Hall of Fame
Phil Ness is the winningest coach in Allegheny men’s basketball history, totaling 184 wins in 13 seasons at the helm, coaching from 1989-2002. He passed his predecessor, John Reynders, for most career wins in his final season, and finished his time on the sideline in Meadville with a winning percentage of .541, thanks in part to 107 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) wins.
Following the 1995-96 season that saw the Gators improve by 10 wins from the previous season, Ness was selected as the NCAC’s Coach of the Year, and his team featured the NCAC Player of the Year in David Masciola. Ness led the Gators to their most recent NCAC crown when Allegheny defeated Wooster, 66-64, in the 1998 NCAC Championship game, which marked the last victory over the Fighting Scots for the Blue & Gold for more than 8,000 days, until Allegheny once again won in Timken Gym on Jan. 29, 2020.
Following the 1998 NCAC title, Allegheny went on to post a 97-88 win over Baldwin Wallace in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship. He once again led the Gators to the NCAA postseason following the 1998-99 season, which marks the last time Allegheny competed in the national tournament field. Ness also led Allegheny to a share of the 1993 NCAC regular season title, which signifies the last time an Allegheny men’s basketball team was able to accomplish that feat.
In his time patrolling the sidelines, Ness mentored 27 total All-NCAC selections, including five First Team, eight Second Team and 14 Honorable Mention picks.
