Holy Cross Crusaders basketball — program history
Holy Cross' basketball program dates to 1900 at the Jesuit college in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Crusaders won the 1947 NCAA Championship with Bob Cousy on the roster and were a powerhouse in the 1940s-50s. The program competes in the Patriot League.
The name
The Crusaders nickname references the medieval Christian crusades, fitting for a Jesuit college — though the school has had ongoing discussions about the name in modern times.
Signature moment
Winning the 1947 NCAA Championship, led by George Kaftan and featuring freshman Bob Cousy, establishing Holy Cross as one of the original basketball powers.
Bob Cousy, who revolutionized basketball as a Boston Celtic with his flashy passing and became known as 'The Houdini of the Hardwood,' played at Holy Cross and helped win the 1947 title as a freshman.
The Holy Cross Crusaders compete in the Patriot League and hold an all-time record of 1473–1142 (.563 winning percentage) across 106 recorded seasons dating back to 1900-01. The program has won 1 NCAA national championship (1947) and reached 1 Final Four.
National championships
1947
Season-by-season results
* Season vacated by the NCAA — absent from the official season table; record computed from the game log and not counted in official totals or rankings.
More Patriot League programs
American University Eagles · Army Black Knights · Boston University Terriers · Bucknell Bison · Colgate Raiders · Lafayette Leopards · Lehigh Mountain Hawks · Loyola Maryland Greyhounds · Navy Midshipmen
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