By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru
PHILADELPHIA – Early last summer in the lobby of Madison Square Garden in New York after the Big East formalities announcing Connecticut’s return to the conference next season were concluded, Huskies Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma was asked whether he had chatted with his longtime friend in Villanova’s Harry Perretta in recent days.
“Harry?” Auriemma deadpanned. “I think we just sped up his retirement.”
Indeed, the return of the nationally powerful Huskies would mean the freedom Villanova and its nine rivals enjoyed after the breakup of the old order where even frontrunners could be challenged on many nights might be over.
Then several weeks ago in collecting schedules to produce the composite guideline for the season, it was noticed the Villanova slate includes games against Fordham, Manhattan, and Drexel, two of which are coached by former Wildcats stars Stephanie Gaitley and Denise Dillon, while the other is headed by former Perretta assistant Heather Vulin.
“Gee, it looks like Harry is getting ready to do the farewell tour,” your Guru half-jokingly thought to himself.
Certainly, several years ago it appeared some health issues might put an end to the long run the native of suburban Upper Darby has enjoyed on the Main Line, dating to his 1978 hire at age 22.
But by the backside of last season the 64-year-old Perretta seemed like his old self, though a more tamed down version from his early days on the sidelines where his play-calling might be heard several miles away in Narberth.
However, those little signals felt earlier here became reality late Wednesday afternoon when a call came from Villanova giving a heads up that within the hour an announcement was coming from Perretta saying his 42nd season in charge of the Wildcats would be his last.
Who would believe that on the same day two occurrences people thought they might never see in their lifetime -- baseball’s Washington Nationals winning the World Series and Perretta stepping down from a second place he called hom — would both become historic within hours.
In an interview Wednesday night with the Inquirer’s Joe Juliano, the Nova coach referred to health issues taking a toll, without going into a specific identity.
Furthermore, it has been a poignant year with the unforeseen death of longtime business colleague Cathy Inglese, who died soon after suffering a fall at Hofstra where she had been recently hired on the staff of Hofstra.
She had coached against him when in charge of Boston College in the old Big East configuration.
Earlier there was the sudden death of the likeable Reverend Anthony M. Genovese, “Father Mickey,” the women’s team chaplain who passed away on July 21 in his sleep after lying down on a weekend afternoon to take a nap.
Along the way there have been the deaths of some former players and other notables, particularly the legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, who in one of the better narratives in the sport befriended Perretta after hitting him up one summer on the recommendation of other coaches to teach her staff the nuances of his renown motion offense.
Ironically, Perretta’s final season will begin at home next Wednesday in a non-conference game hosting George Washington, now coached by former UConn star Jen Rizzotti, who helped break up a long domination of the Huskies by the Big East.
That’s the only game in D-1 locally that night.
A note to the Guru from longtime UConn beat writer Carl Adamec stated Perretta’s 17 wins against the Huskies are the most of any opposing coach dating to the first one on Dec. 28, 1981.
Of the triumphs, 11 came against Auriemma-coached teams, topped only by Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw, the former Saint Joseph’s star, who has 14.
Aside from the coaching antics and humor, it is Perretta’s humanity which has drawn many around him, be they media types, the entire Villanova community, or those who deal with him in the sport.
Indeed, in the famous year of 2003 when Villanova in the wake of upsetting UConn in the Big East title game ending the then-record Huskies win streak at 70 games, the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight game leading to the Final Four.
However, the opponent was Tennessee in Knoxville.
Notable on that weekend prior to the start of semifinals action against Colorado for Perretta’s group, Summitt had the Wildcats join her team for a cookout at her riverside home.
“It was like a family reunion, except you had no idea who your relatives were,” one Nova player quipped of the experience.
Then after beating the Buffs to advance against the Vols, Perretta joked about wearing one of Summitt’s gift ties she had sent.
This love fest was totally strange to the locals in the room used to a culture of warfare in terms of opponent squad.
Giving an instant symposium on the Big Five in Philly – a player said winning the title was bigger than what was happening – among other things, Perretta asked rhetorically, “Outside those 40 minutes, what is wrong with being friends the rest of the time.”
Perretta once headed straight to Penn’s locker room first to give a pep talk after routing the Quakers in a game at home.
Memorable was the time he accepted a Big Five Hall of Fame honor for the immortal Shelly Pennefather and noted, “You never know how many lives you are eventually touching from what you do in a given moment.”
Perretta has touched a whole bunch, given the mass reaction of notes sent to the Guru to share here given the longtime association with the Villanova mentor.
Because he will still be around the next several months on active duty, the profile numbers of his accomplishments can be found in the release at Villanova’s website and need not be repeated here until the books close next March or early April.
And the school announced that he will be around the following season serving as a special assistant to the athletic director, who in the release said Perretta would have input on his successor.
Several years ago, a former coach of a Southeastern Conference school here to play in the area, in a routine conversion told the Guru he thought Villanova whenever it would open would be an opportunity to be at the best job in the East.
Wednesday night, a note came from the same individual after hearing the news, commenting “what I said to you several years ago about ‘Nova, I still believe.”
