| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 20, 1953 |
| Playing career | |
| 1972–1974 | Central Connecticut |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1975 | Albany (GA) |
| 1976–1977 | Albany (DC) |
| 1978–1981 | Union (NY) (DC) |
| 1982–1991 | Union (NY) |
| 1992–2014 | Penn |
| 2015–2022 | Columbia |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 269–134 |
| Tournaments | 7–6 (NCAA D-III playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 9 Ivy (1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012) | |
| Awards | |
| Ivy League Coach of the Year (2017) AFCA Region I Coach of the Year (1983, 1989, 1991, 2017) ECAC FCS Coach of the Year (2017) | |
Eldo P. "Al" Bagnoli [1] (born January 20, 1953) is a retired [2] American football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at Columbia University from 2015 until 2022. [3] Bagnoli served as a head football coach at Union College in Schenectady, New York from 1982 to 1991 and at the University of Pennsylvania from 1992 to 2014.
Bagnoli played three years of varsity football at Central Connecticut State University, graduating in 1975. He went on to pursue a master's degree at the University at Albany and worked there the 1975 season as a graduate assistant. He was promoted to defensive coordinator after just one season and stayed in that role until moving to NCAA Division III Union College in 1978. In 1982, he became head coach for the first time at Union.
His first year at Union was the program's first winning season in a dozen years and he posted a winning record every single year during his decade at the school. In 1983 and 1989, Bagnoli and Union reached the NCAA Division III title game and he won Coach of the Year honors twice, in 1983 and 1991.
In 1992, he was hired by the University of Pennsylvania and is arguably the most successful coach in that school's history. In 23 seasons at Penn he won nine Ivy League titles, all of them outright, an Ivy League record. In 1993, 1994, 2003, and 2009 Penn had undefeated seasons. His overall record at Penn is 148–80. He is one of only two coaches at Penn to have 100 wins at that school. His Ivy League record at Penn was 112–49.
In 1997, all-Ivy defensive tackle Mitch Marrow was involved in an eligibility scandal. A four-university panel eventually determined that Marrow was not enrolled as a full-time student due to dropping several courses and should not have been considered eligible to play. As a result, Penn offered to forfeit all wins in games in which he appeared. This led to a 1–9 record; the on-field record in 1997 had been 6–4. [4]
Two Penn football players have committed suicide during Bagnoli's tenure: senior running back Kyle Ambrogi during the 2005 season, and junior defensive end Owen Thomas in the spring of 2009. [5] [6] The death of Thomas has been attributed to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the disease linked to concussions. [7]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Dutchmen (NCAA Division III independent)(1982–1991) | |||||||||
| 1982 | Union | 8–1 | |||||||
| 1983 | Union | 10–2 | L NCAA Division III Championship | ||||||
| 1984 | Union | 9–2 | L NCAA Division III Semifinal | ||||||
| 1985 | Union | 9–1 | L NCAA Division III First Round | ||||||
| 1986 | Union | 9–1 | L NCAA Division III First Round | ||||||
| 1987 | Union | 5–5 | |||||||
| 1988 | Union | 4–4 | |||||||
| 1989 | Union | 13–1 | L NCAA Division III Championship | ||||||
| 1990 | Union | 9–1 | |||||||
| 1991 | Union | 10–1 | L NCAA Division III Quarterfinal | ||||||
| Union: | 86–19 | ||||||||
| Penn Quakers (Ivy League)(1992–2014) | |||||||||
| 1992 | Penn | 7–3 | 5–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1993 | Penn | 10–0 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1994 | Penn | 9–0 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1995 | Penn | 7–3 | 5–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1996 | Penn | 5–5 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1997 | Penn | 1–9 | 0–7 | 8th | |||||
| 1998 | Penn | 8–2 | 6–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1999 | Penn | 5–5 | 4–3 | 4th | |||||
| 2000 | Penn | 7–3 | 6–1 | 1st | |||||
| 2001 | Penn | 8–1 | 6–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 2002 | Penn | 9–1 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 2003 | Penn | 10–0 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 2004 | Penn | 8–2 | 6–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 2005 | Penn | 5–5 | 3–4 | 6th | |||||
| 2006 | Penn | 5–5 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2007 | Penn | 4–6 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2008 | Penn | 6–4 | 5–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2009 | Penn | 8–2 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 2010 | Penn | 9–1 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 2011 | Penn | 5–5 | 4–3 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2012 | Penn | 6–4 | 6–1 | 1st | |||||
| 2013 | Penn | 4–6 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2014 | Penn | 2–8 | 2–5 | 6th | |||||
| Penn: | 148–80 | 112–49 | |||||||
| Columbia Lions (Ivy League)(2015–2022) | |||||||||
| 2015 | Columbia | 2–8 | 1–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 2016 | Columbia | 3–7 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2017 | Columbia | 8–2 | 5–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2018 | Columbia | 6–4 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2019 | Columbia | 3–7 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2020 | No team | ||||||||
| 2021 | Columbia | 7–3 | 4–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 2022 | Columbia | 6–4 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| Columbia: | 35–35 | 20–29 | |||||||
| Total: | 269–134 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
Norries Wilson is an American football coach and former player. He was the running backs coach of the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights football team, but was let go in 2015. He was the first African-American head football coach in the Ivy League with the Columbia University football team.
