Denny Crum, who won two NCAA basketball titles in a 30-year span as the head coach at Louisville, died Tuesday morning at his home. He was 86.
The university announced his death on social media.
“We are saddened to share the passing of legendary UofL Basketball Coach Denny Crum,” the post on the basketball program’s Twitter page said.
“Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones.”
We are saddened to share the passing of legendary UofL Basketball Coach Denny Crum.
Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones.https://t.co/ceEJstxbw6 pic.twitter.com/hZlfKf04xM
— Louisville Men's Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) May 9, 2023
Local television station WDRB said Crum had suffered strokes in 2017, 2019 and 2022.
A native Southern Californian, Crum played at UCLA and coached under John Wooden. Crum took over at Louisville before the 1971-72 season and led the team in his first year to a 26-5 mark and a berth in a national semifinal game.
The Cardinals made the NCAA Tournament in five of the next seven seasons before winning the 1980 championship, then had two more losses in a national semifinal before winning the 1986 tournament.
In all, Crum led the Cardinals to 23 NCAA Tournaments, six Final Fours and a 675-295 record, including a 42-22 tally in the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals won at least 20 games in a season 21 times under Crum.
Crum is one of only 14 coaches in NCAA history with two or more titles. He won national coach of the year honors three times and was second fastest in reaching 500 wins behind only Jerry Tarkanian.
Following his retirement, he continued to work as a special assistant to the university president, and the court at the KFC Yum! Center was named after him, as was a new residence hall on campus.
He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.
–Field Level Media
