Matt Zunic
Matt Zunic (1919-2006)
Teams coached: Boston University Terriers, UMass Minutemen
Boston University record: 96-58 (.623)
UMass record: 57-41 (.582)
Westfield State record^: 61-37 (.582)
Overall record^: 214-136 (.607)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2 (1959, 1962)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 1 (1959)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- Yankee Regular Season Champion: 1 (1962)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1972-1976 | Westfield State |
| 1970-1971 | Hatford Capitols |
| 1959-1963 | UMass |
| 1952-1959 | Boston University |
| 1951-1952 | UMass (asst) |
| 1950-1951 | George Washington (asst) |
Matt Zunic Facts
- Matthew J. Zunic
- Born December 12, 1919
- Died December 15, 2006
- Hometown: New Kensington, Pennsylvania
- Alma Mater: George Washington University (BA, 1941)
- Played for head coach William Reinhart at George Washington; teammates with future HOF coach Red Auerbach
- After college, Zunic served in the United States Navy during World War II
- Upon his return, he played professionally with the Midland Dow Chemical Company basketball team from 1945-48; also led the team for one season as a player-coach (1947-48)
- Spent the 1948-49 BAA season playing for the Washington Capitols, where he was coached by Auerbach
- Started his coaching career at his alma mater, working as one of Reinhart‘s assistants at GWU
- Then spent one season as an assistant at UMass under head coach Lorin BallR
- Recommended by Auerbach for the head coaching position at Boston University, getting hired in 1952
- Went 96-58 over seven seasons at the helm, finishing above .500 in each of his last five campaigns
- The 1958-59 Terriers went 20-7 and reached the NCAA Tournament, finishing as a regional runner-up
- Left BU in 1959 to become the head coach at UMass, leading the Minutemen for the next four seasons
- Was 57-41 overall, highlight by a Yankee title and NCAA Tournament berth in 1962 (15-9 record)
- Later coached the Hartford Capitols (EBPL) for the 1970-71 season and then was hired at D-III Westfield State (MA)
- Led the program for four seasons, compiling a 61-37 record during that tenure
- Passed away in 2006 at the age of 87 in Crystal River, Florida
Matt Zunic Coaching Tree
- Bob Brown (Boston University)
- Jack Leaman (UMass)
- Frank Sullivan (Harvard, Bentley)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I and Division III levels only
