Lou Carnesecca dies at 99: Legendary St. John’s basketball coach led Red Storm to 526 wins across 24 seasons

Legendary Hall of Fame St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca died at age 99, the school announced on Saturday. Carnesecca is best known for his time leading the Red Storm, where he guided the program to five Big East regular-season titles and the 1985 Final Four across 24 seasons. An alumnus, Carnesecca won 526 games with SJU. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

The man belovedly referred to as “Looie” Carnesecca had two separate stints as St. John’s coach. He helped the program win at least 18 games in five consecutive seasons during his first stint from 1965-70. After guiding St. John’s to a spot in the NIT title game in 1970, Carnesecca left to become the coach of the New York Nets of the ABA.

He coached the Nets for three seasons and compiled a 114-138 record. Back in Queens, they wanted him back, and so he returned in 1973, where his second stint with the Johnnies lasted until 1992, the same year as his Naismith induction. A year later, he was initiated into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

During his time as St. John’s coach, Carnesecca coached future NBA players such as Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson, Walter Berry and Jayson Williams. Carnesecca compiled eighteen 20-win seasons during his team with St. John’s and posted back-to-back 30-win campaigns in the mid-1980s. St. John’s made the postseason every year Carnesecca ran from the program. In addition to the 1985 Final Four, Carnesecca coached SJU to the Elite Eight in 1979 and 1991.

In the 1980s, when the Big East was coming into its own as a national powerhouse of a conference, Carnesecca’s personality shined bright in a league filled with big-name coaches, including John Thompson Jr., Jim Boeheim, P.J. Carlesimo, Rollie Massimino and a young Jim Calhoun.  

Carnesecca is survived by his bride of 73 years, Mary.

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