Saint Francis University Athletics

Luke McConnell is in his first season as the men's basketball head coach at Saint Francis University in 2025-26.

McConnell becomes the 21st head coach in program history and the second with the last name McConnell after his father, Tom, served as head coach of the Red Flash from 1992-99 and ranks as the third-winningest head coach in team history with 85 wins.

McConnell also becomes the fourth Saint Francis graduate to serve as head coach at his alma mater, joining Dave Magarity (1978-83), Kevin Porter (1983-87), and Rob Krimmel (2013-25). He will also be one of 38 head coaches in the NCAA Division I coaching their alma mater in 2025-26. 

During McConnell's tenure at Saint Francis, the Red Flash achieved significant milestones, including defeating CCSU 46-43 on March 11 in the NEC Championship Game for the team's first title and NCAA Tournament berth since 1991. McConnell's coaching prowess is evident in his work with five 1,000-point scorers, three NEC Players of the Year, three NEC Rookies of the Year, two Most Improved Players of the Year, one NEC Defensive Player of the Year, three NEC Men's Basketball Scholar-Athletes of the Year, 16 All-NEC performers (10 first team; three-second team; three third team), eight All-Rookie selections and nine All-NEC Tournament nods.  

McConnell's journey in Loretto began as a four-year letterwinner on the Saint Francis football team. He led the team in interceptions in 2010 and earned the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award for Central Pennsylvania in 2012. His commitment to the university continued as he served as a two-year graduate assistant, starting as the athletic department graduate assistant in 2012. He then found a new home with the men's basketball program in March 2013. After serving as the Director of Basketball Operations through the 2020-21 season, he was an assistant coach for three years before serving as the associate head coach for the 2024-25 campaign. 

McConnell graduated from Saint Francis in 2012 with a degree in management and earned his MBA from the university in 2014. 

A member of one of the Pittsburgh region's most respected basketball families, Luke becomes the fourth McConnell to serve as a head coach at the Division I level. Along with his father, Tom, two of his aunts served as Division I head coaches in women's basketball: Kathy McConnell-Miller (University of Tulsa, 1999-05); Susie McConnell-Serio (Duquesne, 2007-13, University of Pittsburgh, 2013-18). Kathy remains a head coach in the NCAA as the women's basketball head coach at Division III's Carnegie Mellon.  

Luke joins a group of 15 active head coaches that also had/have fathers coach men's basketball at the Division I level: 
Active Head Coach, School (Father) 
Brian Barone, SIUE (Tony Barone, Sr.) 
Mike Bibby, Sacramento State (Henry Bibby) 
Jeff Capel III, Pitt (Jeff Capel II) 
Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon (Homer Drew) 
Scott Drew, Baylor (Homer Drew) 
Brian Dutcher, San Diego State (Jim Dutcher) 
Chris Gerlufsen, San Francisco (Rob Gerlufsen) 
John Griffin III, Bucknell (John Griffin II) 
Phil Martelli, Jr., VCU (Phil Martelli) 
Luke McConnell, Saint Francis (Tom McConnell) 
Dan Monson, Eastern Washington (Don Monson) 
Eric Musselman, USC (Bill Musselman) 
Ryan Odom, Virginia (Dave Odom) 
Richard Pitino, Xavier (Rick Pitino) 
Kevin Willard, Maryland (Ralph Willard) 
Bold - New Head Coach In 2025-26; Italics - Changed Schools for 2025-26 

He also joins a list of seven known head coaches who served as head coach in the same place as their father: 
School - Father (Years)/Son (Years) 
DePaul - Ray Meyer (1942-84)/Joey Meyer (1984-97) 
Georgetown - John Thompson, Jr. (1972-99)/John Thompson III (2004-17) 
Saint Francis - Tom McConnell (1992-99)/Luke McConnell (2025-) 
Valapaisio - Homer Drew (1988-2002)/Scott Drew (2002-03), Bryce Drew (2011-16)  
UAB - Gene Bartow (1978-96)/Murry Bartow (1996-02) 
UNLV - Lon Kruger (2004-11))/Kevin Kruger (2021-25) 
Washington State - Dick Bennett (2003-06)/Tony Bennett (2006-09)