RIP Dee Rowe

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Passed away this morning in Storrs at 91.

 

[Magruber]

A Life Very Well Lived.
An extraordinary man.
Class Act.
RIP Dee.

 

[Palatine]

He was the coach in my time in Storrs. Met him at many events. Really hit his stride later in life as a spokesman, fund raiser, do it all for the university. RIP

 

[ToolzieFan]

Damn. Sad news, but he sure lived quite a life.

 

[cohenzone]

Rip.

 

[Giscombe12]

Legend

 

[Hoophound]

I love how he stayed in Storrs. Old school.

 

[superjohn]

Legend, everyone loved Dee Rowe and he helped bring Calhoun here.

 

[3rdbass]

RIP Dee. You are a legend in UCONN's sport history!!!

 

[Mazhude]

Very sad news. The passing of a legend indeed. Rest in peace, sir.

 

[JakeTheDog]

RIP legend

 

[Sphinx]

I'll never forget Dee Rowe's first season at UConn. It came after a disastrous 6-19 season, the last under Burr Carlson , and began with a 5-0 run that included a win at the Curry Hicks Cage in Amherst over UMass and a freshman named Julius Erving. It ended with the unforgettable 35-32 win over Rhody that clinched a tie for the Yankee Conference title. Five UConn players went the whole 40 minutes in that game, due to the suspension of four players and an injury to another. The four were charged, but later cleared, with complicity in a campus burglary.

Rowe then headed a resurgence of UConn basketball that brought a parade of highly-rated regional players to UConn, among them, Tony Hanson, Cal Chapman. Al Weston, Joey Whelton, Jimmy Foster, John Thomas et al. He was instrumental in UConn's leap forward to the first tier of New England basketball programs of that time, on a level with Providence, Holy Cross and Boston College. His subsequent fund-raising efforts are, of course, legendary, and it was importantly due to Rowe friendships and connections in New England basketball that UConn was offered Big East membership when Holy Cross declined.

As one whose first-hand memories of UConn basketball go back 67 years, I say "RIP, coach -- and thanks for the memories."

 

[huskymedic]

 

[superjohn]

"Dee Rowe is one of God's children...his entire life he has reached out to assist others. He is as saintly as any friend I've ever had and the game of basketball has given Dee a vehicle to do his magic." -Bob Cousy

 

[gtcam]

A rare individual who is a great gentleman
I have spoken to him at length many times - at UConn Club events, sat with him at a wedding receptions and OBE tournament gatherings etc. The guy was knowledgeable, charming and witty. His wife is equally as charming
He will be missed greatly by his UConn family and the college basketball community
RIP Coach

 

[gtcam]

I'll never forget Dee Rowe's first season at UConn. It came after a disastrous 6-19 season, the last under Burr Carlson , and began with a 5-0 run that included a win at the Curry Hicks Cage in Amherst over UMass and a freshman named Julius Erving. It ended with the unforgettable 35-32 win over Rhody that clinched a tie for the Yankee Conference title. Five UConn players went the whole 40 minutes in that game, due to the suspension of four players and an injury to another. The four were charged, but later cleared, with complicity in a campus burglary.

Rowe then headed a resurgence of UConn basketball that brought a parade of highly-rated regional players to UConn, among them, Tony Hanson, Cal Chapman. Al Weston, Joey Whelton, Jimmy Foster, John Thomas et al. He was instrumental in UConn's leap forward to the first tier of New England basketball programs of that time, on a level with Providence, Holy Cross and Boston College. His subsequent fund-raising efforts are, of course, legendary, and it was importantly due to Rowe friendships and connections in New England basketball that UConn was offered Big East membership when Holy Cross declined.

As one whose first-hand memories of UConn basketball go back 67 years, I say "RIP, coach -- and thanks for the memories."

