Men’s On-Field Style college basketball Coaches have changed considerably in recent years.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, either out of caution or a desire for comfort in largely empty arenas, coaches have increasingly ditched suits and ties in favor of more casual outfit like quarter zips and polo shirts.
This weekend, however, the coaches of the Great East will take on a slightly different look. With a new year will come new clothing choices.
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As the league continues the early stages of conference play this weekend, many of the Big East’s 11 head coaches will be wearing different types of sweaters rather than their traditional game day outfits.
Why do they do it? Here’s what you need to know about Big East basketball coaches wearing sweaters:
Why do Big East basketball coaches wear sweaters?
Big East basketball coaches are wearing sweaters this weekend in tribute to Lou Carnesecca, legendary St. John’s coachdied last November.
Sunday would have been Carnesecca’s 100th birthday.
In addition to the sweaters, coaches will wear pins reading “Lou,” with a blue, red and brown background, inspired by one of Carnesecca’s most famous sweaters.
Dan Leibovitz, Big East senior associate commissioner for men’s basketball, said that the conference “He timed this to celebrate his tremendous career and life well lived.”
@BIGEASTMBB coaches will honor coach Lou Carnesecca this weekend. I’ll see these pins in the margins. Many, if not all, coaches will wear sweaters.
Tomorrow would have been Coach’s 100th birthday. We scheduled this to celebrate his amazing career and life well lived. pic.twitter.com/nuNhp42Skh
–Dan Leibovitz (@DL_BIGEAST) January 3, 2025
During his successful coaching career at St. John’s, Carnesecca became known for the different sweaters he wore while roaming the sidelines.
The most famous item from his collection was the sweater the pins were inspired by – a brown sweater with a red and blue “V” pattern on the front. Carnesecca wore the sweater for much of a 19-game winning streak in 1985, a season that would end with St. John’s advancing to the Final Four for the second time in program history. The streak ended with an 85-69 loss to Georgetown at Madison Square Garden, a game in which Hoyas coach John Thompson walked onto the court and opened his suit jacket to reveal that he wore a shirt identical to that of the Hoyas. Carnesecca’s sweater. It is commonly known as the “sweater game”.
More: Remembering Lou Carnesecca, John Thompson and the legendary “sweater game”
During a game last December against Kansas State, St. John’s first game since Carnesecca’s death, Red Storm coach Rick Pitino wore a sweater he made based on Carnesecca’s. After the match, he dropped it on the midfield logo at the Carnesecca Arena.
Although the sweaters define him aesthetically, Carnesecca’s legacy extends far beyond his personal fashion.
During his 24 years at St. John’s, Carnesecca amassed a 526-200 record and took the Red Storm to the NCAA tournament 18 times. More than 30 years after his retirement following the 1991-92 season, he remains the winningest coach in school history.
Big East basketball schedule
Ten of the Big East’s eleven men’s basketball programs will play at some point between Friday and Sunday, with Seton Hall the only team on break.
St. John’s, Carnesecca’s former school, will host Butler on Saturday.
Here’s a look at the Big East men’s basketball schedule this weekend:
All times are Eastern.
Friday January 3
Saturday January 4
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DePaul at Villanova, noon
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Butler in St. John’s, 2 p.m.
Sunday January 5
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Why are Big East basketball coaches wearing sweaters this weekend?
