Lefty Driesell

Driesell was born on December 25, 1931, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Frank Driesell, a jeweler who had emigrated from Germany.[https://books.google.com/books?id=DDO3sdV6ytsC Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary], p. 119, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005, {{ISBN|0-313-30952-3}}.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2003/01/13/335764/last-of-the-lefties-after-four-memorable-decades-of-college-coaching-lefty-driesell-abruptly-calls-it-quits|title=Last Of The Lefties After four memorable decades of college coaching, Lefty Driesell abruptly calls it quits|last=Deford|first=Frank|date=January 13, 2003|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=November 9, 2017}} In the fourth grade, Driesell received the nickname "Lefty" for his left-handedness.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121104105350/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1111182/3/index.htm Left Is All Right; Everything from staircases to scissors gives the advantage to the dextral. So in a world designed with the right hand in mind, why is it that so many lefties are great athletes?], Sports Illustrated, March 9, 2005. He attended Granby High School and quickly became a star on the basketball team. Driesell earned the city's most outstanding player trophy and All-State recognition while leading Granby to the Virginia State Basketball Championship. He was named tournament MVP, totaling 59 points in three games.

File:Charlie Driesell, Duke Chronicle 1952-12-05 page 12.jpg

After graduating high school in 1950, Driesell received a full scholarship to attend Duke University, where he played center on the basketball team under head coach Harold Bradley.[http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=220722 Charles "Lefty" Driesell], Duke University, December 14, 2005. Driesell graduated with a bachelor's degree in education in 1954.

After college in 1954, Driesell took an office job with the Ford Motor Company. Driesell also found time to renew his playing career by joining the Virginia semi-pro ranks, where he once scored 59 points in a single game and earned a tryout with the then Minneapolis Lakers (later Los Angeles Lakers) of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was also given a chance to enter the coaching profession when his prep alma mater offered him its junior varsity position for both football and basketball. After convincing his wife he could offset a significant pay cut by also selling World Book Encyclopedias part-time, he accepted the job and produced back-to-back unbeaten football teams and a city basketball champion in his first two years.

Driesell was promoted to varsity basketball coach in 1957, going 15–5 before moving to traditional in-state basketball power Newport News High School. There he inherited a team in the midst of a winning streak that he would build to a still-standing state record 57 straight.{{Cite web|url=http://www.davidsonwildcats.com/documents/2008/3/26/Driesell%20put%20Davidson%20on%20college%20basketball%20map%20--%20Newsday.com.pdf|title=Davidson College|website=www.davidsonwildcats.com|language=en|access-date=May 23, 2017}} That unbeaten team won the Virginia Group I State Championship, besting his old Granby squad with four of his former starters. His combined varsity record at the two schools was 97–15.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/bias/drie3.htm Milestones in Driesell's Career], The Washington Post, October 30, 1986.

File:Lefty Driesell Davidson.jpg

Driesell served as the head coach at Davidson from 1960 to 1969. During his tenure his teams won three Southern Conference tournaments and five regular season championships,[https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/lefty-driesell-1.html Lefty Driesell Coaching Record] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104101829/https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/lefty-driesell-1.html |date=November 4, 2023}}, Sports Reference, retrieved February 23, 2024. earning him the Southern Conference Sportswriters Association Coach of the Year award four years running from 1963 to 1966.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rXMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-8sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7126,2557649&dq=driesell+southern-conference+coach-of-the-year&hl=en Driesell Named SC Coach of the Year 4th Straight Time], Herald-Journal, March 17, 1966. An excellent recruiter at each of his collegiate coaching stops, Driesell landed Dick Snyder, a second-round selection by the St. Louis Hawks.Paul McMullen, [https://books.google.com/books?id=kfb2bsUESpUC Maryland Basketball: Tales from Cole Field House], p. 50, JHU Press, 2002, {{ISBN|0-8018-7221-9}}. He cinched his wooing of college prospect Don Davidson by telling him "I'll put your name on the front [of your jersey]". When legendary NC State head coach Everett Case attempted to lure Driesell with an assistant position offer he replied, "Coach, I got a better team than you got. Why would I do that?"

