PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Legendary Temple basketball coach John Chaney has died. He was 89.
Chaney had several coaching stops during his illustrious career, but he made his mark at Temple University with 17 trips to the NCAA Tournament and five appearances in the Elite Eight.
He coached the Temple Owls for 24 years and was twice named the national Division I coach of the year.
His stint at Temple was one of the most successful of any coach in the country. Twenty-three of his 24 Temple teams played in postseason tournaments.
His teams featured a number of future NBA players, including Mark Macon, Eddie Jones and 76er Aaron McKie.
Prior to Temple, he coached at Division II Cheyney University for 10 years, where he brought home a national title.
Chaney was known as a demanding coach and a fierce competitor with a fiery temper.
Fans may recall that aggressive postgame tirade in which he went after UMass coach John Calipari in 1994. While Calipari was giving a postgame news conference, Cheney charged down the aisle and tried to go after him at the podium. The altercation was broken up before it got physical.
Chaney retired in 2006 but remained close to the program, often advising then coach Fran Dunphy.
Twitter promptly erupted with accolades for Chaney following news of his death, calling him a “legend.”
“John Chaney was a great coach, but he was so much more,” said Temple President Richard Englert, who has known Chaney since he came to Temple in 1982. “He was a wise counselor, a dedicated teacher, an icon of success, and a passionate leader who always led by example and with conviction. … For generations of his players, there is only one man whom they all lovingly called coach even to this day. That was John Chaney.”
Officials from Temple said he died Friday “after a short illness.” He celebrated his 89th birthday last week.
When he announced his retirement years ago, Chaney said, “It has never been a job for me, but a passion. When I look back, it will not be the wins and losses — but the people who influenced me and touched me greatly, and especially the men’s and women’s coaches and players who have made this university and my time here so special.”