Alexander Severance Explained

Alexander Severance
Birth Date:3 June 1905
Birth Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Player Sport1:Basketball
Player Years2:1926–1929
Player Team2:Villanova
Coach Sport1:Basketball
Coach Years2:1936–1961
Coach Team2:Villanova
Coach Sport3:Baseball
Coach Years4:1944
Coach Team4:Villanova
Overall Record:413–201 (basketball)
4–1 (baseball)
Tournament Record:Basketball
4–4 (NCAA)
1–2 (NIT)

Alexander G. Severance Sr. (June 3, 1905 – April 1, 1985) was an American basketball and baseball coach. Born in New York City, Severance graduated from Villanova University in 1929 and received his J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1932. In addition to coaching basketball for Villanova, Severance was a professor of business law at the university.

Severance coached the Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team for 25 seasons (1936–1961), compiling a 413–201 (.673) record. Among his former players is Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Paul Arizin.[1] Severance coached his team to the first Final Four of the NCAA tournament in 1939. His teams also played in the NCAA Tournament in 1949 and 1955. Under his leadership, Villanova was selected for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1959 and 1960.

Severance died on the morning of April 1, 1985, in Lexington, Kentucky, on the day Villanova won the 1985 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.[2] The championship game was played at Rupp Arena in Lexington.

Head coaching record

Basketball

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Westcott, Rich . A Century of Philadelphia Sports . Temple University Press p. 159 . 2001 . 978-1-5663-9861-9 . registration .
  2. News: Nathan . David E. . Alexander G. Severance, Villanova head basketball coach . . April 1, 1985 . November 15, 2019.