Lou Carnesecca, Hall of Fame St. John’s coach, dies at 99

NEW YORK — Lou Carnesecca, the Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach who led St. John’s to a Final Four and to a winning record in each of his 24 seasons leading the program, died Saturday, the university announced.

He was 99.

Known for his colorful sweaters and animated sideline reactions, Carnesecca went 526-200 (.725) across two stints as the St. John’s head coach from 1965-70 and 1973-92, giving him the most victories and the highest winning percentage in school history.

In its announcement, St. John’s said Carnesecca “endeared himself to generations of New Yorkers with his wit and warmth.” The university’s campus arena was renamed after Carnesecca in 2004.

“St. John’s is about the players,” Carnesecca once said. “Coaches are important, yes, but it was always the players that put the steak and potatoes on the table.”

Born in New York City in 1925, the man known as “Looie” served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. He graduated from St. John’s in 1950 and began his coaching career that year at his high school alma mater, St. Ann’s Academy in Manhattan, before joining St. John’s as an assistant under Joe Lapchick in 1958.

Carnesecca took over as the Johnnies’ head coach in 1965 and led them to the NCAA Tournament in his second, third and fourth seasons at the helm.

He left after five years to become the head coach of the New York Nets, then of the ABA, whom he led to a 114-138 record, three playoff appearances and a trip to the 1972 Finals during his three seasons from 1970-73.

Carnesecca returned to St. John’s before the 1973-74 season and elevated the program over the next two decades.

Carnesecca died “peacefully,” surrounded by family, St. John’s said. He is survived by family including his wife, Mary, and daughter, Enes.

He would have turned 100 on Jan. 5.