Lefty Driesell, the legendary faculty basketball coach who constructed Maryland right into a high program, has died at age 92.
“Lefty Driesell was a transcendent determine in faculty basketball and the person who put Maryland basketball on the map,” mentioned Maryland Athletic Director Damon Evans. “A Corridor of Famer, Lefty was an innovator, a person who was forward of his time from his on-field teaching to his off-field advertising. From beginning Midnight Insanity to nationally televised video games with sold-out crowds at Cole Discipline Home, Lefty has achieved all of it. He led Maryland to the NIT championship, eight NCAA tournaments, a number of ACC championships and a constant High-10 rating throughout his tenure, producing tons of NBA gamers. We’re saddened to study of his passing and supply our condolences. the entire household and neighborhood of pals. His reminiscence will without end be etched in Maryland basketball historical past.”
Driesell started his collegiate teaching profession at Davidson and led the Wildcats to 5 Southern Convention common season championships and three NCAA Event appearances.
In 1969, Driesell was employed by Maryland and over 17 seasons constructed this system into one which introduced dwelling an NIT title (1972), two ACC common season titles, three Candy 16 appearances and a visit to the Elite Eight.
Throughout Driesell's tenure with the Terrapins, he helped develop star gamers comparable to Len Bias, Tom McMillen, Len Elmore, Buck Williams and John Lucas, amongst many others.
I’m deeply saddened to let you know that Coach Lefty Driesell handed away this morning. He was a legend each on and off the sphere and was instrumental in my life. I’m grateful that we shared a while collectively a couple of weeks in the past. We are going to miss him dearly.
— Tom McMillen (@TomMcMillen611) February 17, 2024
Considered one of Driesell's lasting legacies in faculty basketball is beginning the custom of “Midnight Insanity,” the annual opener of public practices, which has develop into a serious occasion on the colleges.
When the custom started, it was a little bit of a craze.
From a 2014 story in Sports activities Illustrated:
Do you know that Midnight Insanity began with a run at midnight?
It's true. It occurred on October 15, 1971. Byrd Stadium, College of Maryland, School Park. At three minutes previous midnight (to verify they didn't begin too early, in violation of NCAA guidelines), members of the college's basketball workforce started a compulsory one-mile run on the observe. The stadium lights had been off, so the one illumination got here from the headlights of some automobiles parked at one finish of the stadium. The apply was not publicized, however roughly 800 college students gathered to look at. Phrase of mouth had apparently unfold.
Driesell's time in School Park resulted in 1986 after 348 wins, which is second solely to Gary Williams (461) at school historical past. He left Maryland a couple of months after Bias' loss of life and returned to teaching two years later at James Madison.
Throughout 9 years with James Madison, Driesell added 159 extra wins to his complete and led the Dukes to 5 straight Colonial Athletic Affiliation titles, 4 NIT appearances and an NCAA Event.
Driesell's final teaching cease was at Georgia State, the place he gained 4 Atlantic Solar Convention regular-season titles and a match championship. He retired in 2003 because the fourth-winningest NCAA Division I males's basketball coach. He’s the one coach to win not less than 100 video games with 4 completely different colleges.
“Lefty was the final word program builder. He did it at 4 colleges,” mentioned McMillen, the previous NBA participant who later turned a member of the U.S. Home of Representatives, by way of the Baltimore Solar. “He and [the late North Carolina coach] Dean Smith was very comparable. Each had been extremely motivated and each had been large thinkers. Lefty took a sleepy schedule and put it on the map. He helped create an aura for Maryland.”
Driesell is a member of each the School Basketball Corridor of Fame (2007) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame (2018).