Bob Ricca, the longtime head football coach at St. John's University, died over the weekend. He was 79. The school announced his passing on Monday.
Ricca coached the St. John's football program from 1974 until it was disbanded in 2002. During his tenure, he oversaw the team's advancement from a club level operation to NCAA Division III in 1978, and later to Division I-AA in 1983. He was credited with transforming the team from an overlooked entity on campus into a successful program.
Under Ricca's leadership, St. John's football achieved 15 winning seasons and secured seven conference championships. The team also won the ECAC title in 1994 with a 10-1 record. Ricca earned conference Coach of the Year honors three times.
"He mentored a generation of highly successful student-athletes and our football alumni remain one of the most loyal and dedicated groups at the University. That can be attributed in no small part to Coach Ricca," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Ed Kull. "We offer our sincere condolences to his family, friends and former players."
Ricca, a native of Flushing, New York, began his coaching career at St. John's as a part-time assistant in 1970 while also teaching at Kings Park High School. The university took over the football program from the student club team in 1973.
"The biggest problem, by the time I arrived, was the lack of organization," Ricca told The New York Times in 1983. "The students were essentially our bosses, and they didn’t have any administrative experience, so there were a lot of loose ends. But I learned a lot. In fact, I learned everything about operating a football team."
Prior to coaching at St. John's, Ricca was a standout football player at Holy Cross High School and CW Post. Four of his former players have been inducted into the university's athletic hall of fame.
Ricca's wake is scheduled for Friday from 2-4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Branch Funeral Home in Smithtown. A funeral mass will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Christ the King in Commack.