Hall of Athletes
James Phelan was an outstanding playmaker and one of the finest defensive specialists in the East who excelled in the backcourt at La Salle from 1949-1951. He captained the Explorers' 1951 NIT squad.
Phelan was later recongized in the Coaches' Corner in the Hall of Athletes in 2005. He coached 1,354 games at Mount St. Mary's from 1954-2003, amassing career 830 wins. As of 2011, he ranks fifth all-time in career victories. In 1997, he was the winningest active coach in NCAA with 772 victories.
After guiding Mount St. Mary's to the NCAA title in 1962 he was named College Division Basketball Coach of the Year. He also led teams to the NCAA Tournament in 1995 and 1999, as well as the NIT in 1996.
He was inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. Those two inductions now make him a member of 12 halls of fame.
