Kristian Ferrell
The La Salle Explorers men's basketball team has been a member of five conferences throughout its history. Currently, La Salle University sponsors teams in 7 men's and 11 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports and plays as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, having joined in 1995. The Explorers have an impressive basketball history, winning the 1954 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and advancing to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in 2013. They have also won one National Invitation Tournament Championship and appeared in the National Invitation Tournament 12 times.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current Conference | Atlantic 10 Conference |
| Previous Conferences | Middle Atlantic Conference, East Coast Conference, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) |
| Number of Conferences | 5 |
| National Championships | 2 (1954, 1980 AIAW Field Hockey Championship) |
| National Invitation Tournament Championships | 1 (1952) |
| Final Four Appearances | 2 |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | 12 |
| Philadelphia Big 5 City Championships | 8 |
| Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships | 4 |
| National Players of the Year | 3 (Lionel Simmons, Michael Brooks, Tom Gola) |
| Notable Coaches | Ashley Howard, Fran Dunphy, Darris Nichols |
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What You'll Learn
La Salle Explorers men's basketball history
The La Salle Explorers men's basketball programme represents La Salle University in college basketball. The Explorers were NCAA national champions in 1954, with future Hall of Famer Tom Gola being named the tournament's most outstanding player. La Salle has appeared in the NCAA tournament 12 times, most recently in 2013. The Explorers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 12 times, winning the championship in 1952. The team has also won eight Philadelphia Big 5 city championships and four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships. La Salle has held membership in five conferences throughout its existence. After being independent for several years, they officially joined the Middle Atlantic Conference in 1958, before the larger schools in the conference created the East Coast Conference in 1974. In 1983, the team switched to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), staying until joining the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now known as the Horizon League) in 1992. La Salle joined its current conference, the Atlantic 10, in 1995.
The Explorers have a long-standing rivalry with multiple institutions, including Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph's University, and Villanova University. La Salle also has a rivalry with Drexel University, which was added to the Big 5 in 2023. The Morris-Simmons years are considered the best era in La Salle basketball history. The team made it to the 1987 NIT Tournament finals before losing to Southern Mississippi. The Explorers then made it to the NCAA Tournament each of the next three years. In 2012-2013, led by coach Dr. John Giannini, La Salle men's basketball returned to the national stage, making it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years. On April 8, 2018, La Salle announced Ashley Howard as the next head coach of the Explorers. Howard previously served as an assistant coach under Jay Wright at Villanova University, where he helped lead the Wildcats to two NCAA Division 1 basketball championships. On April 5, 2022, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that La Salle would hire alum Fran Dunphy as their next coach.
La Salle men's basketball has a strong tradition and a long, storied history. The programme has been rated the 53rd "Greatest College Basketball Program of All-Time" by Street & Smith's magazine and 71st by the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia. La Salle has had three National Players of the Year and is one of only two schools (along with Houston) to have two players in the top 25 in all-time NCAA scoring – Lionel Simmons and Michael Brooks. La Salle is a Catholic university affiliated with the De La Salle Brothers. Brother Edward J. Sheehy, FSC, Ph.D., ’68 was a history faculty member, alumni, Christian Brother, and chaplain for the men's basketball team from 1992-2022. Brother Ed led the team in prayers before, during, and after games. On December 22, 2022, Brother Ed passed away at the age of 76.
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La Salle's conference membership
La Salle Explorers is the name of the basketball team that represents La Salle University in college basketball. The team has been a member of five different conferences throughout its history.
The Explorers began as an independent team for several years before officially joining the Middle Atlantic Conference in 1958. In 1974, the larger schools within the Middle Atlantic Conference formed the East Coast Conference. However, La Salle remained in the Middle Atlantic Conference until 1983 when they joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). After nine years, the team switched conferences again, this time joining the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now the Horizon League) in 1992. Finally, in 1995, La Salle moved to its current conference affiliation, the Atlantic 10 Conference.
La Salle Explorers have had significant success in basketball over the years. They won the NCAA National Championship in 1954, with Tom Gola, a future Hall of Famer, being named the tournament's most outstanding player. They were also National Finalists in 1955 and NIT champions in 1952 when the NIT was considered an elite event. The Explorers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 12 times, most recently in 2013, and have a combined record of 14-11. They have also won eight Philadelphia Big 5 city championships and four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships.
The La Salle Explorers basketball programme has produced several notable players, including NBA great and Basketball Hall of Famer Tom Gola, Lionel Simmons, and Michael Brooks. The team has a rich history and has been rated as one of the greatest college basketball programmes of all time by reputable sources such as Street & Smith's magazine and ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia.
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La Salle's basketball accolades
The La Salle Explorers men's basketball team has a rich history of accolades and success. The team represents La Salle University in college basketball and plays in the Atlantic 10 Conference, having joined in 1995.
