John Dromo

John Dromo (1916-1992)

Teams coached: Louisville Cardinals
Louisville record: 68-23 (.747)
Overall record: 68-23 (.747)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  1  (1968)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  1  (1968)
  • NCAA Tournament Final Four:  0
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  3  (1969, 1970, 1971)
  • Missouri Valley Regular Season Champion:  3  (1968, 1969, 1970)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1967-1971 Louisville
1948-1967 Louisville (asst)

John Dromo Facts

  • John Dromo
  • Born July 7, 1916
  • Died September 29, 1992
  • Hometown: Sharon, Pennsylvania
  • Alma Mater: John Carroll University (BA, 1939)
  • Worked at St. Xavier HS in Cincinnati, where he coached basketball and various sports from 1942-1947
    • Also worked as a collegiate referee, officiating games across the NCAA
  • Arrived at Louisville in 1948, serving initially as an assistant basketball and football coach
    • Spent many years assisting long-time head basketball coach Peck Hickman
    • Part of five NCAA Tournaments and six NITs, including the Cardinals’ 1956 NIT title
    • Also served for some time as the head golf at Louisville
  • Took over for Hickman as head coach in 1967, coaching the Cardinals for three and a half years
    • Reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 1968, followed by three-straight NIT appearances
    • Suffered a heart attack in 1971, turning the team over to assistant Howard Stacey and retiring after the season
    • Won three Missouri Valley regular season titles, the last of which was in 1970-71 after Stacey had taken over
  • Dromo passed away in 1992 at the age of 76; he was survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren

John Dromo Coaching Tree

  • Butch Beard (Morgan State, New Jersey Nets, Howard)
  • Howard Stacey (Drake, Louisville)
  • Wes Unseld (Washington Bullets)