| Gaudio takes the helm at Wake Forest
Aug. 9, 2007
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest University associate head coach Dino Gaudio was named the 20th head basketball coach in WFU history.
Gaudio, 50, succeeds his longtime friend and mentor Skip Prosser who passed away on July 26.
"This is a very bittersweet moment for me," said Gaudio upon his hiring. "I love Wake Forest and I love the Atlantic Coast Conference. But I also love Skip Prosser and to become the head coach under these circumstances is not what I had envisioned. But I am also thrilled that I have been entrusted with the future of Deacon basketball by Ron Wellman."
A veteran of 27 years of coaching, Gaudio joined the Wake Forest staff as an assistant coach in 2002 when Prosser was named head coach. After three seasons, Gaudio was promoted to associate head coach. During his six years on the Deacon staff, Wake Forest compiled a record of 126-68 and reached postseason play five times including four straight NCAA Tournaments from 2002-05.
"Dino has proven himself to be an outstanding recruiter, tactician and overall coach," said Wellman. "His track record of developing student-athletes for success, both on the court and in life, is remarkable. I am confident that Dino will continue to move our basketball program forward just as Skip Prosser did."
"The principles upon which Skip Prosser built this program, with an emphasis on academics, basketball and character, are the same principles that Dino embraces."
Gaudio coached alongside Prosser for 17 years including 13 years at the college level. The pair combined for a 283-125 record in college, a winning percentage of .694.
In 20 years at the college level, including seven seasons as a head coach, Gaudio has helped his teams compile a 351-249 record, a .585 winning percentage. Eleven of his 20 collegiate teams have reached the postseason including 10 NCAA Tournament berths and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances.
Gaudio's seven years of head coaching experience at the Division I level include four seasons at Army from 1993-97 and three years at Loyola (Md.) College from 1997-2000.
At Army, Gaudio inherited a team that had gone just 4-22 the year before his arrival. In his second year, Gaudio led the Black Knights to a 12-16 record. His 19 wins in his first two seasons were the most by a West Point coach in more than a decade. Gaudio helped the Knights win the only two Patriot League Tournament games in the school's 17 years of membership in the conference. While at West Point, Gaudio coached Mark Lueking who concluded his career as Army's third all-time leading scorer with 2,032 points.
Gaudio was named the head coach at Loyola in 1997 and posted 12 wins in his first year and 13 in his second. The 25 victories in his first two campaigns marked the best start by any Greyhound coach over the last 26 seasons. Gaudio's top player at Loyola, Jason Rowe, is the fifth-leading scorer in school history with 1,678 points.
Gaudio broke into the college ranks at Xavier in 1987-88, serving as an assistant coach alongside Prosser and under the tutelage of Pete Gillen. In six years, the two helped the Musketeers to a 136-49 record, five 20-win seasons and five NCAA Tournament berths. Xavier won four Midwestern Collegiate Conference regular season crowns, three MCC Tournament titles and made the school's first trip to the NCAA "Sweet 16" in 1990. While at Xavier, Gaudio helped develop many players for the NBA including Tyrone Hill (Miami), Derek Strong (Orlando), Aaron Williams (New Jersey), Brian Grant (LA Lakers), and David West (New Orleans).
At Wake Forest, Gaudio worked with NBA stars Chris Paul (New Orleans), Darius Songalia (Washington) and Josh Howard (Dallas).
Gaudio left Xavier following the 1992-93 season for Army. He later returned to Xavier as an assistant under Prosser in 2000-01.
Gaudio's association with Prosser began in 1981 when he served as an assistant coach at Central Catholic High School in Wheeling (W.V.) while Prosser was head coach. The two combined to lead Central Catholic to the 1982 state championship. Gaudio was Prosser's assistant for four seasons until Prosser left to become an assistant coach at Xavier in 1985. Gaudio was then promoted to head coach at Central Catholic.
Gaudio guided the Maroon Knights to the state championship game in his first season. The next year, Gaudio directed Central Catholic to a 22-4 record and the state AA championship.
A 1981 graduate of Ohio University, Gaudio earned double bachelor's degrees in accounting and secondary education. He received a master's degree in secondary education from Xavier in 1991. Gaudio, a native of Yorkville (Ohio), and his wife, Maureen, are the parents of two daughters, Kaylan (23) and Alyssa (16). Kaylan is a 2006 graduate of Wake Forest where she was a member of the dance team.
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