The basketball world has lost an all-time great in the coaching ranks. Longtime Temple University men’s head coach John Chaney died Friday at the age of 89.
Just got confirmation from someone close to John Chaney. The Temple legend of legends has passed away. RIP to a unique man and Hall of Fame coach.
— Mike Jensen (@jensenoffcampus) January 29, 2021
Chaney spent 24 seasons as the head coach of the Owls, amassing a 516-253 record. He has nearly 150 more wins than any other coach in program history, and his .671 winning percentage ranks fourth all-time.
The Owls hired Chaney after the Jacksonville native had a successful tenure as head coach at Division II Cheyney State. Temple went 14-15 in Chaney’s first season at the helm, but things were about to get a whole lot better.
Chaney would lead the Owls to the NCAA Tournament in 17 of the next 18 seasons. Temple won seven Atlantic 10 conference championships during that span, also winning the conference tournament six times.
The Owls’ most dominant season came during the 1987-88 season. Temple went 32-2, including an undefeated 18-0 in conference play. The Owls made it to the Elite Eight, but they lost to Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils in the East Regional Final.
Chaney could only ever get as far as the Elite Eight. The Owls made the Regional Final in 1991, 1993, 1999 and 2001. But those seasons are more notable because of Temple’s seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
Temple was a No. 10 seed in 1991. The Owls were a No. 11 seed a decade later. They were never higher than a No. 6 seed in those four Elite Eight appearances.
Chaney was also involved in one of the more infamous scraps in college basketball history when he had a heated exchange with then-UMass head coach John Calipari. His passion on and off the floor made him a legend in every sense of the word.
The legendary John Chaney will never be forgotten in the annals of NCAA history.
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