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Joe Lombardi enters his third season as IUP head coach after being hired in April 2006. In 2007-08, Lombardi saw vast progress in the Crimson Hawks as the team posted a record of 13-15, a seven-game improvement from the year before, and qualified for the PSAC playoffs. IUP has claimed back-to-back PSAC West Rookies of the Year in Gerald Brooks (2006-07) and Darryl Webb (2007-08). With only one senior lost from the 2006-07 squad, the future looks bright for the IUP men's basketball program. Prior to coming to IUP, Lombardi was an assistant coach for more than 20 years, including the previous three at the University of Pittsburgh. He has 25 years of experience, 21 of which have come on the NCAA Division I level. Lombardi has strong western Pennsylvania and Indiana connections. He also boasts a wealth of East Coast ties that he has built over a successful career. He grew up in Sharon, Pa., graduated from Kennedy Christian (now Kennedy Catholic) High School in 1977, and his wife, Janet, is a native of Indiana. Lombardi served on Tom Beck's staff at IUP from 1984-87. Lombardi helped Pitt post a record of 76-22 (.776) during his three years on Jamie Dixon's staff. The Panthers advanced to the championship game of the Big East tournament in 2003-04 and 2004-05 and earned berths in the NCAA tournament each season, including a third consecutive trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2003-04. That season, Pitt set a school record by going 31-5 and won the Big East regular season title. With the Panthers, Lombardi focused his attention on recruiting, scouting opponents, on-floor coaching and player development. Before arriving at Pitt, Lombardi gained a reputation for helping to build overachieving basketball programs. Lombardi served a two-year stint as an assistant at LaSalle from 2001-03. There, he worked closely with Rasual Butler, an All-NBA Rookie Team honorable mention selection with the Miami Heat and currently a member of the New Orleans Hornets. Prior to LaSalle, Lombardi spent nine seasons at St. Bonaventure where he was an assistant coach from 1992-96 and an associate head coach from 1996-01. Lombardi helped the Bonnies go 21-10, reach the Atlantic 10 title game and play in the NCAA tournament in 1999-00. St. Bonaventure also made three appearances in the NIT in 1995, 1998 and 2001. Lombardi was instrumental in recruiting J.R. Bremer, an All-NBA Rookie Team honorable mention with the Cleveland Cavaliers, to play for the Bonnies. After leaving IUP, Lombardi coached at St. Francis from 1987-92 and was the assistant head coach his final three seasons with the Red Flash. During his tenure, St. Francis registered its best seasons in 20 years, including records of 17-10 in 1989-90 and 24-8 the next year when it won the Northeast Conference title and played in the NCAA tournament. Lombardi tutored Mike Iuzzolino, an NBA draft pick of the Dallas Mavericks, during his time at St. Francis. His first stops were as a graduate assistant at Ohio University (1981-82) and one year at his alma mater, Youngstown State, in 1982-83. Lombardi came to IUP in 1984 and helped the team turn a 12-15 record the previous year into a 17-10 slate in 1984-85. Lombardi was a four-year letterwinner at Youngstown State from 1977-81, serving as team captain in his junior and senior seasons. He graduated with honors with a degree in education from in 1981 and then embarked on a coaching career that has brought him back to IUP. Lombardi has international coaching experience as a member of the 1992 Pan American National Team coaching staff which participated in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament of the Americas against the United States' "Dream Team." Joe and Janet Lombardi have three children: son Dominic (18), daughter Alyssa (16) and son Dante (11). |
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