Hall of Fame
Joe Mullaney was a four-year starter on the Holy Cross basketball team and co-captain of the Crusaders’ 1947 NCAA championship squad.
As a sophomore just out of the service, Mullaney was a backcourt starter and All-New England player during the 1946-1947 season, leading Holy Cross to a 27-3 record and the NCAA championship. He helped the Crusaders to 23 straight wins to close out the year, including victories over Navy, CCNY and Oklahoma for the NCAA title.
Never a big scorer, Mullaney was an outstanding playmaker on the court. He finished his career at Holy Cross with 528 points and in his final three years the Crusaders went 72-15 overall.
Following his graduation, Mullaney played one season with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association.
He later began a long coaching career, including 18 seasons as the head coach at Providence College, where he posted an overall record of 319-164 with three NCAA Tournament appearances and six trips to the National Invitation Tournament. Mullaney also coached in the National Basketball Association with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Buffalo Braves, and in the American Basketball Association with the Kentucky Colonels, Utah Stars, Memphis Sounds and Spirits of St. Louis. He was named the ABA coach of the year during the 1973-1974 season.
Mullaney passed away in 2000.
