Jack Kraft

American basketball player-coach
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroAmerican basketball player-coach
PlacesUnited States of America
wasAthlete Sports coach Basketball player Basketball coach
Work fieldSports
Gender
Male
Birth10 February 1921, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Death28 August 2014Cape May Court House, Middle Township, New Jersey, Cape May County, New Jersey (aged 93 years)
The details

Biography

John Jack Kraft (February 10, 1921 – August 28, 2014) was an American basketball coach who coached Villanova for 12 years, from 1961 through 1973. He compiled a 238-95 record (.715). Kraft led Villanova to the NCAA Tournament six times, and five times to the NIT. Only once did Kraft's teams fail to earn a post-season bid, in his final season of 1973. The 1971 team, led by Howard Porter, reached the NCAA Championship game, and lost to UCLA at the height of the UCLA dynasty.

Notable players who played for Jack Kraft at Villanova include Chris Ford, Tom Ingelsby, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Howard Porter, Hank Simeontkowski, Jim Washington, and Hubie White.

Kraft died on August 28, 2014 at the age of 93 in Cape May County, New Jersey. In honor of his memory, the Villanova basketball players wore a JK decal on their uniforms for the 2014-2015 season.

Head coaching record

SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Villanova Wildcats (Independent) (1961–1973)
1961–62Villanova21-7NCAA Elite 8
1962–63Villanova19-10NIT Semifinal/NIT 4th Place
1963–64Villanova24-4NCAA Sweet 16
1964–65Villanova23-5NIT Runner Up
1965–66Villanova18-11NIT Semifinal/NIT 3rd Place
1966–67Villanova17-9NIT 1st Round
1967–68Villanova19-9NIT Quarterfinals
1968–69Villanova21-5NCAA 1st Round
1969–70Villanova22-7NCAA Eilte 8
1970–71Villanova27-7NCAA Runner Up
1971–72Villanova20-8NCAA 2nd Round
1972–73Villanova11-14
Villanova:242-96
Rhode Island Rams (Yankee) (1973–1976)
1973–74Rhode Island11-146-54th
1974–75Rhode Island5-203-75th
1975–76Rhode Island14-127-5T-2nd
Rhode Island:30-4623-37
Rhode Island Rams (independent) (1976–1979)
1976–77Rhode Island13-13
1977–78Rhode Island24-7NCAA 1st Round
1978–79Rhode Island20-9NIT 1st Round
Rhode Island:57-29
Rhode Island Rams (ECAC North) (1979–1980)
1979–80Rhode Island15-1314-12T-4th
1980–81Rhode Island1-0Retire Due To Ill Health
Rhode Island:16-1315-12
Rhode Island:103-8838-49
Total:345-184

      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

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