Lou Rossini

Lou Rossini
Biographical details
Born(1921-04-24)April 24, 1921
Bronx, New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 21, 2005(2005-10-21) (aged 84)
Sewell, New Jersey, U.S.
Playing career
1940–1942St. John's
1945–1947Columbia
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1950–1958Columbia
1958–1971NYU
1975–1979St. Francis (NY)
Head coaching record
Overall357–256
Tournaments6–5 (NCAA University Division)
7–3 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
EIBL (1951)
Metropolitan New York (1960)

Lucio "Lou" Rossini (April 24, 1921 – October 21, 2005) was an American college basketball coach. He compiled a 357–256 record in almost 20 years of coaching, most notably with New York University (NYU).

In Rossini's first year as head coach with Columbia University, he guided them to a 21–1 record and an appearance in the 1951 NCAA basketball tournament. After Columbia, Rossini coached at NYU, leading them to three NCAA tournament appearances and four National Invitation Tournament (NIT) bids in 13 seasons. Rossini last coached in the NCAA for St. Francis College in Brooklyn, from 1975 to 1979, and had a 55–48 record. He also coached the Puerto Rican national team in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics and the Qatar national team in the 1980s. In 1959 he led the Capitanes de Arecibo a team in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (Puerto Rico basketball league) to their first championship.

Two of his best players at NYU were Happy Hairston and Barry Kramer, who starred on the 1963 and 1964 teams. Hairston and Kramer advanced to professional careers.

Rossini died at his home in the Sewell section of Mantua Township, New Jersey, aged 84. The cause of death was Alzheimer's disease.[1]

  1. ^ Goldstein, Richard (October 24, 2005). "Lou Rossini, N.Y. Basketball Coach, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2017.