• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

  • BOSTON SPORTS
    • Red Sox
    • Patriots
    • Celtics
    • Bruins
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • NBA
    • WNBA
    • USA Basketball
  • NFL
    • Super Bowl LIX
  • PGA TOUR
    • LIV GOLF
    • TGL GOLF
  • NCAA
    • NCAA Basketball
      • Big East
      • March Madness
    • NCAA Football
  • SPORTS BIZ
  • BETTING HERO
  • WHILE WE’RE YOUNG

St. John’s Coach Lou Carnesecca, 99

December 1, 2024 by Terry Lyons

JAMAICA ESTATES – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca ‘50C, ‘60Ged, ‘00HON, who led the St. John’s men’s basketball team for 24 seasons and endeared himself to generations of New Yorkers with his wit and warmth, passed away on Saturday surrounded by family. He was 99 years old.

The legendary head coach leaves behind his beloved wife of 73 years, Mary, as well as his cherished family – daughter Enes, son-in-law Gerard (Jerry), granddaughter Ieva and her fiancé Frank, his dear niece and nephew, Susan Chiesa, John Chiesa and his wife, Nancy – as well as his extended family and his closest friends join them in their loss.

A 1992 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, “Looie” led St. John’s to 24 winning campaigns in 24 seasons at the helm from 1965-70 and 1973-92. His teams advanced to the postseason each year, appearing in the NCAA Tournament 18 times while registering six National Invitation Tournament (NIT) appearances. Those postseason berths were highlighted by an appearance in the 1985 Final Four and the program’s fifth NIT title in 1989. His teams also recorded an additional pair of Elite Eight appearances in 1979 and 1991.

Carnesecca was named the National Coach of the Year twice, BIG EAST Coach of the Year three times and Metropolitan Coach of the Year six times during his storied career. He led St. John’s to a pair of BIG EAST titles in 1983 and 1986 and his teams produced a 112-65 regular-season record against tough BIG EAST competition, tying for three regular-season titles and winning one outright.

Overall, Carnesecca registered a 526-200 mark, winning at least 20 games 18 times in 24 seasons as the head coach at St. John’s with a career winning percentage of .725, good enough for one of the top 100 marks in Division I history. His teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for 161 weeks during his career, including more than 70 as one of the top 10 teams in the nation.

A native New Yorker, Carnesecca graduated from St. Ann’s Academy in Manhattan (now Archbishop Molloy) before enlisting the United States Coast Guard during World War II. Upon returning home from the Pacific, Carnesecca enrolled at St. John’s, graduating in 1950. As an undergraduate, Carnesecca played on the St. John’s baseball team that advanced to the 1949 College World Series. Also on that team was Jack Kaiser, Carnesecca’s lifelong friend who would also go on to dedicate his professional life to St. John’s as both its baseball coach and athletic director.

Upon graduation, Carnesecca took over the reins at St. Ann’s and built the team into a powerhouse, winning two CHSAA titles. In 1958, Carnesecca handed over the program to another coaching legend, Jack Curran, in order to take a position on the staff of his mentor, Joe Lapchick, at St. John’s.

Over the next eight seasons on Lapchick’s staff, Carnesecca helped lead St. John’s to a pair of NIT titles in 1959 and 1965. Following Lapchick’s retirement in 1965, Carnesecca was named the 12th head coach in St. John’s men’s basketball history. His first five seasons at the helm were highlighted with trips to the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals in 1967 and 1969, as well as advancing to the NIT Championship game in 1970.

In 1970, Carnesecca left St. John’s for three years to coach the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association. During his tenure in the professional ranks, he took the Nets to the playoffs in each of his three seasons, reaching the finals of the league championship in 1972.

Carnesecca returned to his alma mater in 1973, beginning a transformative period in the history of the program that featured the birth of the BIG EAST Conference, of which St. John’s remains a charter member. In addition to his sweaters providing the sartorial highlights of the league’s early heyday, Carnesecca was also an early cornerstone of the league alongside its founder, Dave Gavitt.