Driesell was hired by the University of Maryland, College Park in 1969. During his introductory press conference on March 19, 1969, he boldly stated that Maryland "has the potential to be the UCLA of the East Coast or I wouldn't be here," referring to the nation's dominant college basketball program in the middle of an unrivaled dynasty.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/04/19/lefty-driesell-on-the-origins-of-ucla-of-the-east/ Steinberg, Dan. "Lefty Driesell on the origins of 'UCLA of the East,'" The Washington Post, Friday, April 19, 2013.] (Also includes a photograph of William Gildea's written account of the introductory press conference from the newspaper's Thursday, March 20, 1969, issue.) Retrieved January 28, 2020 While Driesell fell short of that overreaching goal, he was successful in leading the Terrapins to eight NCAA tournament appearances, a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship, two Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championships, and one Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship. Maryland was ranked as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press rankings for four consecutive seasons from 1972 to 1976, and produced a number of All-Americans, including the No. 2 pick in the 1986 NBA draft, Len Bias.{{cite web |last1=McCallum |first1=Jack |title='The Cruelest Thing Ever' |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1986/06/30/the-cruelest-thing-ever |website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |access-date=February 19, 2024 |language=en-us |date=June 30, 1986}}{{cite web |title=Bias Inducted Into Collegiate Hall of Fame |url=https://umterps.com/news/2021/11/18/mens-basketball-bias-to-be-inducted-into-collegiate-hall-of-fame-sunday |website=University of Maryland Athletics |access-date=February 19, 2024 |language=en |date=November 18, 2021}}

Driesell coached the Maryland Terrapins from 1969 to 1986. In 1974, he signed a can't miss prospect, 6' 10" center Moses Malone. Instead, Malone opted to join the ABA Utah Stars, becoming the first modern era player to proceed directly from high school into professional basketball;Goldstein, Richard, [http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/14/sports/basketball/moses-malone-dies-at-60.html "Moses Malone, 76ers' 'Chairman of the Boards,' Dies at 60"], New York Times,

September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2025. he became a three-time NBA MVP, and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. Among other top names during Driesell's Maryland tenure were NBA stars Tom McMillen, Len Elmore, John Lucas, Albert King, Buck Williams, Adrian Branch, and Brad Davis.

File:Lefty Driesell "V-sign".jpg

At Maryland, Driesell began the now nationwide tradition of Midnight Madness. According to longstanding NCAA rules, college basketball teams were not permitted to begin practices until October 15. Driesell traditionally began the first practice with a requirement that his players run one mile in six minutes, but found that the players were too fatigued to practice effectively immediately afterwards. At 12:03 a.m. on October 15, 1971, Driesell held a one-mile run at the track around Byrd Stadium, where a crowd of 1,000 fans had gathered after learning of the unorthodox practice session. The event soon became a tradition to build excitement for the basketball team's upcoming season.[http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/13/Sports/He_made_midnight_a_ti.shtml He made midnight a time for madness; The college basketball tradition that resumes tonight began in 1971 with Maryland's Lefty Driesell], St. Petersburg Times, October 13, 2006. Midnight Madness has been adopted by many national programs such as UNC, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, and Duke.{{Cite news|url=https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/10/15/midnight-madness-history-lefty-driesell|title=The story how Lefty Driesell started Midnight Madness at Maryland|last=Davis|first=Seth|work=SI.com|access-date=May 23, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2016-10-03/college-basketball-midnight-madness-2016-times-dates|title=College basketball: Midnight Madness 2016 times and dates|date=October 20, 2016|work=NCAA.com|access-date=May 23, 2017|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2016/10/15/michigan-state-spartans-tom-izzo-midnight-madness/92123878/|title=Midnight Madness: MSU's Tom Izzo trades in HOF jacket for 'lab coat'|work=Detroit Free Press|access-date=May 23, 2017|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2016-10-14/college-basketball-unc-kentucky-kick-seasons-midnight-madness|title=College basketball: UNC, Kentucky kick off seasons with Midnight Madness-style events|date=October 14, 2016|work=NCAA.com|access-date=May 23, 2017|language=en}}

In 1972, Maryland defeated Niagara, 100–69 to secure the NIT championship. Driesell said that the season attained the three goals he had set for the program at the time of his hiring: "national prominence", "national ranking", and "a national championship".[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k6lWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0ucDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4683,3610473&dq=driesell&hl=en Terps attain two of their three goals set by coach Driesell], The Free Lance-Star, March 27, 1972.

