Al Bagnoli
Encyclopedia
Al Bagnoli is an American football
coach and former player. He currently serves as the head football coach at the University of Pennsylvania
, a position he has held since the 1992 season.
Bagnoli played three years of varsity football at Central Connecticut State University
, graduating in 1975. He went on to pursue a master's degree at the University at Albany and worked the 1975 season there as a graduate assistant. He was promoted up to defensive coordinator
after just one season and stayed in that role until moving to Division III Union College
in 1978. In 1982 he became head coach for the first time at Union.
His first year at Union was the program's first winning season in a dozen years and he posted a winning record every single year during his decade at the school. In 1983 and 1989, Bagnoli and Union reached the NCAA Division III title game and he would win Coach of the Year honors twice, in 1983 and 1991.
In 1992 he was hired by the University of Pennsylvania
and is arguably the most successful coach in that school's history. In 18 seasons at Penn he has won seven Ivy League
titles, all of them outright, an Ivy League record. In 1993, 1994, and 2003 Penn had undefeated seasons. His overall record at Penn is 122–56 (.685). He is one of only two coaches at Penn to have 100 wins at that school.
The only black mark on his record occurred in 1997 when all-Ivy defensive tackle Mitch Marrow was involved in an eligibility scandal. A four-university panel eventually determined that Marrow was not enrolled as a full-time student due to dropping several courses and should not have been considered eligible to play. As a result, Penn offered to forfeit all wins in games in which he appeared. This led to a 1–9 record; the on-field record in 1997 had been 6–4.
Two Penn football players have committed suicide during Bagnoli's tenure: senior running back Kyle Ambrogi during the 2005 season, and junior defensive end Owen Thomas in the spring of 2009. The death of Owens has been attributed to chronic traumatic encephalopathy
(CTE), the disease linked to concussions.
Bagnoli is the only NCAA football coach with 200 or more career wins who has never been involved in a tie game as a head coach; Larry Wilcox
, who has spent his entire coaching career in the NAIA
, also has this distinction. An NCAA rule change in 1996, which was also adopted by the NAIA, eliminated the possibility of ties.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He currently serves as the head football coach at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, a position he has held since the 1992 season.
Bagnoli played three years of varsity football at Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University is a state university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States.The school was moved to its present campus in 1922...
, graduating in 1975. He went on to pursue a master's degree at the University at Albany and worked the 1975 season there as a graduate assistant. He was promoted up to defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
after just one season and stayed in that role until moving to Division III Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1978. In 1982 he became head coach for the first time at Union.
His first year at Union was the program's first winning season in a dozen years and he posted a winning record every single year during his decade at the school. In 1983 and 1989, Bagnoli and Union reached the NCAA Division III title game and he would win Coach of the Year honors twice, in 1983 and 1991.
In 1992 he was hired by the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and is arguably the most successful coach in that school's history. In 18 seasons at Penn he has won seven Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
titles, all of them outright, an Ivy League record. In 1993, 1994, and 2003 Penn had undefeated seasons. His overall record at Penn is 122–56 (.685). He is one of only two coaches at Penn to have 100 wins at that school.
The only black mark on his record occurred in 1997 when all-Ivy defensive tackle Mitch Marrow was involved in an eligibility scandal. A four-university panel eventually determined that Marrow was not enrolled as a full-time student due to dropping several courses and should not have been considered eligible to play. As a result, Penn offered to forfeit all wins in games in which he appeared. This led to a 1–9 record; the on-field record in 1997 had been 6–4.
Two Penn football players have committed suicide during Bagnoli's tenure: senior running back Kyle Ambrogi during the 2005 season, and junior defensive end Owen Thomas in the spring of 2009. The death of Owens has been attributed to chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease found in individuals who have been subjected to multiple concussions and other forms of head injury. A variant of the condition, dementia pugilistica, is primarily associated with boxing...
(CTE), the disease linked to concussions.
Bagnoli is the only NCAA football coach with 200 or more career wins who has never been involved in a tie game as a head coach; Larry Wilcox
Larry Wilcox (American football)
Larry Wilcox is an American football coach. He is the head football coach at Benedictine College, a position he has held since 1979. Before the beginning of the 2011 season, he was the coach with the third most victories in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.-Coaching...
, who has spent his entire coaching career in the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
, also has this distinction. An NCAA rule change in 1996, which was also adopted by the NAIA, eliminated the possibility of ties.