Vince DiFrancesca

Vincent DiFrancesca (January 1, 1922 – May 21, 2007) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Western Illinois University from 1949 to 1953, at Iowa State University from 1954 to 1956, and at Carroll College—now known as Carroll University—in Waukesha, Wisconsin from 1959 to 1971, compiling a career college football coaching record of 106–71–7.

Vince DiFrancesca
Biographical details
Born(1922-01-01)January 1, 1922
Melrose Park, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMay 21, 2007(2007-05-21) (aged 85)
Maurertown, Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
1942Northwestern
1944Galveston AAF
1946–1947Northwestern
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1949–1953Western Illinois
1954–1956Iowa State
1959–1971Carroll (WI)
Head coaching record
Overall106–71–7
Bowls2–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 IIAC (1949)

Playing career

DiFrancesca was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 31st round of the 1947 NFL draft.[1]

Coaching career

Western Illinois

DiFrancesca was the head football coach at Western Illinois Leathernecks in Macomb, Illinois and he held that position for five seasons, from 1949 until 1953. His career coaching record at Western Illinois was 38–7–1.[2] Under DiFrancesca's leadership, Western's team was ranked among the best offensive and defensive teams in the nation for five years.[3]

Iowa State

DiFrancesca was also the head coach at Iowa State University from 1954 to 1956.[4] He was the 21st head coach for the Cyclones. His coaching record at Iowa State was 6–21–1.[5]

Carroll

DiFrancesca's final head coaching job was as the 22nd head football coach at Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin and he held that position for 13 seasons, from 1959 until 1971. His record at Carroll was 62–43–5.[4]

DiFrancesca also served as athletic director while he was head football coach.[4] He was inducted into the Carroll College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.[6]

Personal life

DiFrancesca died in May 2007 and was the father of both national radio talkshow host Janet Parshall of Janet Parshall's America and the late Charlie DiFrancesca, the subject of the book "Charlie Di: The Story of The Legendary Bond Trader", by William D. Fallon.[1] And, his youngest son John Di Francesca. DiFrancesca also had a wife Margret, who was a proud Icelandic, Baptist, Republican who converted Vince to her beliefs. The Di Francesca family came from Italy, lived in Evanston, Illinois on Ashland Ave. Raised Roman Catholic, mother Elizabeth Farina Di Francesca and father Salvatore, "Sam". Vince had two older brothers, Pete and Sam. All are deceased now.

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Western Illinois Leathernecks (Illinois / Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1949–1953)
1949 Western Illinois 9–14–01stW Corn
1950 Western Illinois 7–14–12nd
1951 Western Illinois 7–1–14–1–12nd
1952 Western Illinois 7–25–12nd
1953 Western Illinois 8–25–12ndW Corn
Western Illinois: 38–7–122–4–1
Iowa State Cyclones (Big Seven Conference) (1954–1956)
1954 Iowa State 3–61–56th
1955 Iowa State 1–7–11–4–1T–5th
1956 Iowa State 2–80–67th
Iowa State: 6–21–112–28–1
Carroll Pioneers (College Conference of Illinois / College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) (1959–1971)
1959 Carroll 5–2–14–2–13rd
1960 Carroll 2–5–21–2–24th
1961 Carroll 6–35–12nd
1962 Carroll 6–25–22nd
1963 Carroll 5–43–35th
1964 Carroll 3–4–12–3–1T–4th
1965 Carroll 3–4–11–4–1T–5th
1966 Carroll 5–42–4T–5th
1967 Carroll 5–34–23rd
1968 Carroll 5–34–3T–4th
1969 Carroll 4–53–4T–4th
1970 Carroll 8–17–12nd
1971 Carroll 5–35–3T–2nd
Carroll: 62–43–546–34–5
Total:106–71–7
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. In Memoriam, Spring 2008, Northwestern University
  2. "Western Illinois Coaching Records". Archived from the original on May 19, 2008. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
  3. Alumni Association: Community: Western Illinois University
  4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 7, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Iowa State Coaching Records". Archived from the original on June 23, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  6. "Carroll University Athletics Hall of Fame". Carroll University. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
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