Ross Giudice, USF basketball coach in championship era, dies

Ross Giudice, USF basketball coach in championship era, dies

Ross Giudice, a college basketball coach and businessman who had a major role in three national championship University of San Francisco teams, died in his sleep July 14 in an assisted living facility in Sonoma County.

Mr. Giudice was an unusual figure in the world of major college sports in the 1950s.

When Russell arrived at USF, Mr. Giudice was coach of the freshman team and Russel became his star pupil.

Mr. Giudice also helped other players on those championship teams, which are considered among the best ever to play the college game.

Between 1955 and 1957, USF won 60 straight games, and over four years had a record of 104 victories and only 10 losses.

“He definitely was an important figure in Bay Area basketball,” said Rene Herrerias, who played with Mr. Giudice and later was head coach at the University of California.

Mr. Giudice served as an assistant for nine years and, when Woolpert stepped down, became USF’s varsity coach for the 1959-60 team.

After the war, he enrolled at USF, majored in accounting, and played basketball.