Lefty Driesell, who coached Davidson College men’s basketball into national prominence more than a half-century ago, died Saturday.
Driesell, who coached Davidson and three other schools to conference championships and NCAA tournament berths in a 40-year career, died at his home in Virginia Beach, Va., family members said. He was 92.
“Lefty was a legendary coach who meant so much to college basketball,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said Saturday in a statement. “His imprint on the game, including as an ACC player and one of the premier coaches in league history, is undeniable.”
He coached for 16 years at Maryland after leaving Davidson and had later stints at James Madison and Georgia State. He finished with a career record of 786-394.
Charles Grice “Lefty” Driesell was hired by Davidson from the high school ranks, after coaching Newport News (Va.) High for the state title in the 1959-60 season.
He was 28 years old and according to several reports, he told a gathering at his introductory news conference on the Davidson campus, “We don’t have anything to sell but education.”