In the Diocese of Brooklyn, the name “Joe Lapchick” is synonymous with greatness. From his early days as a basketball player to a long coaching career at St. John’s University and with the New York Knicks, Lapchick exemplified integrity in sports. Being associated with him is a tremendous honor.
On September 20, at the New York Athletic Club, four distinguished figures in basketball were awarded the Joe Lapchick Character Award: Jim Larrañaga, Archbishop Molloy High School and University of Miami men’s coach; Lon Kruger, former University of Oklahoma men’s coach; Fran Dunphy, current La Salle University men’s coach; and Dianne Nolan, renowned coach of Fairfield University’s women’s team.
Nolan’s coaching journey began at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, where she laid the groundwork for a successful career spanning over 40 years. Raised in Gloucester City, New Jersey, she attended St. Mary’s Parish and its grammar school, where basketball was deeply embedded in her life; her mother was a celebrated coach at Gloucester Catholic High School. In a move that foreshadowed her future, Nolan helped start the parish’s girls’ Catholic Youth Organization basketball program as a fourth grader, securing early morning gym time with two friends.
She excelled as a point guard at Gloucester Catholic and later captained the team at Glassboro State University (now Rowan University), where she earned a master’s degree in education at West Virginia University while working as a graduate assistant coach and athletics trainer.
After graduating in 1974, she pursued coaching opportunities across the nation and eventually landed a position at St. Francis College, where she was hired as an instructor in the physical education department and offered the women’s basketball head coaching job—only the second coach in the program’s history.
During her five memorable years at St. Francis, Nolan led the team to its first postseason tournament appearance in the Eastern Intercollegiate Association Women’s Tournament and secured a repeat berth the following season.
She ranks third all-time in wins at St. Francis, behind John Thurston and Irma Garcia. Reflecting on her time there, Nolan said, “I loved the community. It was such a warm environment. Catholic education was important, and the values were really strong.”
Nolan then moved to Fairfield University, where she spent 28 seasons, recording a program-record 456 victories and leading the Stags to four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Her coaching career continued with three years as associate head coach at Yale University and five years as head coach at Lafayette College. Over the years, Nolan’s accomplishments earned her membership in six different halls of fame, including those of St. Francis College and Fairfield University.
Receiving the Lapchick Character Award holds special significance for Nolan, who has always advocated for smaller college programs and prioritized her players’ experiences as student-athletes.
“To have your name associated with Lapchick and his family’s name is very humbling,” she said. “I always coached with the thought that if this was my child, how would I want her to be treated?”
Among her many achievements, Nolan takes particular pride in her players’ 100% graduation rate over her coaching career.
“Many of them probably could not have gone to college without basketball, and to know that they used the vehicle the right way and to see where many of them are today, that’s the beauty of this award,” she reflected. Grateful for the opportunity at St. Francis that launched her career, Nolan said, “That was the door that I’m so lucky was opened. That certainly changed my life.”