Join us via livestream as we celebrate the accomplishments of Lou Carnesecca ’50C, ’60GEd, ’00Hon on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 5:15 p.m. Hear from the former Head Coach Lou Carnesecca and others as we dedicate and bless the Lou Carnesecca statue in the Carnesecca Arena Lobby.
For more information, please contact the Office of University Events at 718-990-6365.
About Lou Carnesecca
Over the past six decades, St. John’s Basketball has been defined most notably by the accomplishments and personality of one man—Lou Carnesecca ’50C, ’60GEd, ’00HON, affectionately known as “Looie.” An assistant coach under the legendary Joseph B. “Joe” Lapchick, Coach Carnesecca assumed the head coaching role at his alma mater following his mentor’s retirement in 1965.
In 24 seasons at the helm of the St. John’s Men’s Basketball program, Coach Carnesecca guided the Redmen to 526 wins and 200 losses, for a winning percentage of .725. Under his tutelage, the Johnnies never missed a postseason, making 18 National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments and earning six National Invitation Tournament berths—including a title in 1989.
Voted twice by the US Basketball Writers Association as National Coach of the Year, Coach Carnesecca steered St. John’s through a shifting college basketball landscape, guiding the Redmen to five BIG EAST regular season titles in the league’s first 13 seasons. The three-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year also took home BIG EAST Tournament titles in 1983 and 1986.
On November 23, 2004, Alumni Hall, the on-campus home of St. John’s Basketball since 1961, was renamed in Coach Carnesecca’s honor. A prominent and beloved figure in the game of basketball well beyond the city limits, “Looie” was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.