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).

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)

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]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Columbia Lions (Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League) (1950–1954)
1950–51 Columbia 21–1 12–0 1st NCAA first round
1951–52 Columbia 12–10 7–5 4th
1952–53 Columbia 17–10 8–4 2nd
1953–54 Columbia 11–13 6–8 5th
Columbia Lions (Ivy League) (1954–1958)
1954–55 Columbia 17–8 10–4 T–2nd
1955–56 Columbia 15–9 9–5 T–2nd
1956–57 Columbia 18–6 9–5 T–3rd
1957–58 Columbia 6–18 2–12 8th
Columbia: 117–71 63–43
NYU Violets (Metropolitan New York Conference) (1958–1963)
1958–59 NYU 15–8 2–2 T–4th
1959–60 NYU 22–5 4–0 1st NCAA University Division Final Four
1960–61 NYU 12–11 2–1 T–2nd
1961–62 NYU 20–5 3–2 3rd NCAA University Division Regional Third Place
1962–63 NYU 18–5 3–1 2nd NCAA University Division Regional Fourth Place
NYU Violets (Independent) (1963–1965)
1963–64 NYU 17–10 NIT semifinal
1964–65 NYU 16–10 NIT semifinal
NYU Violets (Metropolitan Collegiate Conference) (1965–1967)
1965–66 NYU 18–10 7–2 T–2nd NIT Runner-up
1966–67 NYU 10–6 6–3 4th
NYU Violets (Independent) (1967–1971)
1967–68 NYU 8–16
1968–69 NYU 12–9
1969–70 NYU 12–12
1970–71 NYU 5–20
NYU: 185–127 27–11
St. Francis Terriers (NCAA Division I independent) (1975–1979)
1975–76 St. Francis 13–13
1976–77 St. Francis 12–14
1977–78 St. Francis 16–9
1978–79 St. Francis 14–12
St. Francis: 55–48
Total: 357–256

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

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References

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