Ben Carnevale
From Hoopedia
Bernard L. Carnevale (b. October 30, 1915 in Raritan, New Jersey; d. March 25, 2008) was a college basketball player and coach.
Carnevale graduated from Somerville High School in Somerville, New Jersey. He then played for the fabled Howard Cann at New York University. He was a member of the 1935 NYU squad that was named national champions by the Helms Foundation. He played in the first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in Madison Square Garden in 1938.
He played some professional ball. Records indicate that he played one game for the American Basketball League's Jersey Reds in the 1938-39 season.
Carnevale served in the Navy during World War II as a gunnery officer and was torpedoed in December, 1942, spending several days in an open lifeboat before being rescued. He received the Purple Heart.
He coached at the University of North Carolina (1944-46) and the Naval Academy (1947-67). In 1946 he guided his Tar Heels to the NCAA championship game, where they succumbed to Oklahoma A&M (coached by Hank Iba and led by 7-footer Bob Kurland).
He compiled a 51-11 record at Carolina and a 257-160 record at Navy, despite the Naval Academy height restrictions (no students taller than 6'4" were admitted). He then served as Athletic Director at his alma mater, NYU, (1968-72) and at William & Mary.
He was active in international basketball also, serving as USA Basketball's Olympic Games Manager in 1968.
Carnevale was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970. He is also a member of the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame.
