Kevin Bannon
Encyclopedia
Kevin Bannon is a former American men's college basketball head coach who most recently served as head coach at Rutgers University
from 1997 through 2001. Prior to that he spent eight years as head coach of Rider University
's team and seven more as the coach of Trenton State College. He is a native of Verona, New Jersey
, having graduated from Verona High School in 1975, and holds a bachelor's degree in management from St. Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey and a master's degree in sports management from Virginia Commonwealth University
.
During his tenure at Rutgers, Bannon went 59-60 and failed to make the NCAA Tournament, although he was able to take the Scarlet Knights to the NIT. His only appearances in the NCAA Tournament came during his time at Rider, when he led the team to two consecutive berths by winning the Northeast Conference
tournament.
Bannon came under fire toward the end of his tenure at Rutgers regarding an incident in a free throw drill during his first year as coach. In said drill players Earl Johnson and Josh Sankes were forced to remove clothing for each free throw they missed, then were forced to run wind sprints while naked. The players transferred from the university and Johnson filed a lawsuit against the school, which was later reduced to naming Bannon as one of two co-defendants. The suit had originally been dismissed in 1999, but in 2001 was reinstated.
Bannon has not coached on the collegiate level since his firing at Rutgers and currently is employed by the Mercer County, New Jersey, Park Commission, where he serves as its executive director, and the Mercer County Sports and Entertainment Commission where he is vice president. He returned to coaching basketball in 2008, acting as the coach for the boy's varsity team at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, NJ
Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men's Basketball team represents Rutgers University and is a NCAA Division I college basketball team, which competes in the Big East Conference...
from 1997 through 2001. Prior to that he spent eight years as head coach of Rider University
Rider University
Rider University is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian university located chiefly in Lawrenceville, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States...
's team and seven more as the coach of Trenton State College. He is a native of Verona, New Jersey
Verona, New Jersey
Verona is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,332.In 2008, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Verona #1 in Essex County and #3 in New Jersey as "Top Places to Live in New Jersey".-History:Verona and several...
, having graduated from Verona High School in 1975, and holds a bachelor's degree in management from St. Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey and a master's degree in sports management from Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
.
During his tenure at Rutgers, Bannon went 59-60 and failed to make the NCAA Tournament, although he was able to take the Scarlet Knights to the NIT. His only appearances in the NCAA Tournament came during his time at Rider, when he led the team to two consecutive berths by winning the Northeast Conference
Northeast Conference
The Northeast Conference is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA. The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men's Football and to Division I Sports for all other sports.Founded in 1981 as the ECAC-Metro...
tournament.
Bannon came under fire toward the end of his tenure at Rutgers regarding an incident in a free throw drill during his first year as coach. In said drill players Earl Johnson and Josh Sankes were forced to remove clothing for each free throw they missed, then were forced to run wind sprints while naked. The players transferred from the university and Johnson filed a lawsuit against the school, which was later reduced to naming Bannon as one of two co-defendants. The suit had originally been dismissed in 1999, but in 2001 was reinstated.
Bannon has not coached on the collegiate level since his firing at Rutgers and currently is employed by the Mercer County, New Jersey, Park Commission, where he serves as its executive director, and the Mercer County Sports and Entertainment Commission where he is vice president. He returned to coaching basketball in 2008, acting as the coach for the boy's varsity team at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, NJ