Quinnipiac Men’s Basketball Program Announces 75-Year Anniversary Celebration
HAMDEN, Conn. — The Quinnipiac University Men’s Basketball program has officially launched its 75th Year Celebration campaign, marking a milestone anniversary for the university's inaugural athletic program.
Since its inaugural season in 1951–52, the men’s basketball team has served as an integral cornerstone of the Quinnipiac and Hamden communities. Over its 75-year history, the program has earned 1,053 overall wins, including 420 victories since making the transition to the NCAA Division I level in the 1998–99 season.
The season-long golden anniversary celebration will feature events, promotions, and interactive initiatives designed to honor every era of Bobcats basketball.
75th Anniversary Campaign Highlights & Alumni Engagement
- Alumni Day: The Bobcats will welcome back all former student-athletes to Hamden on Feb. 21, 2026, for Alumni Day as QU takes on Mount St. Mary’s.
- Social Media Campaign & Fan Giveaways: A dedicated season-long campaign will spotlight iconic moments, players, and teams from the past 75 years on social media using the hashtag #QUMBB75. Fans and alumni of all ages can look forward to exclusive anniversary giveaways throughout the season.
- Alumni Submissions: All former men’s basketball players are encouraged to contribute to the celebration by submitting personal photos, video content, and memories. Former players can submit content via the OFFICIAL PORTAL.
Celebrating the Eras of Quinnipiac Head Coaches
Red Verderame served as Quinnipiac’s first head coach from 1951-53, leading the Bobcats to a 26-14 record over two years. He led the Braves to 14-7 record during the team’s first season in 1951-52, then helped guide the program to 12 more wins during his second season in 1952-53. After coaching at Quinnipiac College, Verderame became the basketball coach at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven from 1953 to 1966, compiling a record of 254 wins and only 35 losses.
Tuffie Maroon then took over as Head Coach at Quinnipiac from 1953-61. He was the first Director of Athletics at Quinnipiac and the second men’s basketball coach. As a head coach of the basketball program, Maroon racked up 113 wins and posted a .624 winning percentage. The Braves only had one losing season during his eight-year tenure at the helm, and won 15+ contests in six different seasons.
Burt Kahn served as Quinnipiac’s head men’s basketball coach from 1961–1991 and athletic director from 1961–1995. During his tenure as head coach, Quinnipiac posted a 459–358 record while winning two consecutive NAIA District 32 titles (1972 and 1973) and ECAC New England championships (1977 and 1978). In all, Kahn’s teams captured a Northeast-10 Tournament, three ECAC New England Tournament and two NAIA District 32 tournament championships. He led his teams to four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. On Feb. 10, 1986, Kahn posted his 400th win. A two-time New Haven Tap-Off Club Coach of the Year, Kahn was honored with the Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance in 1985.
Current Quinnipiac Senior Associate Athletic Director Bill Mecca then took over as head coach from 1991-96. A member of Quinnipiac’s athletic department since 1978, Mecca has fulfilled a variety of roles in his 40-plus year tenure in Hamden. In 1991, Mecca was named Head Men’s Basketball Coach and served five seasons before being promoted to his current role. He guided the Braves to 53 victories during his time as head coach. Currently, Mecca is responsible for all internal operations of the department, including but not limited to supervision of scheduling, facilities, game officials, game operations, sports medicine, strength and conditioning and strategic planning. He also served as Interim Athletic Director during the respective transitions in both the summer of 1995 and 2015.
Joe Desantis then took over as head coach in 1996, becoming the fifth leader in program history. During his 11 seasons coaching the Bobcats, DeSantis guided the program through the transition from Division II to Division I while compiling 118 career wins. The Bobcats went 18-10 during a successful 1999-2000 campaign under DeSantis, and also went 17-12 in 2002-2003.
Tom Moore was introduced as the Quinnipiac men’s basketball coach on March 29, 2007, making him the sixth head coach in the 62-year history of the team. Moore came to Hamden with two decades of collegiate coaching experience, including 13 years as a member of the coaching staff at the University of Connecticut. He led the Division I Bobcats to through their transition from the NEC to the MAAC. Moore was named the 2010 NEC Coach of the Year after guiding QU to a 23-10 overall mark. Quinnipiac had four postseason appearances in the NIT, CBI and CIT during Moore’s tenure. He won 162 total games at the helm of the Quinnipiac program.
Baker Dunleavy then led the Bobcats from 2017-23, accumulating 86 wins during that span. Dunleavy was named head coach on Tuesday, March 28, 2017, making him the seventh head coach in Quinnipiac's basketball history, and the third in its 19 years at the Division I level. He joined the Bobcats after spending seven years on the men's basketball staff at Villanova University where under Jay Wright, he helped the Wildcats capture the 2016 national championship with a 77-74 win over North Carolina. Dunleavy led Quinnipiac to a pair of MAAC semifinal appearances over his tenure.
Tom Pecora was selected as the next head coach ahead of the 2023-24 season. He will enter his fourth year as head coach at Quinnipiac University in 2026-27. Pecora’s first three seasons at the helm have been defined by success, guiding Quinnipiac to two regular season titles already during a record-breaking stint. Pecora – a veteran with 17 years of experience as a head coach at the Division I level – has led the Bobcats to a 63-36 overall record during his first three years. Pecora captured back-to-back MAAC Coach of the Year awards after leading QU to identical 15-5 MAAC regular season records in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Photos Throughout the Years
