John Chaney, Legendary NCAA Coach, Dead At 89
Legendary Temple men’s basketball coach John Chaney has passed away. He was 89.
Chaney was a two-time USBWA National Coach of the Year (1987, 1988) and won the 1978 NCAA Division II National Championship as coaching Cheyney State.
In 1982, Chaney joined the Owls and revitalized the program, leading it to 17 NCAA tournaments and five NCAA regional finals. Prior to his arrival at Temple, the team had never made it to the tournament in back-to-back seasons.
Under Chaney, the Owls made five straight March Madness appearances from 1984 to ‘88 and then 12 straight from 1990 to 2001. During the 1987-88 season, Temple finished the year ranked No. 1 overall.
Chaney was entered into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and retired after 24-years of coaching Temple in 2006. His career record was 516-253 (.671) as the Owls’ coach.
Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer was the first to report the news, which was later confirmed by Dana O’Neil of The Athletic.
Details of Chaney’s death were not immediately made available.
