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HARRISONBURG, Va. – Charles “Lefty” Driesell, a member of the James Madison Athletics Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, died early Saturday, February 17, at the age of 92. Driesell led four programs to the NCAA Tournament, including JMU in 1994, and is the only coach in NCAA history to win at least 100 games at four different schools.
“Lefty was an enormous figure who had a significant impact wherever he went, particularly at James Madison and our men’s basketball program,” Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne saying. “Although my time at JMU did not coincide with his, his imprint on our program was evident from day one. On behalf of JMU Athletics, we are very grateful for Lefty’s contributions to JMU and the sport of college basketball. We send our condolences to their family and friends.”
“Everyone in our program is deeply saddened by the loss of Lefty Driesell,” said the current JMU head coach. Mark Byington saying. “I want to send his family and friends my deepest condolences. He had a huge impact on JMU and a legendary impact on college basketball.”
Driesell was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2018, the National College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and was inducted into the JMU Athletic Hall in 2005. He served as JMU’s head coach from 1988 to 1997, compiling a record of 159-111 in nine seasons. JMU won the CAA Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1994 while also making NIT appearances in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 as part of one of the best five years in program history for the Dukes.
Driesell is one of the winningest head coaches in NCAA history and also the only coach in NCAA history to have been named Coach of the Year in four different conferences (Southern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Association Colonial Athletics, Atlantic Sun Conference).
At the time of his retirement, Driesell was the fourth-winningest Division I men’s basketball coach of all time and remains 16th.th-The winningest head coach in history with 786 career victories (786-394 total in 41 seasons). After nine seasons at Davidson College and 17 seasons at the University of Maryland, Driesell coached at JMU from 1988-1997.
The Dukes went 16-14 in their first season in Harrisonburg, then for five consecutive seasons, from 1989-90 to 1993-94, JMU had or tied the CAA’s best regular-season record. JMU went to the NCAA Tournament in 1994 with Driesell leading the way after winning its first CAA tournament title. Driesell was named CAA Coach of the Year after the 1989-90 season, when the Dukes finished 20-11 and 11-3 in CAA play, and after the 1991-92 season, when they finished 21-11 and 12-3 in CAA play. 2 in CAA Game.
At Davidson, Driesell went 176-65 from 1960 to 1969 and won five Southern Conference titles. He led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament in 1966, 1968 and 1969. Davidson advanced to the Elite Eight in both 1968 and 1969.
Driesell had his longest stint at Maryland, where he coached for 17 years. He led the Terrapins to eight NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Elite Eight in 1973 and 1975. He also won the 1972 NIT and 1984 ACC tournament titles at Maryland and was named ACC Coach of the Year in 1975 and 1980.
After JMU, Driesell coached five full seasons at Georgia State and had a 103-59 record before retiring during his sixth season. Driesell led the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament in 2001 and the NIT in 2002.
Driesell played basketball at Duke University in the early 1950s and is a native of Norfolk, Virginia. His son, Chuck Driesell, was on the JMU coaching staff from 1989 to 1996. Two of his children, Pam (’82) and Carolyn (’93), are graduates of JMU, and one grandson, Jake, is a current student from JMU.
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