Big 5 Legend, LaSalle Basketball Coach Fran Dunphy to Retire at Seasons End

The LaSalle Explorers will have a new head men's basketball coach next season as the legendary Fran Dunphy announced this will be his final season on the sidelines.

Dunphy is the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history and coached at three different Philadelphia schools, Penn, Temple, and LaSalle making a total of 17 NCAA Tournaments.

"I will forever be thankful to La Salle as well as all my fellow coaches and players that I've been fortunate to work with throughout my coaching career," Dunphy said in a statement on the team website. "I am looking forward to finishing this season strong with our team, and as I embark on the next chapter of my life, I could not be happier to stay at La Salle and work with President Allen, Ash Puri, and this great University that I call home."

He is most known for his 17-year tenure at Penn, where he won 10 Ivy League titles, nine 20-win seasons, and won a total of 310 games with the Quakers.

He would leave to lead Temple, replacing John Chaney in 2006, and led the Owls to the NCAA Tournament eight times in his 13 years.

After leaving Temple, he would stay away from coach for two seasons, but in April of 2022, it was announced he would return to the sidelines to lead his alma mater.

He has agreed to assume the role of special assistant to the president at La Salle, getting a lifetime contract with the University for that role.

The Explorers are currently 12-15 on the season.