After spending 23 years coaching mens college basketball Fran Fraschilla took on a new gig in 2002 when he joined ESPN as a broadcast analyst.
Fraschilla brings a considerable amount of basketball coaching experience to his new position as a basketball analyst for ESPN.
Fraschilla's coaching odyssey began at New York Tech where he spent a season, followed by Rhode Island, Ohio and Ohio State for a collective total of ten years. He then moved on to Providence as an assistant for 13 seasons before going to Manhattan in his first head coaching job.
While at Manhattan Fraschilla's Jaspers teams compiled a 85-35 record (.708) includinga 26-6 record for the 1994-95' season which saw his team go to the NCAA Tournament where they upset Oklahoma in the first round. For his efforts Franschilla was named the NABC coach of the year. During his Manhattan tenure Fraschilla led his team to post season tournament play each year, going to the NCAA tournament twice and the NIT tournament twice.
Fraschilla moved on to St. John's, whose basketball fortunes had dramatically declined since the retirement of the revered Lou Carnesseca. In two seasons at St. John's his Red Storm teams had a winning record of 35-24 including going 22-10 in his second season there. The Red Storm went to the NCAA postseason tournament in 98'. Fraschilla's St. John's teams owned a 21-15 record in Big East play and enjoyed a 12-6 advantage playing on the road. In a stunning upset the Red Storm ended U. Conn's 46-game home court winning streak in 1998 and went on to a second place finish
in the Big East.
Fraschilla was named the mens head basketball coach at the University of New Mexico in March of 1999. He came to the Lobos with a career coaching record of 120-59 (.670) and was the 17th coach to lead the UNM Lobos basketball program. At the end of his three years at the UNM helm
Fraschilla's record stood at 55-41 (.571). He led the Lobos to three consecutive NIT appearances.
Fraschilla said at the time: "I'm thrilled about being a part of a great basketball tradition that the University of New Mexico offers. I look forward to moving New Mexico basketball into the 21st century and coaching in the nation's best home-court environment."
Upon introducing Fraschilla UNM AD Rudy Davalos said: "We are very excited to have Fran Fraschilla lead the men's basketball program at the University of New Mexico. He did an outstanding job at Manhattan College and St. John's. Fran took over a struggling program at St. John's and turned it into a 20-game winner and an NCAA Tournament team. Fran is considered one of the finest recruiters in college basketball."
Upon departing the University of New Mexico Fraschilla's career coaching record stood at 175-100 (.636).
As of October, 2004, Fraschilla is immersed in his analysts job at ESPN where he wears a variety of hats. There have been some rumors mentioning his name for a return to the coaching wars but at this time nothing has come along which would cause Fraschilla to leave ESPN.
Some of his accomplishments are:
23 year mens NCAA College Basketball Coaching career
Career coaching record of 175-100 (.636)
Several NCAA postseason tournament appearances
Several NIT postseason tournament appearances
Fraschilla's Manhattan Jaspers teams compiled a 85-35 record (.708)
Named the NABC coach of the year for the 1994-95 season
Fraschilla's St. John's Red Storm team ended U. Conn's 46-game home court winning streak
Led the New Mexico University Lobos to three consecutive NIT appearances