John Egli
John Egli (1921-1982)
Teams coached: Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State record: 187-135 (.581)
Overall record: 187-135 (.581)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2 (1955, 1965)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 1 (1955)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 1 (1966)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1954-1968 | Penn State |
| 1949-1954 | Penn State (asst) |
John Egli Facts
- John J. Egli
- Born 1921
- Died July 1, 1982
- Hometown: Williamsport, Pennsylvania
- Alma Mater: Pennsylvania State University (BA, 1943)
- The PA-native played basketball at Penn State for three seasons; was coached by John Lawther
- Egli served as a co-captain as a senior in 1943 and was named to the All-NCAA Tournament team
- Returned to his alma mater in 1949 to be an assistant basketball coach under Elmer Gross
- Part of two NCAA Tournaments in five years as an assistant, including the Lions’ 1954 Final Four run
- Elevated to head coach in 1954 following Gross’ retirement, leading the team for 14 seasons
- Went 187-135 over his tenure at the helm, highlighted by NCAA bids in 1955 & 1965 and a NIT bid in 1966
- Egli led the Lions to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 1955, his first year as head coach
- Resigned from his coaching position in 1968 after going 10-10 (and 10-14 in the year prior)
- Went 187-135 over his tenure at the helm, highlighted by NCAA bids in 1955 & 1965 and a NIT bid in 1966
- Egli was also an assistant professor at Penn State; the University now presents the John S. Egli Outstanding Scholar Athlete Award in his honor, which annually recognizes an outstanding male and female scholar athlete
- Died in 1982 at the age of 61 following a long battle with cancer
- Posthumously inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1993
John Egli Coaching Tree
- Tom Carmody (Rhode Island)
- Bob Weiss (Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs)