Carroll College Athletics

John Gagliardi came to the Hilltop as a newly graduate of Colorado College, Colorado Springs. Carroll’s football program had been dormant from 1942-47, and one of the 22-year rookie coach’s first actions was helping to pay for new uniforms out of his own pocket. After his gridders placed conference runners-up with a 3-1 mark in 1949, they did not lose another league game the rest of his tenure, winning three undefeated Montana College Conference championships from 1950-52. He left the program with a 15-1 league record, 24-6-1 overall.

Gagliardi also coached Carroll basketball, baseball and track & field. His hoopsters captured MCC titles in 1952 and ’53, with 2-year combined records of 32-10 overall, 17-3 conference. Among the highlights was a 68-66 win over Gonzaga University in 1952, and school season records in 1953 for wins and scoring average. Gagliardi then left for St. John’s University, Minnesota. From 1953-2012 at St. Johns, he won 4 national championships and became college football’s all-time winningest coach, with a record of 489-132-10.