Lou Carnesecca

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 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)

Lou also was a longtime announcer for the USA Network's coverage of the yearly NBA drafts of the 1980s.

Carnesecca was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Century Hall 101 Hall of Fame in 2007.

External links

* [http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Carnesecca.htm Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]
* [http://new.stjohns.edu/athletics/carnesecca Carnesecca Court Dedication]
* [http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-historysports-stjohns,0,630787.story?coll=ny-lihistory-navigation Looie & Lapchick: St. John's L-Shaped Legacy]
* [http://www.redstormsports.com Red Storm Sports]
* [http://www.bigeastboards.com Unofficial Website for St. John's Athletics]