GBMWolverine
Fansided

Michigan Basketball: 3 Reasons why Phil Martelli is the perfect hire

By Matthew Helmkamp

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 15: Head Coach Phil Martelli of the Saint Joseph's Hawks looks on against Davidson Wildcats during their Atlantic 10 basketball tournament quarterfinal game at Barclays Center on March 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 15: Head Coach Phil Martelli of the Saint Joseph's Hawks looks on against Davidson Wildcats during their Atlantic 10 basketball tournament quarterfinal game at Barclays Center on March 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Winningest of all-time

Michigan basketball and, in fact, all Michigan sports fans commonly tout the phrase winningest program of all time – comparing wins and losses against opposing trolls. Now they can add another winningest trophy to their case as Martelli is the winningest head coach of all-time for Saint Joe’s.

Sure, he hasn’t done as well lately, going below .500 in two of the past three seasons; however, he’s not that far removed from NCAA tournament appearances. And he has won a staggering 444 games in his illustrious career.

Martelli took over a team and in two years made an appearance in the NCAA tournament, a feat not matched since 1986.

Martelli took a small private Jesuit university just outskirts of Philadelphia and brought them back into the national spotlight – seven times to be exact.

Phil also happens to be one of the winningest co-chairs of all time as he served on the board for the Philadelphia chapter of Coaches vs. Cancer.

Michigan basketball just brought on a guy who knows how to win and passionately supports Cancer research, I’d say that’s the perfect hire.

“I’ve known a lot of really good people who have been good coaches over the years in the city of Philadelphia,” Former Saint Joseph head coach Jim Lynam said of Martelli. “But the way Phil went about what he did was unique. The way Phil and Fran Dunphy went about raising money for Coaches vs. Cancer Philadelphia, it’s kind of the flagship for how you get it done, and that’s because of Phil.”

Home/Michigan Basketball