Limited hardcover edition with jacket:
ISBN 978-1-938086-33-5
$49.50 U.S.
Softcover edition with flaps:
ISBN 978-1-938086-34-2
$24.95 U.S.
240 pages
7.0″ x 9.0″ upright/portrait
45 photographs, 6 diagrams, and 2 charts
No e-book has been authorized.
Published in October 2015
Distributed by the University of Virginia Press
www.upress.virginia.edu
by Lou Campanelli with Dave Newhouse
In 1971, Madison College was a small-town teacher’s college with around 3,000 students, most of them female. To elevate the college’s visibility and to appeal immediately to males, new president Dr. Ronald E. Carrier sought to build a comprehensive men’s collegiate athletic program, in basketball and other sports. So he hired a young, energetic, ambitious, and fast-talking yet untested basketball coach from New Jersey—Lou Campanelli.
Dare to Dream, a collaboration between Campanelli and veteran sports writer Dave Newhouse, tells the amazing Hoosiers-like story of how Campanelli, within ten years, created a basketball program out of almost nothing, building it into a powerhouse. Coach Lou’s teams were known for their innovative flex offense, relentless half-court man-to man defense, and a never-give-up attitude that led not only to conference, state, and division championships, but also to historic and nationally significant upsets in the NCAA tournament against Ohio State, West Virginia, and Georgetown and a classic down-to-the-wire, two-point loss against the University of North Carolina national championship team whose roster included future NBA stars Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, and James Worthy.
Dare to Dream is an inspiring story of the Carrier and Campanelli glory years at what became James Madison University. In this fast-paced and compelling book, we share in the passion, integrity, and dedication with which Coach Lou recruited, coached, and mentored his players—most of whom were overlooked or passed over by the traditional basketball powers. And we also learn how sports at JMU transformed not only the lives of student-athletes, but also the once small and largely female school into one of Virginia’s most distinguished public institutions of higher learning within just one decade.
About
Lou Campanelli was head basketball coach at James Madison University from 1972–1985 and at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1986–1993. He took his teams to the NCAA tournament six times and to the NIT three times. He then became an advance scout for the Portland Trailblazers (1994–1995) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1996–1998) of the NBA before becoming Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating for the PAC-10 Conference from 2000–2006. Among his many honors, Coach Lou was inducted into the Colonial Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2007 and into the James Madison University Hall of Fame in 1999.
Dave Newhouse was, for more than fifty years, an award-winning sportswriter and columnist, predominantly at the Oakland (CA) Tribune, prior to his retirement in 2011. He is also the author of eleven books, including Founding 49ers: The Dark Days before the Dynasty (2015), Old Bears: The Class of 1956 Reaches its Fiftieth Reunion, Reflecting on the Happy Days and Unhappy Days (2007), The Ultimate Oakland Raiders Trivia Book (2001), Jim Otto: The Pain of Glory (2000), Heismen: After the Glory (1985), The Jim Plunkett Story: The Saga of a Man Who Came Back (1981), and (with Herb Michelson) Rose Bowl Football since 1902 (1977). In 2014, Newhouse received the Media Award from the Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame.
Praise
“Lou Campanelli’s story of James Madison University’s persistent march from obscurity to the bright lights of the NCAA tournament is both heartwarming and inspiring. Campanelli later took Cal to the postseason for the first time in almost thirty years, but nothing matches his passionate story of the innocent rise of the JMU basketball program. Dare to Dream is a wonderful read.”
—Jay Bilas, ESPN basketball analyst and author of Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court
“I know that everyone will enjoy reading Dare to Dream. It is one of the truly great stories in college athletics. When you read about this journey, you will feel the excitement and pride Lou Campanelli had in building his basketball program at JMU. You will be reading about a person with great integrity, someone who understands the game of basketball and building a team able to work together for a common goal.”
—Roy Williams, Head Basketball Coach, of the University of North Carolina who won the NCAA national championship in 2005 and 2009, two-time NCAA Coach of the Year, 2006 inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and 2007 inductee into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
“If there ever was a coach who had a love affair with basketball, it’s Lou Campanelli. When you look at his accomplishments, it is truly amazing. His players played hard and played together with great defense. To this day, his love for basketball has not lost its flame.”
—Lou Carnesecca, retired Head Basketball Coach, St. John’s University, two-time Basketball Coach of the Year, and 1992 inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
“Coach Lou is the quintessential coach. His knowledge and enthusiasm for the game is legendary. To watch Lou’s half-court man-to-man defense and his flex offense at James Madison University just made me smile.”
—Garry St. Jean, NBA analyst and retired NBA coach and executive
“It all started out as ‘Dolley’ Madison College, an all-girls’ school, when a decision was made to go co-ed and change the name to James Madison University. Lou Campanelli, one of the most innovative college basketball coaches, took on the challenge with the help of JMU President Ronald E. Carrier. Five years later, JMU was in the NCAA tournament knocking off Georgetown and playing eventual national champion North Carolina to a two-point game. His commitment to his players and institution, along with his cutting-edge basketball defenses, were light years ahead of his time.”
—Rollie Massimino, Head Basketball Coach, Villanova University, 1973–1992, who won the 1985 NCAA national championship
“I lived this great adventure with Lou Campanelli from the beginning, and to watch the program grow and develop over the years was truly amazing. When it came to basketball, Lou was the most fundamentally sound coach I’ve ever been associated with. No shortcuts, no cheating, just integrity, keeping things simple with great execution—these guiding principles were integral to his recipe for success.”
—Mike Fratello, NBA analyst and NBA Coach of the Year
“Lou was very passionate and enthusiastic about the game, even as a high school coach. He knew in his heart he wanted to be a college coach, and he achieved his goals with great success.”
—Hubie Brown, NBA analyst, two-time NBA Coach of the Year, and 2005 inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame