Legendary La Salle University head men’s basketball coach Fran Dunphy, ’70, HON ’20, the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history, will retire from his position at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. Dunphy will assume the role of special assistant to the president at La Salle and has agreed to a lifetime contract with the University for that role. A national search to determine Dunphy’s successor will begin immediately. La Salle has partnered with Elevate Talent and Kyle Bowlsby to ensure a smooth transition for the basketball program.
La Salle will honor Dunphy as part of the Explorers’ game against Duquesne on February 26.
“On behalf of La Salle and the entire Philadelphia basketball community, we are thankful for Fran Dunphy‘s incredible service, dedication, and integrity on and off the court. He has touched the lives of so many as a role model and as a father figure to his student-athletes,” La Salle president Dr. Daniel J. Allen said. “I look forward to continuing to work directly with Fran in his new advisory role and be part of another chapter of his legendary career.”
Dunphy, a member of the Philadelphia Big 5, La Salle Athletics, Penn Athletics, and Philadelphia Sports Writers Halls of Fame, has amassed 623 victories over his 30 years as head coach at Penn (1989-06), Temple (2006-19), and three seasons at La Salle (2022-2025). He is the only coach to oversee multiple Big 5 men’s programs, and his teams have competed in 17 NCAA Tournaments.
“Fran has been instrumental in bringing pride and the high standards of success to La Salle basketball. We will forever be thankful for his contributions to our University as a player, alumnus, coach, and mentor,” Vice President of Athletics and Recreation and Director of Athletics Ashwin Puri added. “I am grateful to call Fran a friend and fortunate to continue to rely on his guidance. Once an Explorer, always an Explorer.”
In his new role, Dunphy will help La Salle University build on its recent success. Apart from the opening of the renovated John E. Glaser Arena and the addition of four varsity sports, La Salle recorded its largest undergraduate class in four years while securing significant philanthropic commitments for fall 2025 and beyond.
“I will forever be thankful to La Salle as well as all my fellow coaches and players that I’ve been fortunate to work with throughout my coaching career,” Dunphy commented. “I am looking forward to finishing this season strong with our team, and as I embark on the next chapter of my life, I could not be happier to stay at La Salle and work with President Allen, Ash Puri, and this great University that I call home.”
La Salle announced Dunphy as the 20th head coach in the history of its men’s basketball program on April 5, 2022.
In his first season as head coach for La Salle, Dunphy guided the Explorers to the Atlantic 10 Championship Tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2015 and helped them win two games in the tournament for the first time since 2002. He also oversaw an Explorer squad that won 15 games for the second time in four seasons, including a five-game winning streak. Dunphy’s Explorers added another Atlantic 10 Tournament win a season ago before starting this year 6-0 at the newly renovated John E. Glaser Arena and advancing to the Big 5 Championship game.
“Fran’s impact on the sport of college basketball and the Atlantic 10 is immeasurable, with over 600 wins, including nearly 200 at an A-10 school,” stated Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. “He is an ambassador for this sport, whose professionalism and leadership will be felt by student-athletes, coaches, and administrators for years to come. On behalf of the A-10, I congratulate and send great wishes to Coach, Ree, and family for happiness and joy in this next chapter of life!”
As a dual-sport student-athlete at La Salle from 1967-70, Dunphy played both baseball and basketball for the Explorers, and was a member of the 1968-69 team that was coached by all-time La Salle great Tom Gola, ’55. The team finished that season 23-1 and ranked second in the final Associated Press Top 25 Poll. As a senior, Dunphy averaged 18.6 points per game and led La Salle in assists.
Following his playing days, Dunphy jumped right into coaching and was an assistant on La Salle’s 1979-80 squad that earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Dunphy then spent five seasons as an assistant at American University before returning home to join La Salle’s staff from 1985-88. During that time, the Explorers successfully recruited eventual National Player of the Year Lionel Simmons from South Philadelphia High School, advanced to the finals of the National Invitation Tournament in 1987, and won a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship in 1988.
In 1989, Dunphy was named head coach at the University of Pennsylvania. Over the next 17 seasons, he would win 10 Ivy League titles, post nine 20-win seasons, and amass a total of 310 victories – the most by any coach in Penn history. The Quakers won 48 straight Ivy League games from 1992-96, and his 1993-94 team went 25-3, was ranked as high as No. 24 nationally, and defeated Nebraska in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Dunphy’s career continued at Temple, when he took over for Naismith Hall of Famer John Chaney in 2006. The Owls advanced to the NCAA Tournament eight times in his 13 years, including a run of seven consecutive seasons from 2007-13. During his 13 seasons at Temple, Dunphy’s teams defeated nationally-ranked teams 18 times, including victories over Duke, Kansas, Villanova, Syracuse, Connecticut, Florida State, West Virginia, Tennessee, Xavier, and Georgetown.
He was the recipient of an honorary degree for La Salle University’s 2020 Commencement ceremony.
