Hall of Fame College Basketball Coach. Born Roland Vincent Massimino, he was best known for coaching the Villanova University Wildcats to one of sports' greatest upsets in 1985 by beating heavily favored Georgetown in the finals of NCAA College Basketball Tournament. He received degrees from the University of Vermont (bachelors) and Rutgers University (masters). He also played basketball at the University of Vermont. In 1959 he entered the coaching profession as an assistant coach at Cranford High School in Cranford, New Jersey. He remained there for three years before becoming the head coach at Hillside High School in New Jersey in 1962. He served in this position for three years before becoming the head coach at Lexington High School in Massachusetts in 1965. In 1969 he left Lexington and moved on to the collegiate ranks at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He would remain as the head coach of the Patriots until 1972 when he went to be an assistant with Chuck Daly at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1973 he became the head coach of Villanova University and remained in this position until 1992. During his tenure at Villanova, he won 355 games and lost 241 and lead the Wildcats to the 1985 NCAA championship. In 1992 he resigned his position with the Wildcats and took the head coaching position at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where he coached for two years. In 1996 he became the coach at Cleveland State University and served in this position until 2003. Three years later he took a job as head coach at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida and was working there until his passing. His career coaching record was 816 wins and 462 losses. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Hall of Fame College Basketball Coach. Born Roland Vincent Massimino, he was best known for coaching the Villanova University Wildcats to one of sports' greatest upsets in 1985 by beating heavily favored Georgetown in the finals of NCAA College Basketball Tournament. He received degrees from the University of Vermont (bachelors) and Rutgers University (masters). He also played basketball at the University of Vermont. In 1959 he entered the coaching profession as an assistant coach at Cranford High School in Cranford, New Jersey. He remained there for three years before becoming the head coach at Hillside High School in New Jersey in 1962. He served in this position for three years before becoming the head coach at Lexington High School in Massachusetts in 1965. In 1969 he left Lexington and moved on to the collegiate ranks at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He would remain as the head coach of the Patriots until 1972 when he went to be an assistant with Chuck Daly at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1973 he became the head coach of Villanova University and remained in this position until 1992. During his tenure at Villanova, he won 355 games and lost 241 and lead the Wildcats to the 1985 NCAA championship. In 1992 he resigned his position with the Wildcats and took the head coaching position at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where he coached for two years. In 1996 he became the coach at Cleveland State University and served in this position until 2003. Three years later he took a job as head coach at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida and was working there until his passing. His career coaching record was 816 wins and 462 losses. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
Advertisement
See more Massimino memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
