QUEENS, NY — This coming weekend, as St. John’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball each take the court at Carnesecca Arena, against their respective opponents of Kansas State (M) and Wake Forest (W) — St. John’s University and the Department of Athletics will be honoring the legacy and life of Lou Carnesecca, who passed away at the age of 99 last Saturday.
A College Basketball icon, and the true epitome of St. John’s Men’s Basketball, Carnesecca, winning 526 games as the Red Storm’s head coach across 24 years, all coming with a .500 winning percentage or higher, touched the lives of countless individuals — including his players, coaches, and most importantly, all of St. John’s fans.
There will never be another Lou Carnesecca – Photo Courtesy of St. John’s Men’s Basketball
So much so that once the university released the news of the legend’s passing to the public, condolences and tributes began to come in from all corners.
“We lost an iconic St. John’s man. His coaching expertise was as good as anyone in basketball but the man he was surpassed that,” stated Red Storm Men’s Basketball head coach Rick Pitino. “Rest in peace Looie. We will miss you so much.”
Rick Pitino and Lou Carnesecca pose for a photo – Photo courtesy of St. John’s Men’s Basketball
St. John’s Women’s Basketball head coach Joe Tartamella added: “I’m deeply saddened to hear the news of Coach Carnesecca’s passing. Lou made a profound and lasting impact on St. John’s University, the BIG EAST Conference and college basketball as a whole. He embodied the University’s Vincentian mission and touched the lives of so many in New York City and beyond. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Mary, his daughter, Enes and their entire family.”
A Tribute to Coach Carnesecca
This weekend’s tributes to Carnesecca will feature the Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs prior to each game’s tip-off — warming up in special “526” shirts for shoot around. What will follow is a showing of a special video to celebrate his iconic life while holding a moment of silence immediately after.
Fans can purchase “526” shirts at Lou Carnesecca Arena or at bookstores located on the campus of St. John’s – Image Credit: St. John’s Men’s Basketball
“Carnesecca’s reserved seat in Section 7, Row JJ, Seat 3 will also remain empty as a tribute to the Hall of Famer, a section where he was a fixture for numerous games following his retirement in 1992,” noted in a statement from St. John’s.
In the same statement, St. John’s announced that both programs will have a “Lou” patch embroidered on their jerseys for the remainder of the 2024-2025 season, as well as the addition of a special decal to the court of Carnesecca Arena in honor of him.
An up close view of the “Lou” patch that St. John’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball will wear for the remainder of the 2024-2025 regular season – Image Credit: Edward Kull/St. John’s Athletics
St. John’s also came to the decision of paying tribute to Carnesecca’s ever-lasting impact by having several digital billboards stationed this week on the Long Island Expressway, Whitestone Turnpike and New Jersey Turnpike.
Tickets Available
Those in attendance for either game — St. John’s vs. Kansas State (M) on Saturday, December 7th (11:30 AM ET) or St. John’s vs. Wake Forest (W) on Sunday, December 8th (2:00 PM ET) — will take home a commemorative Lou Carnesecca “526” pin, courtesy of St. John’s.
To learn more, and for tickets, which are still available, visit RedStormSports.com/Ticketing.
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