Basketball/ Seion Hall R1/ UC15-1824/ D' Alessio Interview

And your. Doctor D'Alessio your affiliation with Seton Hall University goes back a few years. You were a student here and then your professor and faculty member here now you're president so you've seen Seton Hall basketball in its heyday and all the way up until the present time. What are some of your recollections of the basketball program here. Well I've been associated with C Hall since approximately 250 when I entered the university as a freshman. And so I would been associated with Seton Hall off and on for about 30 years or so. My recollection of Seton Hall basketball is that it's been the number one sport at Seton Hall. We've been playing basketball at Seton Hall for over 90 years. We've had our ups and downs with our basketball team and basketball program. I said I would imagine that my fondest

recollection of Seton Hall basketball is in 1953 when I sat in Madison Square Garden and I watched Rick Richie Reagan and company defeat the red men of St. John's for the in the NITV championship it's very interesting that Elmer Grier who went on to coach Marquette basketball was on the losing of St. John's team that night and Frank Maguire was a coach of St. Johns and honey Russell was the cogency home. If we could bring this now perhaps up until the present day situation here what direction is there a direction that you would like to see the basketball program go here at Seton Hall. Well as you know I am committed to quality athletics at Seton Hall University. I think if we can't do something in a qualitative way we should either not do or improve drastically.

Our basketball program is probably our most well-known program. And as I used to travel around the country in my former positions as soon as you said Seton Hall people to obey basketball then I when I returned here in August of 1980 I realized that it's been a long time since our 1953 championship and I teach championship team. I have high aspirations for athletic program and high aspirations for a major sport namely that of basketball. As you know Ira we are now members of the Big East which I think is will soon develop into one of the outstanding conferences in the United States and definitely on the East Coast. And that competition is going to be very very keen. As you know that the both the Georgetown and Villanova are nationally ranked this year and we will play each of them twice. Our baseball program needs some attention and we intend to give it that attention during the course of this year and in the years to follow.

Let's pursue that a little bit and talk to D'Alessio. If you had to select a couple of areas two or three areas in terms of perhaps even physical improvement financial improvement facility improvement here at the hall in terms of training rooms I don't know other kinds of supportive services. What would be those areas that you feel need some attention the next couple of years so that Seton Hall even though it isn't the Big East not only can be in the Big East but be a contender in the Big East with the Villanova's the Georgetown's the Syracuse as well as you know. No president wants his or her team to come not to be a contender. And I'm no different. During the course of this year we have added another assistant coach who will be primarily responsible for recruiting one of our. One of the areas that we had to sure up was a assistant coach who would spend his full time recruiting.

As you know in the past I'm hardy and Mel and Billy all shared the recruiting chores. Now we have we have someone who will do that. Secondly in terms of physical facilities we are refurbishing our gym and we'll we'll hopefully refurbish. The supporting activities during the course of the next year namely a weight room and and other kinds of the facilities that athletic teams need. I think that we've made a decision now that we do have the metally as practically as a home court. And as you know we are playing three games this year. There we will replay two when we play Notre Dame in February. We I think we've made a decision not to build a new gymnasium or new people Court. And I think our thinking now is to move in the area of a recreational facility. We're not sure exactly where but we do have the bubble and we must replace that and we're looking

very seriously at a major recreational facility as Georgetown built it. And Boston College opened several years ago. But we're delighted to be one of the major New Jersey the college basketball teams to play in the Meadowlands. Fortunately we have we have a thousand percent record in the Meadowlands so far. And hopefully we will continue that against Notre Dame in February. But we're committed to every aspect of our athletic program. And while we're chatting about it I would all I would be remiss if I didn't mention our outstanding women's basketball team. It's kind of a standing joke on campus that the suit really is our most successful basketball coach and the women's basketball team is our most successful team. At Seton Hall. But I'm delighted to be involved with the athletic program. I'm delighted to be one of its staunchest supporters. But I would also like to say that we take very seriously the education of our athletes. They're classified as student athletes and

we would hope that when our athletes leave Seton Hall they not only have contributed to the university on the basketball court of baseball field or whatever but they also have a saleable skill in terms of what happens upon commencement because basketball or football or baseball or track doesn't continue necessarily after commencement and the day after commencement you're out looking for a job and we hope that our student athletes will have saleable skills. Sure. If we could touch on the coaching situation here at the university. Because it is a bit unusual. Billy of course leaving with just a few weeks to go in the season Hottie of course extremely capable. Being with Billie for many years here. But I think people would like to know what exactly might the scenario be. I know you've perhaps had a search committee that will

start next year. But if you could just perhaps knock your D'Alessio just as we talked before. Perhaps just capsule the situation for us. Well if you recall. Between Monday morning. Bill you know I chatted to him in October or November rather and Tuesday afternoon. We had I had accepted Billy's resignation and held a press conference in which we appointed Harvey as our interim head basketball coach. And I indicated to Hardy privately personally and also at the press conference that he would have the university's support as well as my personal commitment to Hadi as the interim head basketball coach this year and that there would be a search committee established and that that search committee would make a recommendation to you to retain the athletic director and to myself concerning the basketball

coach coaching position Suitland vs Hadi has indicated that at the press conference that his application would be the first on my desk and I respect that because I was in a much similar situation last year as executive in the presidential search and how he has done a fine job. Hardy feels for the team. Occasionally I will I will wander down to the gym just to let them know somebody cares. I try to visit the team after the game in the locker room. I cry with them and I smile at them and I pray with them and I will not send in any plays Helen. Why do you mention that. So basically it be fair to say that Hadi is the interim coach for this year. He will be evaluated for future position and that's more or

less the situation. That's exactly right and it's interesting when I go to the Meadowlands I'll meet someone who says I think you're a point Hoddy or always receive a phone call or a letter and that's going to continue I suppose until the search is announced and conducted and finalized. But it interim hotties are coach Mel knights or system coach and and we will be adding a recruiter in the very very near future. Dr De Lesseps been a pleasure and can't wait to see some signal basketball games on our schedule. Well thank you very much and if I may I could just end on a personal note. And as you know I left Seton Hall University as a faculty member an administrator 967 and I'm delighted to be the 17th president of Seton Hall University. Why am I that have a.

Couple of. Yeah I'm going to ask I'm just going to for a moment please. As you see it what has to happen here for Seton Hall to be a contender in the Big East. Try one more time as you see it. What has to happen for Seton Hall to be a contender in the Big East. OK. What direction would you like to see the Seton Hall basketball program go. In what direction would you like to see the Seton Hall basketball program go. Pause it please your association and your association with Seton

Hall goes back to the time you were a student. What are your fondest memories of basketball here at the hall over the years your association with basketball at Seton Hall goes back to the time that you were a student here. What are some of your fondest memories of basketball at the hall. Over the years your association with basketball at Seton Hall goes back to the time you were a student here. What are some of your fondest memories of basketball at the hall. I heard in there. Can you just I'm sorry can you pause it please. Your association with Seton Hall your association with Seton Hall goes back to the time you were a student here. What are some of your fondest memories of basketball over the years. Had it had another way I was going to do this and this was the last time

your association at Seton Hall goes back to the time you were a student here. Letter some of your fondest memories of basketball over the years your association with Seton Hall goes back to the time you were a student here. What are some of your fondest memories of basketball. Over the years. I think that'll do it. You want to get a few. Yeah. We will need a few nods on this. OK. I don't think so. That's fine.

OK we're done.