Tony Reno, Yale Football Coach, Dies at 52

Tony Reno, the head football coach at Yale University, has died at the age of 52. The school confirmed his death on Friday.

Reno resigned in February of this year due to health issues and had been on medical leave since the end of the previous season. A cause of death was not immediately provided.

During his 14 seasons leading the Bulldogs, Reno compiled a record of 83-49 and guided the team to five Ivy League championships. He also coached several players who went on to careers in the National Football League. Reno’s win total ranks second in program history, behind only Carm Cozza.

Under Reno’s guidance, Yale defeated its archrival Harvard in seven of the last nine contests between the two teams. Last season, his son, Dante Reno, quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a 9-3 record and an Ivy League championship.

Yale’s athletic director, Victoria Chun, described Reno as “an extraordinary member of the Yale Athletics family.” She added that he “devoted his life to serving others and approached every day with humility, compassion, and purpose. He believed deeply in the power of mentorship and invested wholeheartedly in the success and well-being of his players, colleagues, and friends.”

Chun further stated that while Reno’s football accomplishments were notable, “it is the relationships he built and the lives he changed that will define his enduring legacy.”

Reno is survived by his wife, Toni, and their three children: Dante, Angelina, and Vince. Yale’s thoughts are with his family during this time.