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John Chaney

John Chaney (1932-2021)

Teams coached: Cheyney State Wolves, Temple Owls
Cheyney State record^: 225-59 (.792)
Temple record: 516-253 (.671)
Overall record^: 741-312 (.704)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  17  (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  5  (1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2001)
  • NCAA Tournament Final Four:  0
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  6  (1989, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
  • Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion:  8  (1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002)
  • PSAC (Div II) Regular Season Champion:  7  (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982)
  • Atlantic 10 Tournament Champion:  6  (1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2001)
  • NCAA Division II National Championships:  1  (1978)
  • NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances:  8  (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
  • NCAA Division II Tournament Final Four:  2  (1978, 1979)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1982-2006 Temple
1972-1982 Cheyney State

John Chaney Facts

  • John Chaney
  • Born January 21, 1932
  • Died January 29, 2021
  • Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
  • Alma Mater: Bethune-Cookman University (BA, 1955)
  • Played four seasons for head coach Bunky Matthews at Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, FL
    • Played in the EPBL (later the CBA) with the Sunbury Mercuries (1955-63) and Williamsport Billies (1963-66)
  • First coaching job was at Sayre Junior HS in Bradford County, PA, where he went 59-9 in three seasons (1963-66)
  • Next was a six-year stint as the head coach at Simon Gratz HS in Philadelphia, compiling a 63-23 record after inheriting a team that won just one game in the season prior to his arrival
  • Moved up the college ranks in 1972, taking over as the head coach at D-II Cheyney State in Cheyney, PA
  • Was hired as the Temple head coach in 1982, a position he would hold for 24 seasons
    • Finished a season at Temple below .500 just once – his first year on the job – going 14-15 overall in 1982-83
    • Starting with his second season, Chaney led the Owls to an NIT or NCAA Berth every single season he was the head coach
    • Won eight A-10 regular season championships, six A-10 Tournaments, and reached the NCAA Elite Eight five times
    • Retired in 2006 with 516 victories at Temple and 741 overall as a collegiate head coach
      • Chaney became the first African-American college head coach to win 700+ games, achieving win #700 in 2003
  • Along with his wife, Jeanne, had one daughter and two sons
  • In January 2021, Chaney passed away at age 89 following a short illness

John Chaney Coaching Tree

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at both the Division I and Division II levels