Tom Gilmore is an American college football coach and former player. He was head coach of the Holy Cross Crusaders from 2004 to 2017 and the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks from 2019 to 2022.
The 2009 Penn Quakers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pennsylvania in the 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season. It was the 133rd season of play for the Quakers. The team was led by Al Bagnoli, in his 18th season as head coach. The Quakers played their home games at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Penn averaged 9,550 fans per game. The season was highlighted by an eight-game winning streak to close the season as Penn captured its 14th Ivy League title, going undefeated in conference play.
The 2012 Penn Quakers football team represented the University of Pennsylvania in the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 21st-year head coach Al Bagnoli and played their home games at Franklin Field. They were a member of the Ivy League. They finished the season 6–4 overall 6–1 in Ivy League play to be crowned Ivy League champions. Penns average attendance for the season was 10,114 spectators.
The 2013 Penn Quakers football team represented the University of Pennsylvania in the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 22nd year head coach Al Bagnoli and played their home games at Franklin Field. They were a member of the Ivy League. They finished with a record of 4–6 overall and 3–4 in Ivy League play for three-way tie for fourth place. Penn averaged 11,936 fans per game.
Mitch Marrow is an American football player and business owner. Marrow attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he starred for the Penn Quakers football team. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 3rd round of the draft. He ultimately retired due to back injuries. After he retired from football, Marrow became a hedge fund manager and chief executive officer of a dog daycare company.
The 2014 Penn Quakers football team represented the University of Pennsylvania in the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 23rd year head coach Al Bagnoli and played their home games at Franklin Field. They were a member of the Ivy League. They finished the season 2–8 overall 2–5 in Ivy League play to place sixth. Penn averaged 6,982 fans per game.
The 2005 Penn Quakers football team represented the University of Pennsylvania in the 2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season. It was the 129th season of play for the Quakers. They were led by 14th-year head coach Al Bagnoli and played their home games at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. They finished sixth in the Ivy League, with an overall record of 5–5 overall and a league record of 3–4.
Raymond P. Priore is an American football coach and is currently the head football coach at the University of Pennsylvania. He assumed the head coaching position from Al Bagnoli following the conclusion of the 2014 season.
The 1961 Columbia Lions football team represented Columbia University in the 1961 NCAA University Division football season as a member of the Ivy League. The Lions were led by fifth-year head coach Aldo Donelli and played their home games at Baker Field. The Lions finished the season 6–3 overall and 6–1 in Ivy League play to win Columbia's first and only Ivy League championship, sharing the title with Harvard.
The 1997 Yale Bulldogs football team represented Yale University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Bulldogs were led by first-year head coach Jack Siedlecki, played their home games at the Yale Bowl and finished in seventh place in the Ivy League.
The 2002 Penn Quakers football team represented the University of Pennsylvania in the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. It was the 128th season of play for the Quakers. They were led by 11th-year head coach Al Bagnoli and played their home games at Franklin Field. They were a member of the Ivy League. They finished the season 9–1 and 7–0 in Ivy League play.
The 1996 Penn Quakers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy League during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season.
The 1997 Brown Bears football team was an American football team that represented Brown University during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Brown tied for third in the Ivy League.
The 1997 Columbia Lions football team was an American football team that represented Columbia University during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Columbia tied for fifth in the Ivy League.
The 1997 Cornell Big Red football team was an American football team that represented Cornell University during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Cornell tied for third in the Ivy League.
The 1997 Penn Quakers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pennsylvania during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Penn finished last in the Ivy League after forfeiting five wins.
The 1997 Princeton Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Princeton University during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Princeton tied for fifth in the Ivy League.
The 1998 Penn Quakers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pennsylvania during the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season. A year after having to forfeit all of its Ivy League wins, Penn won the conference championship in 1998.
Mark Fabish is an American football coach and former player who is the interim head coach for the Columbia Lions of the Ivy League. He played college football for the Penn Quakers and has also coached at Don Bosco Preparatory HS, Monmouth, Rhode Island and Penn.