March 19, 2019

Philly hoops legend Phil Martelli fired from Saint Joseph's after 24 years

By Emily Rolen
PhillyVoice Staff

Head men's basketball coach Phil Martelli has been fired from the Saint Joseph's Hawks following 24 seasons at the helm, and 34 seasons overall if you include his time as an assistant.

The search for a new coach began as of Monday, according to a university release from Director of Athletics Jill Bodensteiner.

Martelli joined the program back in 1985 as an assistant and was promoted to the team's head coach in 1995. Martelli was named national coach of the year in 2004 after the team's undefeated 2003-04 regular season, a year that ended with a heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight. That season, led by future NBA All-Star Jameer Nelson, the Hawks set the school's record for wins in a season.

During his time on Hawk Hill, Martelli helped lead the Hawks to four Atlantic 10 regular season titles (1997, 2001, 2004, 2005) and three Atlantic 10 Tournament titles (1997, 2014, 2016). He remains the school's all-time leader in career victories with a mark of 444-328, as of this season.

(1/4) Following a comprehensive evaluation of the @SJUHawks_MBB program, @SaintJosephs will make a leadership change and immediately start the search for a new head coach.
— SJU Hawks MBB (@SJUHawks_MBB) March 19, 2019

(4/4) As we move forward, we intend to build upon basketball’s storied history and important strategic value at SJU, instill a culture of excellence, and consistently compete for championships. pic.twitter.com/5MXWbtOYw2
— SJU Hawks MBB (@SJUHawks_MBB) March 19, 2019