On July 12, 1973, Driesell saved the lives of at least ten children from several burning buildings. He and two other men were surf fishing around midnight in Bethany Beach, Delaware when he saw flames coming from a seashore resort. Driesell broke down a door and rescued several children from the fire that eventually destroyed four townhouses. An eyewitness, Prince George's County circuit court Judge Samuel Meloy, said, "Let's face it, Driesell was a hero. There were no injuries and it was a miracle because firemen didn't come for at least 30 minutes."[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1754944742.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+28%2C+1973&author=&pub=The+Sun+%281837-1985%29&desc=Driesell+lauded+for+heroism&pqatl=google Driesell lauded for heroism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106231047/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1754944742.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+28,+1973&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Driesell+lauded+for+heroism&pqatl=google |date=November 6, 2012 }}, The Baltimore Sun, December 28, 1973. Driesell said, "Don't build me up as any kind of hero. All we did was try to get the kids out. It was just lucky that we were fishing right in front of the houses."[https://archive.today/20120712020434/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uXdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4562,1422940&dq=driesell+burning&hl=en Driesell To The Rescue], The Milwaukee Journal, July 21, 1973. For these actions, Driesell was awarded the NCAA Award of Valor.{{Cite news |work=The Baltimore Sun |title=Lefty Driesell, colorful Hall of Fame coach who elevated University of Maryland men's basketball, dies |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/02/17/lefty-driesell-maryland-basketball-dies/}}

In the 1974 ACC men's basketball tournament, Maryland was defeated by North Carolina State University in overtime 103–100, eliminating it from participating in that season's NCAA basketball tournament. Many consider it to be one of the greatest college basketball games of all time.{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com/carolinas/story/classic-1974-nc-state-maryland-acc-title-clash-hits-40-year-mark-031214|title=Classic 1974 NC State-Maryland ACC title clash hits 40-year mark {{!}} FOX Sports|date=March 12, 2014|work=FOX Sports|access-date=May 23, 2017|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://home.earthlink.net/~charlottewolf/greatest_college_basketball_game.htm|title=The Greatest College Basketball Game Ever Played|website=home.earthlink.net|access-date=May 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502011746/http://home.earthlink.net/~charlottewolf/greatest_college_basketball_game.htm|archive-date=May 2, 2016|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.statefansnation.com/2009/03/35th-anniversary-of-greatest-college-game-ever-played/|title=35th Anniversary of Greatest College Game Ever Played|last=StateFans|date=March 9, 2009|website=StateFans Nation|access-date=May 23, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/03/07/40-years-later-it-might-still-be-best-college-hoops-game-played/|title=40 Years Later, It Might Still Be Best College Hoops Game Played|access-date=May 23, 2017}} NC State eventually went on to win the 1974 National Championship, with Maryland finishing No. 4 in the final Associated Press poll. One great team knocking the other out of the NCAA Tournament prompted its officials to make a landmark decision the next year, expanding its field from 23 to 32 teams, thereby potentially opening the door for more than one team from a conference.{{Cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/02/09/this-overtime-lasts-25-years-nc-state-terps-the-1974-acc-tourney-final-remains-a-fresh-memory-for-players-of-both-teams-after-all-the-classic-decided-a-national-title/|title=This overtime lasts 25 years|work=tribunedigital-baltimoresun|access-date=May 23, 2017|language=en}}

Later in 1974, Maryland represented the United States in the 1974 FIBA Intercontinental Cup that was held in Mexico. There, Driesell successfully led his team to the title after finishing with an unbeaten 5–0 record against Varese from Italy, Vila Nova from Brazil, Real Madrid from Spain, and Panteras de Aguascalientes and Dorados de Chihuahua from Mexico.{{Cite web |title=Intercontinental Cup 1974 |url=http://www.linguasport.com/baloncesto/internacional/clubes/intercontinental/IC_74.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060040/http://www.linguasport.com/baloncesto/internacional/clubes/intercontinental/IC_74.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=February 8, 2023 |website=www.linguasport.com}}

He had his detractors despite achieving a relative level of success at Maryland. Clemson head coach Tates Locke famously said about facing Driesell's Terrapins, "Keep me even until the last two minutes and I'll win." Paul Attner of The Washington Post wrote, "...Put him in a situation where players from both teams have equal ability and are prepared just as well, and he falls short much of the time. It is at these moments when it is glaringly apparent Driesell is not among that small number of coaches who can be called 'great'...Once Driesell is placed in a position where pressure decision-making, not hard work, produces a victory, he has problems."[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/01/23/on-scale-of-1-to-10-driesells-about-8/f8ee9c43-ee68-48bb-a555-007b4f84be93/ Attner, Paul. "On Scale of 1 to 10, Driesell's About 8," The Washington Post, Sunday, January 23, 1977.] Retrieved March 18, 2023.

In 1983, a female student at Maryland accused him of making intimidating phone calls to her after she accused Terrapin player Herman Veal of sexual misconduct, which resulted in Veal being declared ineligible to play for the rest of the season.

In 1984, Driesell led the team to the school's second ACC Tournament Championship.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-8lOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lBMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5957,3262155&dq=driesell&hl=en Driesell Keeps Perspective], Star-News, March 10, 1984. In December 1985, the university gave Driesell a ten-year contract extension. On June 19, 1986, Terrapin star Len Bias died in a campus dorm of a cocaine overdose after being drafted by the Boston Celtics. The circumstances surrounding Bias' death threw the University of Maryland and its athletics program into turmoil. A subsequent investigation revealed that Bias was 21 credits short of the graduation requirement despite having attended the university for four full years, exhausting his athletic eligibility; in his final semester, he had done almost no academic work. Driesell allegedly told Bias' friends to remove drugs from the room where Bias took the cocaine that killed him.{{Cite news |work=The New York Times |title=Lefty Driesell, Hall of Fame College Basketball Coach, Dies at 92 |date=February 20, 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/20/sports/basketball/lefty-driesell-dead.html |last1=Goldstein |first1=Richard }}

On October 29, Driesell resigned as head coach and took a position as an assistant athletic director. Maryland had to pay Driesell for the rest of his 10-year contract as head coach because it could not find any wrongdoing on his part.{{Cite news |publisher=AP News |title=Lefty Driesell, folksy, fiery coach who put Maryland on college basketball's map, dies at 92 |url=https://apnews.com/article/lefty-driesell-dies-maryland-coach-56a8f9c7a0b811ed8d6d3c219cee77e8}} He also worked as a television analyst during college basketball games. Some members of the media widely described Driesell as a scapegoat of chancellor John B. Slaughter and the university administration.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5wwhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VHIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6039,1518929&dq=driesell+scapegoat&hl=en What Did Driesell Do Wrong?], Schenectady Gazette, November 7, 1986.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0_RUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4zwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5532,1327771&dq=driesell+scapegoat&hl=en Lefty is a scapegoat], The Robesonian, November 6, 1986.[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/08/sports/sports-world-specials-driesell-reflects.html SPORTS WORLD SPECIALS; Driesell Reflects], The New York Times, June 8, 1987.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8sIRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BeoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3056,133094&dq=driesell+scapegoat&hl=en Take goat horns off Lefty], Gainesville Sun, June 16, 1987.

Driesell resumed his coaching career as the head coach of the James Madison University Dukes in 1988,[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-10-sp-1508-story.html Comeback for Lefty Driesell: New Coach at James Madison], The Los Angeles Times, April 10, 1988. staying until 1996. His teams captured five Colonial Athletic Association regular season championships, one tournament championship, and an appearance in the NCAA tournament in 1994.{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/james-madison/men/1994-schedule.html | title=1993–94 James Madison Dukes Men 's Schedule and Results }}

Driesell then moved to Georgia State, which he led to four Atlantic Sun Conference regular season championships and one tournament championship in six years. He retired from coaching on January 3, 2003, in the middle of his 41st season as a head coach, ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division I wins behind only Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, and Bob Knight. Driesell is the only basketball coach to win at least 100 games at four different colleges.[http://www.collegeinsider.com/lefty/ KENT BAZEMORE WINS THE 2011 LEFTY DRIESELL AWARD], CollegeInsider.com, April 1, 2011. Driesell led four of his squads to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, but was unable to ever advance to its Final Four. Driesell's final record was 786–394.

