University of Massachusets Athletics
Coaches' Spotlight: Steve Lappas
May 14, 2001 | Men's Basketball
A new era of UMass basketball was ushered in on March 26, 2001, when Massachusetts Athletic Director Bob Marcum introduced Steve Lappas as the 19th head coach in the 92-year history of the school's men's basketball program. A proven winner, coach Lappas joined the UMass family after nine-highly successful seasons at Villanova University, where he guided the Wildcats to a 174-110 (.613) record. The 47-year-old Lappas owns a 230-172 (.572) mark in 13 seasons as a Division I head coach, including a four-year stint at Manhattan College. A 1977 graduate of CCNY, coach Lappas and his wife, Harriet, have two children, Kristen (13) and Peter (10). He recently sat down with the Maroon & White's Matt Abt to discuss the state of UMass hoops and college basketball in general.
M&W: What type of style will your UMass teams play?
SL: We're a team that likes to run on misses all the time. We're going to push the ball up. We like to shoot three's, but we do get the ball inside. We'll play mostly man-to-man defense, although I'd like to experiment more with some full-court defenses.
M&W: How would you describe your coaching philosophy?
SL: Number one is you have to play hard every day. You have to be a great defensive team, because without question that's where it all starts. Hopefully you'll become a better team offensively by playing together, by making the extra pass, moving the ball and reversing it. I'm into ball movement and everyone touching the ball.
M&W: Who has influenced your coaching style?
SL: I worked for coach (Rollie) Massamino at Villanova. I played for a guy named Jack Kaminer in college, so I've had influence from a lot of different people in terms of the game. I've also studied a lot of Bobby Knight's stuff, and he's influenced my motion offense. It's a combination of Bobby Knight's motion and Dean Smith's motion. They really are different, but you put it together and you kind of develop your own style.
M&W: What attracted you and your family to the University of Massachusetts?
SL: I believe it's a great opportunity because it's one of the best jobs in the Atlantic 10, which is a multiple NCAA team league. You can get into the NCAA tournament in this league as an at-large team, and that's important. The arena is tremendous, it's a great academic school, and it's a state school so you have a lot of things that can help you be successful.
M&W: How important is it for you and your team to foster an attachment with the community?
SL: That's the most important thing there is. We want to be a part of the community, and do community-type things. I want to get out in the community and speak as much as I can, whether it's in the dorms or the rotary clubs. The Amherst community - as do the other communities in the area - revolves around the University of Massachusetts. I think it's very important that we get involved with the community and the community gets involved with our program.
M&W: What can fans look for out of your team next year?
SL: Having high expectations is good, but on the other hand, because of the way the rules are, I can't watch the guys play. I've been watching tape from last year, but that's not really fair to them because you've got to make assessments. So I'm really not sure what we are. I know we have very good inside players, between Kit (Rhymer), Micah (Brand), Jackie (Rogers) and Eric Williams those guys have done a good job playing inside. And between Shannon (Crooks) and some of the other guys we have coming back it looks like we have some pretty good experience in the backcourt. It's hard to say until you get them all out there who's capable of doing what, but we have some good talent.
M&W: Share with us your thoughts on the state of college basketball?
SL: I think college basketball is in a dangerous period right now because of guys leaving early (for the NBA). The list this year is so big it's gotten unbelievable. But I think once you're in the arena it's still college basketball, and once UMass fans are rooting for UMass and Temple fans are rooting for Temple at that point it's still college basketball.
M&W: How will UMass' success in the `90s help you? Is UMass still a marquee name in the eyes of recruits?
SL: The kids that are 18 or 19 and coming out now were like 10 or 12 during those great, great years. So they remember when UMass was really good and they're in their formative stages, so it's really still an opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. I think the iron is still hot for a lot of the kids you're going to recruit now who were 12 and 11 at that point, which is an age where they are really impressionable. So we want to try and hit that as much as we can.
Coach Lappas' Favorite...
Movie: One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest
Type of Music: Motown
Musical Performer: Bruce Springstein
TV Show: The Practice
Type of Food: Greek
Pro Sports Team: Yankees
Away from basketball you like to do what: Golf
What is one thing you want people to know about you: "After my family, the program is the most important thing." Lappas is also proud that he is an educator and has a B.S. in elementary education (1977) from the City College of New York.
M&W: What type of style will your UMass teams play?
SL: We're a team that likes to run on misses all the time. We're going to push the ball up. We like to shoot three's, but we do get the ball inside. We'll play mostly man-to-man defense, although I'd like to experiment more with some full-court defenses.
M&W: How would you describe your coaching philosophy?
SL: Number one is you have to play hard every day. You have to be a great defensive team, because without question that's where it all starts. Hopefully you'll become a better team offensively by playing together, by making the extra pass, moving the ball and reversing it. I'm into ball movement and everyone touching the ball.
M&W: Who has influenced your coaching style?
SL: I worked for coach (Rollie) Massamino at Villanova. I played for a guy named Jack Kaminer in college, so I've had influence from a lot of different people in terms of the game. I've also studied a lot of Bobby Knight's stuff, and he's influenced my motion offense. It's a combination of Bobby Knight's motion and Dean Smith's motion. They really are different, but you put it together and you kind of develop your own style.
M&W: What attracted you and your family to the University of Massachusetts?
SL: I believe it's a great opportunity because it's one of the best jobs in the Atlantic 10, which is a multiple NCAA team league. You can get into the NCAA tournament in this league as an at-large team, and that's important. The arena is tremendous, it's a great academic school, and it's a state school so you have a lot of things that can help you be successful.
M&W: How important is it for you and your team to foster an attachment with the community?
SL: That's the most important thing there is. We want to be a part of the community, and do community-type things. I want to get out in the community and speak as much as I can, whether it's in the dorms or the rotary clubs. The Amherst community - as do the other communities in the area - revolves around the University of Massachusetts. I think it's very important that we get involved with the community and the community gets involved with our program.
M&W: What can fans look for out of your team next year?
SL: Having high expectations is good, but on the other hand, because of the way the rules are, I can't watch the guys play. I've been watching tape from last year, but that's not really fair to them because you've got to make assessments. So I'm really not sure what we are. I know we have very good inside players, between Kit (Rhymer), Micah (Brand), Jackie (Rogers) and Eric Williams those guys have done a good job playing inside. And between Shannon (Crooks) and some of the other guys we have coming back it looks like we have some pretty good experience in the backcourt. It's hard to say until you get them all out there who's capable of doing what, but we have some good talent.
M&W: Share with us your thoughts on the state of college basketball?
SL: I think college basketball is in a dangerous period right now because of guys leaving early (for the NBA). The list this year is so big it's gotten unbelievable. But I think once you're in the arena it's still college basketball, and once UMass fans are rooting for UMass and Temple fans are rooting for Temple at that point it's still college basketball.
M&W: How will UMass' success in the `90s help you? Is UMass still a marquee name in the eyes of recruits?
SL: The kids that are 18 or 19 and coming out now were like 10 or 12 during those great, great years. So they remember when UMass was really good and they're in their formative stages, so it's really still an opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. I think the iron is still hot for a lot of the kids you're going to recruit now who were 12 and 11 at that point, which is an age where they are really impressionable. So we want to try and hit that as much as we can.
Coach Lappas' Favorite...
Movie: One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest
Type of Music: Motown
Musical Performer: Bruce Springstein
TV Show: The Practice
Type of Food: Greek
Pro Sports Team: Yankees
Away from basketball you like to do what: Golf
What is one thing you want people to know about you: "After my family, the program is the most important thing." Lappas is also proud that he is an educator and has a B.S. in elementary education (1977) from the City College of New York.
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