Lombardi's roots are Western Pennsylvania

[ThomasMerton]

By Phil Axelrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Joe Lombardi started to seriously think about his future a couple of months ago when Jamie Dixon, his boss at the University of Pittsburgh, was being mentioned as a candidate to become the head men's basketball coach at Arizona State.

"That did have somewhat of an impact on me," said Lombardi, 46, an assistant the past three seasons under Dixon. "I wanted to take control of my own destiny and you can't do that as an assistant. You can only do that as a head coach."

Lombardi, who spent the past quarter-century as an assistant, became a head coach for the first time when he was hired to take over the program at IUP, a member of the NCAA Division II Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Lombardi, an assistant at IUP under Tom Beck from 1984-87, replaces Gary Edwards, who left after a 19-9 season.

Lombardi said it was a "lateral move financially" going from an assistant at a high-profile Division I program to head coach at a Division II school. He traded the glitz and glamour of Madison Square Garden and the Big East Conference, first-class flights and hotel rooms, nationally televised games in packed arenas and future NBA prospects for bus rides in the wee morning hours, fast-food meals, players who are either an inch too short or a step too slow and games in front of friends and family in cozy gyms.

"I've always looked at myself as a grinder in the profession. I don't mind jumping in a car," said Lombardi, a native of Sharon, Pa., and an assistant at St. Francis, Pa. (1987-92), St. Bonaventure (1992-2001), La Salle (2001-03) and Pitt (2003-06). "In a lot of ways, this is like getting back to my roots and values as a coach. I wouldn't have left Pitt for just any job."

Lombardi's wife, Janet, grew up in Indiana, Pa., and Lombardi spent eight seasons in the Blairsville area while at St. Francis and IUP.

The other finalists for the job were Jim Boone, the former coach at California University of Pa., Robert Morris and Eastern Michigan, and John Sanow, an assistant at Vermont and a former player at IUP in the early 1980s.

Lombardi said IUP was the only Division II job he would have accepted and he never considered going halfway around the country to become a head coach at a Division I school whose program is badly in need of repair.

"I haven't had to travel long distances to pursue my career," said Lombardi, who isn't close to naming his assistants. "When you reach a certain age, you want to put down roots. IUP is where I want to be with my family."

IUP president Tony Atwater reiterated yesterday that he continues to explore the possibility of moving the school's athletic programs up to Division I.

"We have a task force looking at the potential, but it would be a couple years before any kind of decision can be made," he said. "I'm not going to take it [Division I] off the table. It doesn't hurt having coaches with Division I experience."

Lombardi's background is Division I and Lou Tepper, hired recently as IUP's football coach, was the head coach at Illinois University and an assistant at LSU.

"Division I experience gives a strength and depth of experience that is good for our programs," Atwater said. "These two gentlemen [Lombardi and Tepper] would have no problem wearing those [Division I] shoes.

Thursday, April 20th's column

I'm happy for Joe and we'll see if IUP moves up. Logical choice would be the Northeast Conference.

[portpasses]

I'm an undergrad alum of IUP and the D1 move has been looked at by every school president that I can remember. When I was enrolled, the rallying cry was "Penn State in '88!" I agree with TM that the Northeast Conference would be logical for hoops.

As the article mentions, Lomardi is very familiar with the Indiana area. I used to play against Joe and Jimmy B, as well as Kent St coach Jim Christian, in the Indiana Men's League. His assistant coach choices will be interesting, although a D2 assistant doesn't make much financially.

[GoPadres]

port - The real question is what league was better, Indiana Men's League or the Adelphia noon ball? Jimmy B v. B. Green?

Glad to see Lombardi land a good job close to home. Best of luck to him.

[portpasses]

A little more passing went on in Indiana....and A LOT less fouling!

[bigdobber]

I always felt that Lombardi should have been handed the reigns after Jimmy left for Rhody. All I heard from friends was the players did not like him, Wick would never hire him (probably true) and everything else. Looking back-would we have been in worst shape than where we are now with VBK and Sol? I don't think so. Bonas used to bring in alumn to coach or at least people familiar with the program. Every time we go out of that parameter it turns out bad. Just remember one thing. Pat Flannery of Bucknell was a Head Coach at Lebanon D2) in Pa. and won a national championship with them on that level. He now coaches at his alma mater, has turned down some big time jobs because he is also a western Pa guy. His team has won 2 first round games in the NCAA the past 2 years and they are now considered a strong Mid Major program. I hope things work out for Joe. A classy guy and maybe he will get recognized for his ability. Good luck Joe.

[Chaz]

I tend to agree that Joe would have been a good choice but not a popular one even with his years at SBU. Hindsight makes him look better than at that time. Joe helped me get my one ticket to the Kentucky game and I will always owe him one.

I wish him nothing but the best.

[sburizz]

I tend to agree that an alumni coach would be better because he could better understand the dynamic of the school. I remember hearing that Baron used to pick recruits up at the airport in a nice van, sit them down in the back with a tv and all the windows blacked out and show them the history of bonnies bball so they couldn't see all the cows they pass by going down 219.