Former Pitt Assistant Joe Lombardi Named IUP Men's Basketball Coach

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletic Director Frank Condino has announced the appointment of Joe Lombardi as the university’s new head men’s basketball coach.  The hiring was made following a national search.

Lombardi, 46, a former IUP assistant coach, replaces Gary Edwards, who stepped down following the 2005-06 season.  This is Lombardi’s first head coaching position after more than 20 years as an assistant, including the past three at the University of Pittsburgh.  He is the ninth head coach in the modern era of IUP basketball which begins with the 1927-28 campaign.

IUP finished the 2005-06 season with a record of 19-9 and qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoffs for the 13th time in the past 14 years.

Lombardi comes to IUP already with strong Western Pennsylvania and Indiana connections.  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.

“In Joe Lombardi, IUP welcomes to its athletic program a talented coach who brings outstanding credentials,” said IUP President Dr. Tony Atwater.  “I am convinced that his leadership will sustain the winning tradition of the university’s basketball program.

“An added bonus is his prior background with IUP.  I am sure he will support the university’s commitment to academic success, integrity and citizenship in addition to success on the basketball court,” Dr. Atwater said.

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 again last year 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.

Lombardi attended Youngstown State and was a four-year letterwinner from 1977-81, serving as team captain in his junior and senior seasons.  He graduated with honors with a degree in education from Youngstown State in 1981 and then embarked on a coaching career that has brought him to IUP.

His first stops were as a graduate assistant at Ohio University (1981-82) and one year at his alma mater 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 coached on the Division I level since leaving IUP.  He 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.

He departed St. Francis for St. Bonaventure and was once again part of a dramatic revival in the fortunes of a once-down program.  As an assistant coach from 1992-96 and associate head coach from 1996-2001, 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 then headed to LaSalle for a two-year stint as an assistant coach from 2001-03 before accepting Dixon’s offer to join the staff at Pitt. 

At LaSalle, 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.  Lombardi also tutored Mike Iuzzolino, an NBA draft pick by the Dallas Mavericks, during his time at St. Francis.

Lombardi has international experience as he was 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 (17), daughter Alyssa (15) and son Dante (10).