Tony DeMeo

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Tony DeMeo
Biographical details
Born (1948-07-05) July 5, 1948 (age 75)
Pelham, New York, U.S.
Playing career
1967–1970Iona
Position(s)Tailback, defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1973–1974Pace (assistant)
1975–1978Iona
1979–1980Penn (backfield)
1981–1987Mercyhurst
1988Temple (OC/QB)
1989Delaware (assistant)
1990James Madison (OC)
1991UMass (assistant)
1992–1993Murray State (OC)
1994–2001Washburn
2002–2004Richmond (OC)
2005–2010Charleston (WV)
Head coaching record
Overall137–108–4
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
2× Metropolitan Conference COY (1976–1977)
Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Association COY (1985)
MIAA Coach of the Year (1999)
D2football.com WVIAC Football Coach of the Year (2005)
Iona College Hall of Fame (1997)
Mercyhurst Hall of Fame (2016)

Tony DeMeo (born July 5, 1948) is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York from 1975 to 1978, Mercyhurst College—now known as Mercyhurst University—in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1981 to 1987, Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas from 1994 to 2001, and the University of Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia from 2005 to 2010.

DeMeo also worked as the offensive coordinator at Temple University (1988), James Madison University (1990), Murray State University (1992), and the University of Richmond (2002–2004). He was an assistant football coach at Pace University (1973–1974), the University of Pennsylvania (1979–1980), the University of Delaware (1989) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1991).

Coaching career[edit]

DeMeo began his head coaching career at his alma mater, Iona College. He compiled a 22–10–2 record at Iona and was twice named Metropolitan area coach of the year (1976 and 1977). DeMeo was inducted into the Iona College Hall of Fame in 1997 for his affiliation with two undefeated teams: first as a player in 1967 and then as the head coach in 1977.[1]

DeMeo moved to the University of Pennsylvania in 1979 to serve as backfield coach for the Penn Quakers football team on the staff of head coach Harry Gamble.[2]

In March 1981, DeMeo was hired as the first head coach for the new football team at Mercyhurst College—now known as Mercyhurst University.[3][4] In seven seasons at Mercyhurst, he led the Lakers to a record of 41–21–2. DeMeo was named Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 1985. He was inducted into the Mercyhurst University Hall of Fame in 2017.[5]

DeMeo was the 39th head football coach at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, serving for eight seasons, from 1994 to 2001, and compiling record of 31–54. His 31 wins are third-most among head coaches in Washburn's history, behind Ernest Bearg and Craig Schurig.[6] After leading Washburn to a 6–5 record in 1999, the program's first winning season in over 10 years, and DeMeo was named Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Coach of the Year.

DeMeo coached at the University of Charleston in West Virginia from 2005 to 2010. His Golden Eagles finished the 2007 season with an 8–3 record and ranked ninth in the Northeast Region of Division II. Charleston tied for second place in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC).[7]

Head coaching record[edit]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Iona Gaels (Metropolitan Conference—non-NCAA) (1975–1977)
1975 Iona 5–4–1
1976 Iona 5–2–1
1977 Iona 7–0
Iona Gaels (Metropolitan Conference—NCAA) (1978)
1978 Iona 5–4 2–2 T–3rd
Iona: 22–10–2
Mercyhurst Lakers (NCAA Division III independent) (1981–1987)
1981 Mercyhurst 4–2–1
1982 Mercyhurst 4–5
1983 Mercyhurst 5–3–1
1984 Mercyhurst 8–1
1985 Mercyhurst 8–2
1986 Mercyhurst 6–4
1987 Mercyhurst 6–4
Mercyhurst: 41–21–2
Washburn Ichabods (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (1994–2001)
1994 Washburn 2–8 2–7 8th
1995 Washburn 4–6 3–6 T–7th
1996 Washburn 4–6 4–5 7th
1997 Washburn 3–8 2–7 8th
1998 Washburn 4–7 3–6 T–6th
1999 Washburn 6–5 4–5 T–5th
2000 Washburn 5–6 3–6 6th
2001 Washburn 3–8 2–7 9th
Washburn: 31–54 23–49
Charleston Golden Eagles (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (2005–2010)
2005 Charleston 8–3 6–2 3rd
2006 Charleston 5–6 4–3 T–3rd
2007 Charleston 8–3 6–2 T–2nd
2008 Charleston 7–4 5–3 T–4th
2009 Charleston 9–2 6–2 T–2nd
2010 Charleston 6–5 4–4 T–5th
Charleston: 43–23 31–16
Total: 137–108–4

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Tony DeMeo (1997)". Iona Gaels. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  2. ^ Jasner, Phil (June 29, 1979). "Penn Has Its Inns and Outs". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 78. Retrieved October 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ^ "DeMeo Coach at Mercyhurst". Lebanon Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. United Press International. March 18, 1981. p. 36. Retrieved October 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ Kienzl, Ray (August 24, 1981). "Lakers Seek Mercy In 'Rookie' Season". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 29. Retrieved October 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  5. ^ "Tony DeMeo (2017)". Merchurst University Athletics. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  6. ^ "2007 Ichabod Football Media Guide" (PDF). Washburn Athletics. p. 137. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  7. ^ Tony DeMeo Archived January 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]