John Donald Feeley
Biographical details
Born(1937-10-30)October 30, 1937
Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedSeptember 18, 2020(2020-09-18) (aged 82)
Southbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Alma materBridgeport
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Basketball
1965–1978Sacred Heart
1978–1980Yale (assistant)
1980–1983Fairleigh Dickinson
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1965–1978Sacred Heart
Head coaching record
Overall285–148
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
ECAC regular season (1982)

John Donald Feeley (October 30, 1937 – September 18, 2020) was an American college men's basketball coach. He was the head coach at Sacred Heart University for 13 years and at Fairleigh Dickinson University for three. While at Sacred Heart, Feeley also served as the school's athletic director.[1] Feeley compiled an overall coaching record of 285–148, including an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship in 1981–82.[2]

In the summer of 1983, Feeley discovered 7'6" Sudanese teenager (and future NBA player) Manute Bol while he was playing for the Sudanese national team.[3] Shortly before his discovery, Feeley had been let go by Fairleigh Dickinson due to 'imcompatible' philosophies with the school.[4] Feeley tried using his connections with Cleveland State University to get himself an assistant coaching job, largely with the allure of bringing Bol with him.[5] It did not work out, and Bol eventually enrolled at the University of Bridgeport.[5]

Feeley finished head coaching with a career record of 285 wins and 148 losses. He died on September 18, 2020.[6]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Sacred Heart Pioneers () (1965–1978)
1965–66 Sacred Heart 13–8
1966–67 Sacred Heart 12–12
1967–68 Sacred Heart 16–10
1968–69 Sacred Heart 16–8
1969–70 Sacred Heart 23–6
1970–71 Sacred Heart 22–6 5–3 NCAA College Division Regional 3rd Place Game
1971–72 Sacred Heart 24–4 NCAA College Division Regional 3rd Place
1972–73 Sacred Heart 17–11
1973–74 Sacred Heart 14–13
1974–75 Sacred Heart 20–8 NCAA Division II Regional 3rd Place
1975–76 Sacred Heart 14–12
1976–77 Sacred Heart 28–4
1977–78 Sacred Heart 21–9 NCAA Division II Elite Eight
Sacred Heart: 240–111 (.684)
Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (ECAC Metro) (1980–1983)
1980–81 Fairleigh Dickinson 12–14 8th
1981–82 Fairleigh Dickinson 16–11 12–3 1st
1982–83 Fairleigh Dickinson 17–12 9–5 2nd (North)
Fairleigh Dickinson: 45–37 (.549)
Total: 285-148 (.658)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ Elsberry, Chris (November 13, 2010). "Bike and SHU's success go hand in hand". CTpost.com. Connecticut Post. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  2. ^ "Donald Feeley Coaching Record". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  3. ^ Albom, Mitch (February 20, 1985). "The King Dinka Dunker: 7-6 Herdsman To NBA?". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  4. ^ "Fairleigh Dickinson head basketball coach Jay Donald Feeley will..." United Press International. March 29, 1983. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  5. ^ a b L., Peter (March 5, 1985). "7 Feet 6: Bol Enters Big Time". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  6. ^ Jacobs, Jeff (September 23, 2020). "Jeff Jacobs: From Fairfield to Sudan, former SHU coach Don Feeley followed a long, unconventional road". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
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