COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Legendary Troy basketball coach Don Maestri has joined the Aggie basketball staff as a special assistant to head coach Billy Kennedy.
“I am excited to have Coach Maestri join my staff,” Kennedy said. “He has been a mentor to me since the eighth grade at Holy Cross School. I am a coach today in part because of the impact he made on me years ago. To add a coach of his experience and knowledge will help our program immensely.”
During an impressive 31-season tenure at Troy (1982-2013), Maestri guided the Trojan program to 501 victories, eight 20-win seasons and seven conference championships, most recently the 2010 Sun Belt regular season title, while developing three All-Americans and 39 all-conference players. At the Division II level, Maestri guided the program to the Final Four in 1988 and 1993.
A seven-time coach of the year honoree in five different conferences, he stands out as Troy’s all-time winningest coach with a career record of 501-403 (.554) and led the Trojans to eight postseason tournament appearances, including the program’s lone NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level in 2003. He was inducted into Troy’s Sports Hall of Fame in August 2013 and the court at Trojan Arena is named in his honor.
“I’m excited to join the Aggie Basketball staff and look at my role as trying to help the program be successful in any way I can,” Maestri said. “I look forward to working with this talented coaching staff as well as this group of players. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Billy Kennedy who, in addition to being an outstanding coach and teacher, is a great embodiment of Texas A&M’s core values.”
During Troy’s first season at the Division I level, 1993-94, Maestri’s run-and-gun style earned the Trojans a conference title, going undefeated in the East Coast Conference. Troy also gained national recognition by leading the nation in three-pointers made per game while averaging 97.6 points per contest. For his efforts, Maestri was named East Coast Conference Coach of the Year.
On Jan. 12, 1992, Maestri’s Trojans, then competing at the Division II level, set an NCAA record by scoring 258 points in a win over DeVry.
Prior to taking his position at Troy, Maestri spent three seasons as an assistant in the SEC during stints at Alabama (1980-82) and Mississippi State (1979-80) as well as coaching at Holy Cross High School from 1970-79 in his hometown of New Orleans.
Texas A&M Head Coach Billy Kennedy
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics