Rollie Massimino, Northwood University Florida Head Men’s Basketball Coach and Director of Basketball Operations will “return home” along with the Northwood University Florida Seahawk Men’s Basketball Team to take on the Villanova Wildcats on Tuesday, November 4th at 7pm ET.
Televised nationally on Fox Sports 1, the event will celebrate the 30th Anniversary in which Massimino led the Villanova Wildcats to defeat conference rival Georgetown in the NCAA championship game in one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. Announced by hall of famer Bill Raftery, and hosting a variety of basketball greats including former Villanova coaches and players, the game is the second of three nationally ranked competitions for the Northwood University Seahawks as they take on the University of Iowa on November 2 and Wichita State on November 9.
“The Nova Nation is thrilled to welcome Coach Massimino and Northwood back home to Villanova for this truly unique celebration of our basketball heritage. Coach Massimino and all of the young men he mentored during his time here have made an enormous impact on our University. This is one way we can express our gratitude to Coach, his family, and the very special group of men he coached to the 1985 NCAA Championship,” said Villanova University’s Head Men’s Basketball Coach Jay Wright.
“Having the opportunity to play such competitive teams makes for a great experience for our student athletes. The opportunity to play on national television is something very very special,” said Massimino of his group, which has participated in both final and semifinal NAIA national championship games, and since February, 2008 ranked within the top 25 for 80 consecutive polls.
Massimino’s rich, almost 60-year coaching legacy of teaching leadership both on and off the court, has generated over 20 former Northwood University student athletes who are now playing professionally overseas, two who are currently with the Harlem Globe Trotters, and several who are coaches or assistants for head coaches within various levels of the sport.
“Winning games has been important, but having the opportunity to see all of these young students develop into mature, successful, people has been the biggest satisfaction of my athletic career,” reflected Massimino who was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