Carnesecca once said, “at St. John’s, it’s all about the players.” In his four decades coaching at his alma mater, Carnesecca coached more than 40 NBA Draft picks including first rounders LeRoy Ellis (1962), Sonny Dove (1967), John Warren (1969), Mel Davis (1973), George Johnson (1978), Chris Mullin (1985), Bill Wennington (1985), Walter Berry (1986), Mark Jackson (1987), Jayson Williams (1990) and Malik Sealy (1992). Carnesecca remained an integral part in the lives of his former players, as his annual reunions drew hundreds of them to Queens.

Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Basketball, Sports Business Tagged With: Big East, Big East Basketball, Coach Lou Carnesecca, Louie Carnesecca, Madison Square Garden, St. John's

Primary Sidebar

NBA & NHL Sports Desk

Loading RSS Feed
Loading RSS Feed

Trending on Sports Desk

2023 NBA Playoffs 2024 NBA Finals Baltimore Orioles Basketball Hall of Fame BC Eagles Big East Big East Basketball Big East Tournament Boston Bruins Boston Celtics Boston College Boston Red Sox Buffalo Bills Chicago White Sox FedEx Cup Playoffs Houston Astros Kansas City Chiefs LIV Golf MLB MLB Postseason NBA NCAAB NCAAF New England Patriots New York Knicks New York Yankees NFL NFL Thursday Night Football NHL PGA Tour PGA Tour Brunch Red Sox Sports Biz Sports Business St. John's Texas Rangers The Masters The Open TL's Sunday Sports Notes TL Sunday Sports Notes Tokyo Olympics Toronto Blue Jays USA Basketball While We're Young Ideas World Series

Twitter

DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 Follow 27,580 10,841

Boston Sports Commentary 🏀 ⚾️🏒🏈 Pro point of view; Expert analysis of #RedSox #NBA #PGATour #NHLBruins #SportsBiz #NFL & BIG EAST hoops

DigSportsDesk
DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
16h 1927667681798336856

Tyrese Haliburton must be a plumber or fireman in the offseason. Let's ask JJ or the #NBA players @TheNBPA who voted Haliburton as Most Overrated?

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
25 May 1926711145349472447

And the fine?

And the fine?
Oh No He Didn't @ohnohedidnt24

Griner to the refs before an interview: "Being fucking better!"

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
24 May 1926320711842296138

Red Sox announced Game 1 start time is 1:30pm EDT

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
24 May 1926320491343609881

Fenway Park Grounds Crew makes its move at 12:51pm

Image for the Tweet beginning: Fenway Park Grounds Crew makes Twitter feed video.
DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
24 May 1926315779735040292

Game Delay at #FenwayPark

Image for the Tweet beginning: Game Delay at #FenwayPark Twitter feed video.
Load More...

Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
DigitalSportsDesk.com
2 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Sunday Sports Notebook

... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

TL's Sunday Notes | March 30

open.substack.com

While We're Young (Ideas) and March Go Out Like a Lyons
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
4 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Gotta Give Pitino the credit. Constant and Full-Court Press made the difference and his players were in condition to wear down UConn. digitalsportsdesk.com/st-johns-defeats-mighty-uconn/ ... See MoreSee Less

Gotta Give Pitino the credit.  Constant and Full-Court Press made the difference and his players were in condition to wear down UConn. https://digitalsportsdesk.com/st-johns-defeats-mighty-uconn/
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
4 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Groundhog Day!

whileyoungideas.substack.com/p/tls-sunday-sports-notes-feb-2 ... See MoreSee Less

Groundhog Day!

https://whileyoungideas.substack.com/p/tls-sunday-sports-notes-feb-2
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
4 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Plenty O' Notes and a Look at Boston Pro sports for 2025 - ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

TL's Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 12 - Digital Sports Desk

digitalsportsdesk.com

In each round-up, there are far too many questions and not nearly enough definitive answers to the woes facing the New England clubs, the Celtics included. It might be time for some major shake-ups at...
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
5 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

The first Sunday Sports Notes of 2025 | Including Some Predictions

... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

TL's Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 5 - Digital Sports Desk

digitalsportsdesk.com

KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar: KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar:
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

The Custom Facebook Feed plugin

Digital Sports Desk

May 2025
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Apr    

Digital Sports Desk: Copyright © 2022
www.digitalsportsdesk.com