I remember Sphinx - the season of 1969-70
My family had season tickets about 4 rows behind the UConn bench. Those games vs Rhody were classics
Great memories

 

[Steve UConn72]

I'll never forget Dee Rowe's first season at UConn. It came after a disastrous 6-19 season, the last under Burr Carlson , and began with a 5-0 run that included a win at the Curry Hicks Cage in Amherst over UMass and a freshman named Julius Erving. It ended with the unforgettable 35-32 win over Rhody that clinched a tie for the Yankee Conference title. Five UConn players went the whole 40 minutes in that game, due to the suspension of four players and an injury to another. The four were charged, but later cleared, with complicity in a campus burglary.

Rowe then headed a resurgence of UConn basketball that brought a parade of highly-rated regional players to UConn, among them, Tony Hanson, Cal Chapman. Al Weston, Joey Whelton, Jimmy Foster, John Thomas et al. He was instrumental in UConn's leap forward to the first tier of New England basketball programs of that time, on a level with Providence, Holy Cross and Boston College. His subsequent fund-raising efforts are, of course, legendary, and it was importantly due to Rowe friendships and connections in New England basketball that UConn was offered Big East membership when Holy Cross declined.

As one whose first-hand memories of UConn basketball go back 67 years, I say "RIP, coach -- and thanks for the memories."

I was a sophomore when Dee took over, inheriting a 6 win team that had two decent players - Bob Staak and Bobby Boyd. He always said his biggest mistake was going 14-9 is first season, raising expectations that UConn was "back." I was at the Rhody game mentioned above (35-32, which was something like 9-7 at the half). My classmate, Doug Melody, a little used sophomore, had to start and ran the offense to near-perfection. Dee was sub-.500 the next two years, but his recruits came of age after that, and the Huskies were indeed back as a regional power. I was fortunate to get to know him a bit as an announcer on WHUS for the basketball games for the 70-71 and 71-72 seasons. The post game press conferences, such as they were, were held in his little office at the field house. There might have been a writer from the Courant, the Waterbury and New Haven paper(s), the Daily Campus and me on hand to listen to his dissection of the game. I'll never forget a picture of him that got some national publicity. Hartford's Bob Nash, one of many Connecticut high school stars that got away back then (see Calvin Murphy) came back with his nationally ranked Hawaii Rainbow team. The game was a barnburner (something like 77-71, as I recall) and at one point, late in the game, Dee was basically prone on the floor out of emotion. As was said above, he was a class act and a true credit to basketball in general and to UConn in particular.

 

[husky8273]

a true gentleman. blessed to have known him. loved hearing him give a talk, an introduction, a memory.
Never tired of his reflections on the "miracle in Storrs". RIP

 

[Dove]

Rest in Peace, coach.

 

[calluke]

Rest In Paradise

 

[dvegas]

Legend, everyone loved Dee Rowe and he helped bring Calhoun here.

And along with John Toner, pushed a reluctant UCONN administration into the original Big East. May the four winds blow him safely home

 

[BlueDogs]

A gentleman with a purposed life. That’s his biggest win. In death of men of great substance, we are reminded how much more we are all to aspire. Life is short.

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

I remember once I bought lower level tickets to the Texas game back in November 2014 when we lost by 1 with a 3 at the buzzer. First game I ever brought my nephew to a game, he was 8 at the time.

Our seats ended up being right in front of Dee Roe’s seat. He was there with his son. I did not realize who he was at first and asked him if he would like to sit in my seat since I am tall and may block his view. He kindly declined and his son said something to the effect, he can sit anywhere in this building if he wanted to don’t worry enjoy the game. At that moment I realized who he was and sheepishly apologized for not recognizing his dad. They were really cool about it. Just wish the outcome of the game was different for my nephew’s sake. Either way it was an honor to watch a game sitting next to a legend. RIP coach! My condolences to the family!

 

[BugsyCT]

RIP Dee

 

[Ts5034]

It seemed like Dee Rowe was at every UConn game Ive been to going back to the 90’s when I first started going to games as a kid, even the road games and Big East Tournament. I always thought that was really cool how devoted he was to the program, and the school in general. Coach Chillious commented on Twitter how Dee Rowe truly cared about the kids, coaching staff, and university. That is one of those things that make UConn basketball so special is how many people deeply care about, and support the program and everyone involved. It seemed like Dee Rowe was at the head of the class. Rip, Dee