Driesell earned conference Coach of the Year honors at each of his destinations. He was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year four times at Davidson (1963–1966), twice named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year at Maryland (1975 and 1980), twice named the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year at James Madison (1990 and 1992), and once named the Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year at Georgia State (2001).[http://www.atlanticsun.org/media/2010-11/pdf/records-mbasketball.pdf Atlantic Sun Recordbook] (PDF), Atlantic Sun Conference, p. 6, 2010.

Driesell was awarded the NCAA Award of Valor for helping save lives from a July 12, 1973, structure fire.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2017/01/03/lefty-driesell-davidson-maryland-naismith-hall-fame |title=Will Lefty Driesell ever get in the Hall of Fame? |last=Posnanski |first=Joe |date=January 3, 2017 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=April 16, 2017}}

In 1995, Driesell was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. On April 2, 2007, Driesell was inducted as a member of the second class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.[http://collegebasketballexperience.com/inductees.aspx?class=2007 Class of 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120714050343/http://collegebasketballexperience.com/inductees.aspx?class=2007 |date=July 14, 2012 }}, The College Basketball Experience at Sprint Center, retrieved June 4, 2011. The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame inducted Driesell in 2002.[http://www.umterps.com/trads/md-wall-of-fame.html#hof University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame: All-Time Inductees] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717160004/http://www.umterps.com/trads/md-wall-of-fame.html |date=July 17, 2011 }}, University of Maryland, retrieved June 12, 2009. On August 13, 2008, he was inducted as a member of the inaugural class of the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, which honors athletes, coaches, and administrators who made contributions to sports in southeastern Virginia.[http://hamptonroads.com/2008/08/portsmouth-sports-legends-loyalty-city-makes-him-ace-among-men Portsmouth sports legend's loyalty to the city makes him an ace among men] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522123049/http://hamptonroads.com/2008/08/portsmouth-sports-legends-loyalty-city-makes-him-ace-among-men |date=May 22, 2011 }}, The Virginian-Pilot, August 13, 2008. On May 25, 2011, Driesell was inducted into the Southern Conference Hall of Fame.[https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/news/story?id=6586610 Lefty Driesell among six inducted], ESPN, March 25, 2011.

In 2003, Georgia State University dedicated their basketball court to Driesell.{{Cite news|url=http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/12/181346|title=Lefty returns: Georgia State dedicates court to Driesell|work=AccessWDUN|access-date=May 24, 2017|language=en}}

On April 2, 2010, the first annual Lefty Driesell Award for the best defensive player in NCAA Division I basketball was bestowed upon its first recipient, Jarvis Varnado of Mississippi State.[http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/sports/state/040210_jarvis-varnado-wins-driesell-award Jarvis Varnado Wins Driesell Award] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929120112/http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/sports/state/040210_jarvis-varnado-wins-driesell-award |date=September 29, 2011 }}, My Fox Memphis, April 2, 2010.

In February 2017, the University of Maryland hung a banner in the Xfinity Center to honor his career at the university. Lefty accepted the honor alongside of numerous former players, assistant coaches, and family.{{Cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bs-sp-lefty-sidebar-0212-20170211-story.html|title=Maryland unveils Lefty Driesell banner in pregame ceremony|last=Markus|first=Don|work=baltimoresun.com|access-date=May 23, 2017|language=en-US}}

Driesell was nominated numerous times for the Basketball Hall of Fame, receiving wide support from contemporaries. In 2018, Driesell was selected for induction into the Hall of Fame.{{cite news |last1=Feinstein |first1=John |title=Naismith Hall of Fame finally does right by Lefty and votes in Driesell |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/naismith-hall-of-fame-finally-does-right-by-lefty-and-votes-in-driesell/2018/03/28/81dad42e-32f2-11e8-94fa-32d48460b955_story.html |access-date=February 19, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=March 28, 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Markus |first1=Don |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bs-sp-lefty-hall-0331-story%2Camp.html |title='It means everything': Former Maryland coach Lefty Driesell elected to Naismith Hall of Fame |access-date=February 19, 2024 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140707/https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bs-sp-lefty-hall-0331-story,amp.html |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |format=web.archive.org}} He was formally inducted on September 7, 2018.{{cite web |title=2018 Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Live Updates and Highlights |url=https://bleacherreport.com/live-blogs/basketball-hall-of-fame-ceremony-2018-9-7 |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=February 19, 2024 |language=en |date=September 7, 2018}}

