John Kresse
John Kresse retired from coaching in 2002 after a 38-year career that included 560 wins in 23 years as head coach at the College of Charleston. Previously, Kresse assisted National Basketball Hall of Famer Lou Carnesecca during two separate tenures at St. John’s University, wrapped around three seasons with the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association. He also coached briefly at the high school level in his native New York. When Kresse retired from College of Charleston, his .797 career winning percentage was second-best among active NCAA Division I coaches. His teams had won 21 or more games nine straight years and in 18 of his 23 seasons as coach. Kresse presided over the program’s highly successful transition from NAIA to NCAA Division I membership. From 1994 through 1999, Charleston earned four NCAA Tournament and two NIT bids. His 1997 team upset Maryland before losing in the final minute to eventual national champion Arizona in the NCAA Tournament. Charleston gained a reputation as a “giant killer” with victories over such major-college programs as North Carolina (twice), Stanford, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Penn State, Arizona State, Massachusetts, TCU, Charlotte (twice), and Alabama-Birmingham. While in the NAIA ranks, Kresse’s teams won six district championships and a national championship during the seven-year period from 1983 through 1989. He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2005, and, in 2009, was named to the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. Kresse currently serves as special assistant to the College of Charleston athletic director. He and his wife, Sue Sommer-Kresse, have two sons, Ryan and John.
