Fran McCaffery, a 1977 graduate of La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor and head coach of the University of Pennsylvania men’s basketball team, is headed to the NCAA Tournament following an 88–84 overtime victory in the Ivy League Championship.

The 14th-seeded Quakers will face third-seeded Illinois on Thursday at 9:25pm. You can listen to Coach McCaffery discuss the milestone with 94WIP below:

From La Salle College High School’s post:

Now in his 30th year as a head coach, McCaffery has built a remarkable career defined by consistency and excellence. With NCAA Tournament appearances at Lehigh, UNC Greensboro, Siena, Iowa, and now Penn, he becomes one of the few coaches in college basketball history to take five different programs to the Big Dance.

Throughout his career, McCaffery has been known for his intensity on the sideline, but also for his ability to build authentic team culture. Following the victory, he emphasized what matters most: a group committed to one another, playing with purpose and trust.

For McCaffery, the moment was more than a championship – it was a homecoming. A Philadelphia native from West Oak Lane, a La Salle College High School graduate, and later a standout at Penn (Class of 1982), his journey has come full circle, returning to lead his alma mater back to March Madness for the first time since 2018.

At La Salle College High School, we recognize in Coach McCaffery a living example of our mission in action – leadership rooted in character, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence. His journey from Cheltenham Avenue to the national stage stands as an inspiration to current students, reminding them that the foundation built here can lead to extraordinary impact.

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Photo: UPenn