CofC Athletics Hall of Fame: John Kresse
2015
John Kresse (Honorary)
An icon synonymous with the College of Charleston, legendary head coach John Kresse will go down in NCAA men’s basketball history as one of the greatest to ever coach the game. In 23 seasons with the Cougars from 1979-2002, Kresse compiled an impressive 560-143 overall winning record (.797) and led his team to the 1983 NAIA National Championship title – a feat he still remembers as his No. 1 coaching accomplishment to date. He still owns the 11th-highest winning percentage in college basketball history (all division) and his NCAA Division I coaching record of 258-64 (.801) ranks as the fifth-best winning percentage in Division I. Only Jerry Tarkanian (20th year) won his 500th career game in fewer seasons than Kresse (21st year). When CofC moved to NCAA Division I status in 1989, Kresse and his players flourished, making four NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT appearances. Known as “Giant Killers,” the Cougars defeated seemingly unstoppable teams in Maryland, North Carolina and Georgia Tech, and were recognized as the most successful team to ever make the leap from NAIA to NCAA Division I. In 1994, the Cougars received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and went undefeated in the regular season and in the TAAC Tournament in 1997. The 1998-99 team also went unbeaten during the regular season and conference tournament in its first year as members of the Southern Conference – the first team in league history to go 19-0. The program achieved its highest-ever national ranking of No. 16 in 1997 and 1999 under Kresse, who earned Coach of the Year honors 10 different times in his illustrious career (NAIA, TAAC and SoCon). He is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame (1999), NAIA Hall of Fame (2005) and South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame (2001). Kresse was also the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto – the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of South Carolina to recognize lifetime achievement and/or service to the state – in 1983. John Kresse Court at TD Arena is named in honor of him. In 2014, he was named the recipient of the Lapchick Character Award given to those who have shown the character traits of Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Joe Lapchick, who coached at Kresse’s alma mater, St. John’s (N.Y.) University, and with the New York Knicks.
