Bob Dukiet
Encyclopedia
Robert Kevin Dukiet (February 5, 1948 – May 28, 2009) was an American
college basketball
coach.
and was a high school All-American at Livingston High School
. He starred for Bob Cousy
at Boston College
, graduating cum laude in 1970 with a degree in finance and was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers
. As a sophomore for coach Cousy, Dukiet played in 24 games and shot 55% from the field (125–228). Dukiet was the team's second leading scorer with 13.6 points per game and shot 78 per cent from the line (77–99) with 68 rebounds and 24 assists. Dukiet held the BC record for best field goal percentage in one game for 14 years. He shot 78 per cent (14–18) against Rhode Island on February 13, 1968. The 1967–68 team went 17–8 and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament
to St. Bonaventure
. Dukiet missed most of the next season due to a knee injury, while his team went 24–4 and finished second in the 1969 NIT to Temple. He spent most of his senior season recovering from mononucleosis.
(1971–72) and was the assistant coach at Princeton University
(1972 to 1979) where his freshman teams compiled a record of 52 wins and 15 losses. In his first season as head coach at St. Peter's College, he led the Peacocks to a 22–9 record and the quarterfinals of the NIT. The team was the best defensive squad in the nation, according to the final NCAA
statistics, allowing only 50.4 points per game. Dukiet was named NBC Co-Rookie Coach of the Year with UCLA
's Larry Brown
and received Coach of the Year honors from Eastern Basketball Magazine, the New York and New Jersey Basketball Writers Associations, and from the ECAC Metro Conference. The next year (1980–81), his team was ranked second defensively and finished the year with a 17–9 record. Dukiet was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Coach of the Year in 1981–82 after leading his team to a 20–9 record, an NIT bid and a fourth place defensive ranking. The team was also eighth in the nation in field goal percentage offense. In 1982–83, Dukiet's team went 22–5, was ranked second by the NCAA for field goal percentage offense and eighth by the NCAA for team defense. Following the 1984 season, Dukiet was again named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 23–6 record and an NIT bid. The New York and New Jersey Basketball Writers Association again chose Dukiet as its Coach of the Year and the New York Metropolitan basketball Writers named him Co-Coach of the Year along with Iona
's Pat Kennedy
. Dukiet's 1985–86 team ranked first in the nation in defense, allowing only 55 points per game, and finished with a 16–12 record. The team also led the nation in field goal percentage defense, holding its opponents to .411 from the field.
On July 5, 1988, Dukiet became the 12th men's basketball coach in Marquette's history. He was hired to replace Rick Majerus, who left after three seasons as head coach at MU to become an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks. Dukiet's best team was his first, which compiled a 16–13 record and played in the first round of the NIT.
Dukiet subsequently coached at Gannon University
in Erie, Pennsylvania
. Dukiet coached at Gannon from 1989 to 1996, compiling a 136–67 record. Gannon advanced to the Division II national tournament four times under Dukiet, reaching the national quarterfinals in 1990.
on May 28, 2009, aged 61, in Boynton Beach, Florida
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach.
Early life
Dukiet was born and raised in Livingston, New JerseyLivingston, New Jersey
Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
and was a high school All-American at Livingston High School
Livingston High School (New Jersey)
Livingston High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Livingston, in Essex County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Livingston Public Schools. It receives all eighth grade graduates from Heritage Middle School...
. He starred for Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy
Robert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season...
at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, graduating cum laude in 1970 with a degree in finance and was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. As a sophomore for coach Cousy, Dukiet played in 24 games and shot 55% from the field (125–228). Dukiet was the team's second leading scorer with 13.6 points per game and shot 78 per cent from the line (77–99) with 68 rebounds and 24 assists. Dukiet held the BC record for best field goal percentage in one game for 14 years. He shot 78 per cent (14–18) against Rhode Island on February 13, 1968. The 1967–68 team went 17–8 and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament
1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1968, and ended with the championship game on March 23 in Los Angeles, California...
to St. Bonaventure
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
. Dukiet missed most of the next season due to a knee injury, while his team went 24–4 and finished second in the 1969 NIT to Temple. He spent most of his senior season recovering from mononucleosis.
Coaching career
Dukiet was assistant coach at Montclair State College (1970–71), Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
(1971–72) and was the assistant coach at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(1972 to 1979) where his freshman teams compiled a record of 52 wins and 15 losses. In his first season as head coach at St. Peter's College, he led the Peacocks to a 22–9 record and the quarterfinals of the NIT. The team was the best defensive squad in the nation, according to the final NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
statistics, allowing only 50.4 points per game. Dukiet was named NBC Co-Rookie Coach of the Year with UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
's Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
and received Coach of the Year honors from Eastern Basketball Magazine, the New York and New Jersey Basketball Writers Associations, and from the ECAC Metro Conference. The next year (1980–81), his team was ranked second defensively and finished the year with a 17–9 record. Dukiet was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
Coach of the Year in 1981–82 after leading his team to a 20–9 record, an NIT bid and a fourth place defensive ranking. The team was also eighth in the nation in field goal percentage offense. In 1982–83, Dukiet's team went 22–5, was ranked second by the NCAA for field goal percentage offense and eighth by the NCAA for team defense. Following the 1984 season, Dukiet was again named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 23–6 record and an NIT bid. The New York and New Jersey Basketball Writers Association again chose Dukiet as its Coach of the Year and the New York Metropolitan basketball Writers named him Co-Coach of the Year along with Iona
Iona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
's Pat Kennedy
Pat Kennedy
Pat Kennedy is an American college basketball coach who most recently was men's basketball coach at Towson University before announcing his resignation on March 7, 2011. Previously, Kennedy coached at Iona College, Florida State University, DePaul University, and the University of Montana.Kennedy...
. Dukiet's 1985–86 team ranked first in the nation in defense, allowing only 55 points per game, and finished with a 16–12 record. The team also led the nation in field goal percentage defense, holding its opponents to .411 from the field.
On July 5, 1988, Dukiet became the 12th men's basketball coach in Marquette's history. He was hired to replace Rick Majerus, who left after three seasons as head coach at MU to become an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks. Dukiet's best team was his first, which compiled a 16–13 record and played in the first round of the NIT.
Dukiet subsequently coached at Gannon University
Gannon University
Gannon University is a private, co-educational Catholic university offering associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, certificates and doctoral degrees and is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Gannon University has an alumni base numbering around 31,500. Current enrollment is 4,238.Gannon's...
in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. Dukiet coached at Gannon from 1989 to 1996, compiling a 136–67 record. Gannon advanced to the Division II national tournament four times under Dukiet, reaching the national quarterfinals in 1990.
Piano Bob
After Dukiet retired to South Florida he spent much of his time playing the piano at hotels, events, restaurants, Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Facilities. Dukiet was not a singer, but his honkey-tonk style of playing the piano always had his audience singing along with him.Death
Dukiet died after a bout with stomach cancerStomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
on May 28, 2009, aged 61, in Boynton Beach, Florida
Boynton Beach, Florida
Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...
.