Don Feeley
Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. | October 30, 1937
Died | September 18, 2020 Southbury, Connecticut, U.S. | (aged 82)
Alma mater | Bridgeport |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
Basketball | |
1965–1978 | Sacred Heart |
1978–1980 | Yale (assistant) |
1980–1983 | Fairleigh Dickinson |
Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
1965–1978 | Sacred Heart |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 285–148 |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
ECAC regular season (1982) | |
John Donald Feeley (October 30, 1937 – September 18, 2020) was an American college men's basketball coach. He was the head coach at Sacred Heart University for 13 years and at Fairleigh Dickinson University for three. While at Sacred Heart, Feeley also served as the school's athletic director.[1] Feeley compiled an overall coaching record of 285–148, including an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship in 1981–82.[2]
In the summer of 1983, Feeley discovered 7'6" Sudanese teenager (and future NBA player) Manute Bol while he was playing for the Sudanese national team.[3] Shortly before his discovery, Feeley had been let go by Fairleigh Dickinson due to 'imcompatible' philosophies with the school.[4] Feeley tried using his connections with Cleveland State University to get himself an assistant coaching job, largely with the allure of bringing Bol with him.[5] It did not work out, and Bol eventually enrolled at the University of Bridgeport.[5]
Feeley finished head coaching with a career record of 285 wins and 148 losses. He died on September 18, 2020.[6]
Head coaching record
Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sacred Heart Pioneers () (1965–1978) | |||||||||
1965–66 | Sacred Heart | 13–8 | |||||||
1966–67 | Sacred Heart | 12–12 | |||||||
1967–68 | Sacred Heart | 16–10 | |||||||
1968–69 | Sacred Heart | 16–8 | |||||||
1969–70 | Sacred Heart | 23–6 | |||||||
1970–71 | Sacred Heart | 22–6 | 5–3 | NCAA College Division Regional 3rd Place Game | |||||
1971–72 | Sacred Heart | 24–4 | NCAA College Division Regional 3rd Place | ||||||
1972–73 | Sacred Heart | 17–11 | |||||||
1973–74 | Sacred Heart | 14–13 | |||||||
1974–75 | Sacred Heart | 20–8 | NCAA Division II Regional 3rd Place | ||||||
1975–76 | Sacred Heart | 14–12 | |||||||
1976–77 | Sacred Heart | 28–4 | |||||||
1977–78 | Sacred Heart | 21–9 | NCAA Division II Elite Eight | ||||||
Sacred Heart: | 240–111 (.684) | ||||||||
Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (ECAC Metro) (1980–1983) | |||||||||
1980–81 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 12–14 | 8th | ||||||
1981–82 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 16–11 | 12–3 | 1st | |||||
1982–83 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 17–12 | 9–5 | 2nd (North) | |||||
Fairleigh Dickinson: | 45–37 (.549) | ||||||||
Total: | 285-148 (.658) | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
|
References
- ^ Elsberry, Chris (November 13, 2010). "Bike and SHU's success go hand in hand". CTpost.com. Connecticut Post. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ "Donald Feeley Coaching Record". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ Albom, Mitch (February 20, 1985). "The King Dinka Dunker: 7-6 Herdsman To NBA?". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ "Fairleigh Dickinson head basketball coach Jay Donald Feeley will..." United Press International. March 29, 1983. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ a b L., Peter (March 5, 1985). "7 Feet 6: Bol Enters Big Time". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ Jacobs, Jeff (September 23, 2020). "Jeff Jacobs: From Fairfield to Sudan, former SHU coach Don Feeley followed a long, unconventional road". Connecticut Post. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- 1937 births
- 2020 deaths
- American men's basketball coaches
- Basketball coaches from Connecticut
- Fairleigh Dickinson Knights men's basketball coaches
- High school basketball coaches in the United States
- Sacred Heart Pioneers athletic directors
- Sacred Heart Pioneers men's basketball coaches
- Sportspeople from Fairfield, Connecticut
- University of Bridgeport alumni
- Yale Bulldogs men's basketball coaches