.)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1977–1978
1978–1979
1979–1984
1984–1988
1988–1992
1992–2001
2001–2005		 York (N.Y.) College (asst.)
Fort Lee HS (asst.)
Harry S. Truman HS
Villanova (asst.)
Manhattan
Villanova
Massachusetts
Head coaching record
Overall 280-237 (.542)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Big East Regular Season Championship (1997)
Big East Tournament Championship (1995)
NIT Championship (1994)
MAAC Tournament Championship (1992)
Awards
Naismith College Coach of the Year (1995)
MAAC Coach of the Year (1992)
New York Daily News Coach of the Year (1981, 1984)

Steve Lappas (born March 18, 1954) is an American college men's basketball coach. He coached at Manhattan College (1988–1992), Villanova University (1992–2001) and the University of Massachusetts (2001–2005), compiling a 280-237 (.542) record over a 17-year coaching career. He is currently a basketball color commentator and studio analyst for CBS Sports Network.

Contents

Biography

Education

Lappas graduated from Bronx High School of Science in 1972, where he was sixth man on its 1971 city championship team and a starter as a prep senior. He went on to the City College of New York, where he was a three-year letterwinner in basketball and served as the team's captain in his junior season. He graduated in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in primary education.[1]

Coaching career

In 1977, Lappas started coaching at York (N.Y.) College as a volunteer, and moved to Fort Lee High School the next year, becoming an assistant. After one season, he assumed his first head coaching job with Harry S. Truman High School (in The Bronx), staying there through 1984.[1] Lappas fashioned a 91-32 record,[2] and was named New York Daily News Coach of the Year twice (1981 and 1984).[3] Harry S. Truman High School won a New York State Class A championship under Lappas in the 1983–84 season, during which it was 27–3.[1] In 1984 Lappas joined Rollie Massimino's staff at Villanova University.[4]

Head coach

In 1988 Lappas became head coach at Manhattan College,[2] where he turned around the program from a 7–21 season in 1988–89 to a 25–9 season and a berth to the 3rd round of the NIT in 1992.[1] In 1992, he succeeded Rollie Massimino as head coach at Villanova,[5] where he guided the team to seven postseason tournament appearances (four NCAA, three NIT),[6] posting an 8–6 record and winning the 1994 National Invitation Tournament.[1] In 2001, he resigned as head coach after Villanova declined to sign him for a long term contract due to multiple years of poor recruiting, and a subsequent lack of success in the postseason. He became head coach of the University of Massachusetts on March 26, 2001.[1] In four seasons at UMass, the Minutemen struggled under Lappas, and finished with a record of 50–65. His contract was not renewed and he was let go on March 14, 2005.[7]

College coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Manhattan Jaspers (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (1988–1992)
1988–89 Manhattan 7–21 3–11 7th
1989–90 Manhattan 11–17 7–9 T–3rd
1990–91 Manhattan 13–15 8–8 5th
1991–92 Manhattan 25–9 13–3 1st NIT Third Round
Manhattan: 56–62 31–31
Villanova Wildcats (Big East Conference) (1992–2001)
1992–93 Villanova 8–19 3–15 10th
1993–94 Villanova 20–12 10–8 T–4th NIT Champions
1994–95 Villanova 25–8 14–4 2nd NCAA First Round
1995–96 Villanova 26–7 14–4 2nd NCAA Second Round
1996–97 Villanova 24–10 12–6 T–1st NCAA Second Round
1997–98 Villanova 12–17 8–10 4th
1998–99 Villanova 21–11 10–8 T–4th NCAA First Round
1999–00 Villanova 20–13 8–8 T–6th NIT Second Round
2000–01 Villanova 18–13 8–8 T–3rd NIT First Round
Villanova: 174–110 87–71
UMass Minutemen (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2001–2005)
2001–02 UMass 13–16 6–10 4th East
2002–03* UMass 11–18 6–10 4th East
2003–04 UMass 10–19 4–12 4th East
2004–05 UMass 16–12 9–7 3rd East
UMass: 50–65 25–39

* A-10 record includes a forfeit victory vs. St. Bonaventure, but season's overall win total does not include it.
Total: 280-237

      National champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference tournament champion
      Conference regular season & conference tournament champion       Conference division champion

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Minutemen Select Steve Lappas as Head Basketball Coach". University of Massachusetts. 2001-03-26. http://www.umassathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/032601aaa.html. Retrieved 2010-08-16. 
  2. ^ a b "Sports People; Manhattan's Choice". The New York Times. 1988-05-12. http://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/12/sports/sports-people-manhattan-s-choice.html. Retrieved 2010-08-16. 
  3. ^ "Men's Basketball: Steve Lappas". Villanova University. http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/lappas_steve00.html. Retrieved 2010-08-16. 
  4. ^ "Bennerman, Wildcats' Jones in race for NIT scoring record". The Daily Gazette. 1994-03-30. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zBYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IeEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5726,7078049. Retrieved 2010-08-16. 
  5. ^ "Lappas Hired to Replace Massimino". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 1992-04-15. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x7AcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gnsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2794,7014635. Retrieved 2010-08-16. 
  6. ^ "Colleges Men's Basketball; Lappas Resigns At Villanova". The New York Times. 2001-03-25. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/25/sports/colleges-men-s-basketball-lappas-resigns-at-villanova.html. Retrieved 2010-08-16. 
  7. ^ "UMass Announces Lappas' Contract Will Not Be Extended". University of Massachusetts. 2005-03-14. http://www.umassathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031405aad.html. Retrieved 2010-08-16. 
4 Dwight Wilbur | 21 Harold Pressley | 22 Gary McLain | 31 Mark Plansky | 32 Harold Jensen | 33 Dwayne McClain | 54 Ed Pinckney (MOP)
Head coach Rollie Massimino
Assistant coaches Mitch Buonaguro | Steve Lappas