While a student at Duke University, Driesell eloped with his wife, Joyce on December 14, 1952. The two had met while in the ninth and eighth grades, respectively. The couple had four children. His son, Chuck, is also a basketball coach who served as an assistant for Driesell at James Madison. Chuck stated, "Dad gave me a lot of responsibility, and we worked hard. As a son and as a player, I'm not sure I understood how hard he worked."{{cite news |last1=Feinstein |first1=John |title=Chuck Driesell, 744 NCAA wins short of his dad, is loving life coaching Maret |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/chuck-driesell-744-ncaa-wins-short-of-his-dad-is-loving-life-coaching-maret/2017/02/24/0a3be508-fab7-11e6-bf01-d47f8cf9b643_story.html |access-date=February 19, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=February 24, 2017}}

Driesell was a Presbyterian, but often attended churches affiliated with other Christian denominations. One of his three daughters, Pam, is a pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.{{cite web |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/lefty-driesells-legacy-lives-on-in-daughter-pam-so/nQnRC/ |title=Lefty Driesell's legacy lives on in daughter Pam, son Chuck |last=Walton |first=Carroll Rogers |publisher=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=November 29, 2010 |website=AJC.com |access-date=April 20, 2016}} In 2003, Driesell retired to Virginia Beach, Virginia[https://www.baltimoresun.com/2003/01/11/driesells-follow-up-could-be-a-shot-at-scouting-for-hawks/ Driesell's follow-up could be a shot at scouting for Hawks], The Baltimore Sun, January 11, 2003. His wife died in 2021. He died in Virginia Beach on February 17, 2024, at the age of 92.{{cite news |last1=Rosvoglou |first1=Chris |title=Legendary College Basketball Coach Has Died At 92 |url=https://thespun.com/college-hoops/legendary-college-basketball-coach-lefty-driesell-dead-at-92 |access-date=February 17, 2024 |publisher=The Spun |date=February 17, 2024}}

Source:

{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason= | poll = }}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Davidson Wildcats

| conference = Southern Conference

| startyear = 1960

| endyear = 1969

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1960–61

| name = Davidson

| overall = 9–14

| conference = 2–10

| confstanding = 9th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1961–62

| name = Davidson

| overall = 14–11

| conference = 5–6

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1962–63

| name = Davidson

| overall = 20–7

| conference = 8–3

| confstanding = 2nd

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1963–64

| name = Davidson

| overall = 22–4

| conference = 9–2

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1964–65

| name = Davidson

| overall = 24–2

| conference = 12–0

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = confboth

| season = 1965–66

| name = Davidson

| overall = 21–7

| conference = 11–1

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NCAA University Division Sweet 16

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1966–67

| name = Davidson

| overall = 15–12

| conference = 8–4

| confstanding = 2nd

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = confboth

| season = 1967–68

| name = Davidson

| overall = 24–5

| conference = 9–1

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NCAA University Division Elite Eight

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = confboth

| season = 1968–69

| name = Davidson

| overall = 27–3

| conference = 9–0

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NCAA University Division Elite Eight

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Davidson

| overall = 176–65 ({{Winning percentage|176|65}})

| confrecord = 73–27 ({{Winning percentage|73|27}})

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Maryland Terrapins

| conference = Atlantic Coast Conference

| startyear = 1969

| endyear = 1986

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1969–70

| name = Maryland

| overall = 13–13

| conference = 5–9

| confstanding = 6th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1970–71

| name = Maryland

| overall = 14–12

| conference = 5–9

| confstanding = T–6th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = postseason

| season = 1971–72

| name = Maryland

| overall = 27–5

| conference = 8–4

| confstanding = 3rd

| postseason = NIT champions

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1972–73

| name = Maryland

| overall = 23–7

| conference = 7–5

| confstanding = T–2nd

| postseason = NCAA University Division Elite Eight

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1973–74

| name = Maryland

| overall = 23–5

| conference = 9–3

| confstanding = T–2nd

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1974–75

| name = Maryland

| overall = 24–5

| conference = 10–2

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NCAA Division I Elite Eight

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1975–76

| name = Maryland

| overall = 22–6

| conference = 7–5

| confstanding = T–2nd

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1976–77

| name = Maryland

| overall = 19–8

| conference = 7–5

| confstanding = 4th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1977–78

| name = Maryland

| overall = 15–13

| conference = 3–9

| confstanding = T–6th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1978–79