So before relating the reaction notes and knowing you’re here like many times to read speculations, without going outside the loop, the obvious names are Drexel’s Dillon, who has made the Dragons a force in the Colonial Athletic Association in a stay long enough to be associate dean of the local D-1 group slightly behind Saint Joseph’s Cindy Griffin, who becomes the Dean off a run on Hawk Hill that begins her 19th season at her alma mater.
“Wow, really?” Griffin quipped in a text Wednesday. “We’re not even that old.”
Asking a Drexel administrator after the news of Perretta broke, whether roads and ramps from the Main Line to the Daskalakis Athletic Center would be closed until further notice, the administrator quipped back, “probably.”,
But one would also have to determine if associate head coach Joe Mullaney Jr., who has been with Perretta 23 previous seasons after stints as a head coach at Providence and St. John’s, would have interest, while others wonder about assistant coach and former star Laura Kurz.
Certainly, Manhattan’s Vulin is worthy having had a hand in the Wildcats’ successful recruiting before taking the Jaspers vacancy three seasons ago.
That said, here is what many, many administrators and coaches have commented on Perretta’s news.
Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman:
"Every college conference should be as fortunate as the BIG EAST has been in having Harry Perretta in our midst.
" The Wildcats have benefitted not only from his great proficiency on the sidelines, but from the immeasurable impact he's had on the hundreds of young women he's mentored and the many administrators and coaches who've had the privilege of working beside him to lift women's basketball to the great heights it enjoys today.
“Harry's coaching successes in our league -- which span 37 years -- are rivaled by few, and he deserves much credit for helping build the BIG EAST into one of the most respected conferences in college basketball history.
"We've been endlessly inspired by Harry's passion for what he does and for never passing up the chance to speak his mind.
“He's truly one of a kind -- as a teacher, a colleague, a source of wisdom and a friend -- and our conference simply won't be the same without him.
“We look forward to celebrating his storied career at many intervals during the upcoming season and wish him the best of everything life has to offer when his well-deserved retirement begins next year."
Former Atlantic 10 Commissioner Linda Bruno, who also worked in the Big East:
“I really cannot imagine Villanova, the Big East, or the game without Harry.
“He has made so many contributions and always cares more about his players off the court than on.
“He has certainly earned the right to retire, but it is a great loss to basketball. Congratulations Harry.”
Former Temple and La Salle Athletic Director Bill Bradshaw:
“Harry was unique in the world of women’s college basketball.
On offense, his teams drove other kids crazy trying to chase them around the half court with pinpoint passing, ball handling, high percentage shots, screens, and blocking out.
“He was especially skilled at preparing his teams for heavily favored opponents.
“Might be a long time before men’s or women’s coach lasts as long at one institution. Anyway, there will never be another Harry!”
North Carolina and recently former Princeton coach Courtney Banghart:
“Harry is an institution in our game and we will sure miss him. His offensive system was among the most difficult to play against as he taught his players to share the ball and move off one another in every conceivable way.
“If you were even half an inch out of position, they’d punish you every single time.
“We scheduled them every year for the defensive challenge and I know it made our teams better each time.
“Harry meant so much to Villanova, to Philadelphia women’s basketball, to the Big East, and to the entire sport.
“I wish him the best in his retirement.”
Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw:
“I enjoyed our time together in the Big East and have tremendous respect for him both on and off the court.
“He was a great representative of our game, always did things the right way and he will be sorely missed by the entire coaching community – everyone loved Harry and we wish him the best in his next phase of life.”
Quinnipiac coach Trish Fabbri:
“I grew up in South Jersey following Harry’s teams and idolizing his players like (Shelly) Pennefather and (Lisa) Angelotti.
“He was always one of the good guys from watching his ‘Nova program from across the Delaware River as a high school player in Delran, to playing against his teams in college and coaching against him on the sidelines.
“So much admiration for what he has accomplished over four decades.”
Seton Hall coach Tony Bozzella:
“It’s a sad day for women’s basketball but a joyous day for Harry and his family. He deserves a full year of acknowledgement and thanks for what he has done for women’s basketball, Villanova, and the Big East.”
Carolyn Kieger, Penn State and recent Marquette coach:
“Harry is a legend who has done so much for our game!
“He has made so many people better along the way. I am thankful I was able to coach against him and learn from him in the process.”
Fordham coach and former Villanova star Stephanie Gaitley:
“When I reached out to Harry I thanked him for being kind and dependable.
“You always knew Harry cared about you as a person. He also really knows the game. I will treasure my time and Villanova and am thankful he is in my life!”
From Israel, former Villanova star Liad Suez-Karni:
“No words describe what you mean to me and how you have affected my life.
“I am sad and happy all at the same time but mostly grateful that I had the privilege to play for you, to play for Villanova.
\V/ #ONCEAWILDCATALWAYSAWILDCAT
Former player Diane Decker on Facebook:
“My coach, my mentor, my friend.
“Nothing but love for you Harry Perretta. You are truly a legend and can’t thank you enough for making me part of the Nova family.
“Everything happens in life for a reason and I am so blessed that I get to spend your final season alongside of you.”
Look for more react as it arrives and tales of Perretta throughout the season.
—Guru