The Explorers were crowned NCAA National Champions in 1954, with future Hall of Famer Tom Gola being named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 12 times, most recently in 2013, and hold a combined record of 14-11. La Salle has also advanced to two Final Fours and achieved a Sweet 16 appearance in 2013.
In addition to their national success, the Explorers have won eight Philadelphia Big 5 city championships and four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships. They were also NIT champions in 1952 when the tournament was considered an elite event. La Salle has appeared in the NIT a total of 12 times with a combined record of 9-11.
The program has produced several notable players, including NBA Great and Basketball Hall of Famer Tom Gola, as well as Lionel Simmons and Michael Brooks, who are both in the top 25 in all-time NCAA scoring. La Salle has also had three National Players of the Year and seven 1,000-point scorers. The Explorers have a long history of players who have gone on to play professional basketball, including Stephen Zack, who plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.
La Salle's basketball program has been recognized as one of the greatest in college basketball history, rated 53rd by Street & Smith's magazine and 71st by the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia. The team's success has been guided by talented coaches, such as Ashley Howard, who previously helped lead Villanova University to two NCAA Division 1 basketball championships.
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La Salle's basketball coaches
La Salle's basketball team, the Explorers, has had a rich history of coaches and players. The team has been led by only a dozen different coaches through the years, including Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame inductees Charles “Obie” O’Brien and Marty Jackson. The team's chaplain from 1992 to 2022 was Brother Edward J. Sheehy, a history faculty member, alumni, and Christian Brother.
In 2012, the men's basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament, and in 2013, they were led by head coach Dr. John Giannini. Dr. Giannini previously coached at Rowan College, where he won the NCAA Division III national championship in 1996, and at the University of Maine, where he left with the school's best winning percentage.
In April 2018, La Salle announced Ashley Howard as the new head coach of the Explorers. Howard previously served as an assistant coach at Villanova University, where he helped lead the team to two NCAA Division 1 basketball championships.
On March 11, 2025, La Salle announced Radford head coach Darris Nichols as their new head coach. Nichols announced his coaching staff for the 2025-26 season, which included new additions Colin Curtin, James Haring, and Shane Nichols, as well as several retained assistants.
The Explorers have had an extensive history of success, appearing in the NCAA tournament 12 times, with a combined record of 14-11. They were National Champions in 1954 with future Hall of Famer Tom Gola as the tournament's most outstanding player. La Salle has also won one National Invitation Tournament Championship and advanced to two Final Fours.
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La Salle's basketball players
The La Salle Explorers men's basketball team has a rich history, boasting notable achievements and producing several renowned players. The team represents La Salle University in college basketball and currently competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference, having joined in 1995.
Over the years, the Explorers have established themselves as a formidable force in college basketball. They were crowned NCAA National Champions in 1954, with the team's star player, Tom Gola, being named the tournament's most outstanding player and going on to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. La Salle has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 12 times, most recently in 2013, and holds a combined record of 14-11 in those appearances. They also reached the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 12 times, winning the championship in 1952 when the tournament held elite status.
The Explorers have produced several standout players who have gone on to successful professional careers. One notable name is Tom Gola, a Hall of Famer and NBA great who scored over 1,000 points for the Explorers. Lionel Simmons and Michael Brooks are also worthy of mention, as they are two of only 25 players in NCAA history to rank in the top 25 in all-time scoring.
The La Salle Explorers have had their fair share of coaching talent as well. The team's former head coach, Dr. John Giannini, led the team to notable success, including an appearance in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 round in 2013. Ashley Howard, who previously served as an assistant coach at Villanova University, took over as head coach in 2018. More recently, in 2022, alum Fran Dunphy was hired as the Explorer's head coach, with Radford head coach Darris Nichols succeeding him in 2025.
La Salle's basketball program has received recognition for its excellence, being rated the 53rd "Greatest College Basketball Program of All-Time" by Street & Smith's magazine and 71st by ESPN's College Basketball Encyclopedia. The team has also won eight Philadelphia Big 5 city championships and four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships. With a long history of success and a talented roster of players and coaches, the La Salle Explorers men's basketball team continues to be a prominent force in college basketball.
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Frequently asked questions
La Salle University Explorers compete as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference in NCAA Division I basketball.
No, La Salle has been a member of five different conferences throughout its existence. The Explorers were an independent team for several years before joining the Middle Atlantic Conference in 1958.
In 1974, La Salle joined the East Coast Conference, which was formed by the larger schools in the Middle Atlantic Conference. In 1983, they moved to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and then to the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now the Horizon League) in 1992. La Salle joined its current conference, the Atlantic 10, in 1995.
Yes, La Salle has also competed in the Philadelphia Big Five since 1955. The Big Five is an informal association that crowns a champion, awards "conference" honours, and names an "all-conference" team.