| name = Maryland

| overall = 19–11

| conference = 6–6

| confstanding = 4th

| postseason = NIT Second Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1979–80

| name = Maryland

| overall = 24–7

| conference = 11–3

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NCAA Division I Sweet 16

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1980–81

| name = Maryland

| overall = 21–10

| conference = 8–6

| confstanding = 4th

| postseason = NCAA Division I Second Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1981–82

| name = Maryland

| overall = 16–13

| conference = 5–9

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason = NIT Second Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1982–83

| name = Maryland

| overall = 20–10

| conference = 8–6

| confstanding = T–3rd

| postseason = NCAA Division I Second Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference tournament

| season = 1983–84

| name = Maryland

| overall = 24–8

| conference = 9–5

| confstanding = 2nd

| postseason = NCAA Division I Sweet 16

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1984–85

| name = Maryland

| overall = 25–12

| conference = 8–6

| confstanding = T–4th

| postseason = NCAA Division I Sweet 16

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1985–86

| name = Maryland

| overall = 19–14

| conference = 6–8

| confstanding = 6th

| postseason = NCAA Division I Second Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Maryland

| overall = 348–159 ({{Winning percentage|348|159}})

| confrecord = 122–100 ({{Winning percentage|122|100}})

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = James Madison Dukes

| conference = Colonial Athletic Association

| startyear = 1988

| endyear = 1997

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1988–89

| name = James Madison

| overall = 16–14

| conference = 6–8

| confstanding = T–5th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1989–90

| name = James Madison

| overall = 20–11

| conference = 11–3

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NIT First Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1990–91

| name = James Madison

| overall = 19–10

| conference = 12–2

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NIT First Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1991–92

| name = James Madison

| overall = 21–11

| conference = 12–2

| confstanding = T–1st

| postseason = NIT First Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1992–93

| name = James Madison

| overall = 21–9

| conference = 11–3

| confstanding = T–1st

| postseason = NIT First Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = confboth

| season = 1993–94

| name = James Madison

| overall = 20–10

| conference = 10–4

| confstanding = T–1st

| postseason = NCAA Division I First Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1994–95

| name = James Madison

| overall = 16–13

| conference = 9–5

| confstanding = 3rd

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1995–96

| name = James Madison

| overall = 10–20

| conference = 6–10

| confstanding = T–5th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1996–97

| name = James Madison

| overall = 16–13

| conference = 8–8

| confstanding = T–5th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = James Madison

| overall = 159–111 ({{Winning percentage|159|111}})

| confrecord = 85–45 ({{Winning percentage|85|45}})

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Georgia State Panthers

| conference = Trans America Athletic Conference / Atlantic Sun Conference

| startyear = 1997

| endyear = 2003

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = division

| season = 1997–98

| name = Georgia State

| overall = 16–12

| conference = 11–5

| confstanding = 1st (West)

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 1998–99

| name = Georgia State

| overall = 17–13

| conference = 11–5

| confstanding = 3rd

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 1999–00

| name = Georgia State

| overall = 17–12

| conference = 13–5

| confstanding = T–1st

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = confboth

| season = 2000–01

| name = Georgia State

| overall = 29–5

| conference = 16–2

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NCAA Division I Second Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| season = 2001–02

| name = Georgia State

| overall = 20–11

| conference = 14–6

| confstanding = T–1st

| postseason = NIT Opening Round

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Entry

| season = 2002–03

| name = Georgia State

| overall = 4–6

| conference =

| confstanding =

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Georgia State

| overall = 103–59 ({{Winning percentage|103|59}})

| confrecord = 65–23 ({{Winning percentage|65|23}})

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record End

| overall = 786–394 ({{Winning percentage|786|394}})

}}

• List of college men's basketball coaches with 600 wins

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20021019073830/http://www.georgiastate.com/sports/p_coaches.cfm?sport=mensbasketball Georgia State bio (archived from 2002)]
• [http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/players/statlines.php?playerid=121 College playing statistics]
• {{IMDb name|1379809}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Driesell, Lefty}}

Category:1931 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:American people of German descent

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Category:Basketball coaches from Virginia

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Category:20th-century American sportsmen