The 10 Greatest Italian American Coaches in College Basketball History

Today’s upcoming matchup between St. John’s and Arkansas in the second round of the 2025 NCAA basketball tournament (“March Madness”) lets us reflect on the huge impact Italian American coaches have had in college basketball. While we haven’t produced many elite Italian American players (height, am I right?), man, have we produced some great coaches.

Rick Pitino and John Calipari, the Italian American head coaches of St. John’s and Arkansas respectively, currently sit at #5 and #8 in all-time wins in Division 1 men’s college basketball, with both very likely to move into at least the top four before their careers are over.

But these two Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers are far from the only Italian American coaches to leave their mark in college basketball.  Let’s examine some of the greatest Italian American college basketball coaches to ever do it.

Geno Auriemma: Born in Montella, Italy, Auriemma immigrated to the U.S. when he was 7 years old. As the head coach of the Connecticut women’s basketball team since 1985, he has led UConn to 11 national championships and numerous undefeated seasons. He ranks #1 all time in Division 1 women’s college basketball wins and is widely considered the greatest coach in women’s college basketball history.

Rick Pitino: Pitino has led multiple programs to success, including Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville, going to seven Final Fours and winning national championships with Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013. His 885 career wins place him #5 all-time and he could move into the #3 spot (currently 903 wins) as soon as 2026.

John Calipari: After coaching UMass and Memphis to great success, Calipari led Kentucky to a national championship in 2012 and has guided his teams to six Final Four appearances. Like Pitino, Calipari has a chance to move up several spots in the all-time win rankings in 2026. He is currently #8 with 876 wins. This Pittsburgh native’s roots are in the Calabria region of Italy.

Tom Izzo: Izzo has been the head coach at Michigan State since 1995, leading the Spartans to a national championship in 2000 and eight Final Four appearances. He is currently #24 all-time in Division 1 wins with 735 and is likely to move into the top 20 in 2026.

Rollie Massimino: Another coach with roots in Calabria, Massimino is best known for coaching Villanova to a stunning national championship in 1985, defeating the heavily favored Georgetown Hoyas. Over his career, he accumulated over 800 wins, including 481 at the Division 1 level, also coaching at UNLV and Cleveland State.

Lou Carnesecca: As the head coach of St. John’s University for 24 seasons, Carnesecca amassed a 526-200 record, leading the team to 18 NCAA tournament appearances and a Final Four berth in 1985. A son of Italian immigrants, he grew up on Manhattan’s East Side.

Phil Martelli: Martelli coached Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia for 24 seasons, leading them to seven NCAA tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight run in 2004. He was named AP Coach of the Year in 2004 and has 444 career wins.

Jim Valvano: After eight seasons at Bucknell and Iona, Valvano led North Carolina State for 10 years, leading them to four ACC conference championships and a memorable national championship in 1983. Beyond coaching, he became a beloved broadcaster and founded the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Valvano’s Italian roots are in the Campania region of Italy.

P.J. Carlesimo: After coaching Wagner for six seasons, Carlesimo coached at Seton Hall for 12 years, leading them to a Final Four appearance in 1989 and three straight Big East championships from 1990-1992. He was named Seton Hall’s “Coach of the Century” and later coached in the NBA.

Fran Fraschilla: The grandson of Sicilian immigrants, Fraschilla coached at Manhattan College, St. John’s University, and the University of New Mexico, achieving two conference championships, three NCAA tournament appearances, and 176 wins over 9 seasons of coaching. He is currently a basketball analyst.

Additional Contributors:

In addition to these ten Italian American coaches, there are two additional Italian Americans that were major contributors to college basketball over the years that are worth calling out:

Dick Vitale: The son of Italian immigrants, Vitale coached only four seasons in college basketball, at the University of Detroit, and briefly in the NBA before becoming a legendary college basketball broadcaster. His enthusiastic commentary has made him an iconic figure in the sport.

Sonny Vaccaro: A Pittsburgh native with family roots in Sicily, Vaccaro revolutionized college basketball by pioneering the practice of signing college coaches and athletes to shoe endorsement deals, most notably helping launch Michael Jordan’s iconic relationship with Nike. His influence on amateur basketball, the creation of the ABCD All-America Camp, and the modern commercialization of college athletics has left a lasting legacy on the sport.