Luke D’Alessio successfully accomplished his objective of establishing the Fayetteville State men’s basketball program as a contender in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) when he assumed the role of the 18th head coach in 2019. After five seasons at the helm, Coach D’Alessio and Fayetteville State University have reached a mutual decision to part ways—closing a memorable chapter while leaving the program on a strong, thriving foundation built for success.
Luke D’Alessio leaves the program as the recipient of the 2024-25 CIAA and HBCU All-Stars Clarence “Big House” Gaines NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year award. He concludes his tenure at FSU with an impressive overall record of 103-52, resulting in a win percentage of 66.5%. D’Alessio has a collective NCAA head coaching career record of 302-148, which spans over 15 years.
“I extend our deepest gratitude for the exceptional leadership and dedication that Coach D’Alessio provided as the head coach of our men’s basketball program,” said Director of Athletics Anthony Bennett. “His tenure has been marked by remarkable achievements. D’Alessio’s commitment to excellence has not only transformed our basketball program but has also inspired our entire community.”
During his time as head coach, Fayetteville State made three appearances in the CIAA Championship and secured the program’s second conference title after a 49-year drought. The Broncos also participated in two NCAA Regional tournaments, advancing to their first-ever semifinal game. Six Broncos earned All-CIAA honors, and one player was named CIAA Tournament MVP. FSU proudly defended Capel Arena, achieving a remarkable home record of 53-11.
In Coach D’Alessio’s debut season, the Broncos narrowly missed winning the CIAA Championship, losing by just one point (62-63). They finished the season with a 24-8 overall record.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Fayetteville State captured the 2022 CIAA title in Baltimore, MD, with a 65-62 victory over Virginia Union. The victory also secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament, their first appearance since 1993.
In 2023, FSU reached the CIAA Semifinals, returning to the title game in 2024. D’Alessio missed securing a second CIAA title with the 51-54 loss to Lincoln Pa.
This past season, Fayetteville State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament and advanced to the semifinals and Luke D’Alessio was an assistant coach on the winning HBCU All-Stars Bob Love team.
D’Alessio, Fayetteville State mutually part ways
