Frank Cignetti Sr., a 2013 College Football Hall of Fame inductee who coached at West Virginia and Indiana (PA), passed away Sept. 10. He was 84. He finished his head coaching career in 2005 with an overall record of 199-77-1 after a combined 24 seasons at the two schools.
“Frank Cignetti had a fabulous career, winning more than 72 percent of his games and becoming a highly influential coach in Western Pennsylvania,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “He leaves behind a legacy that touched the lives of countless players and assistant coaches as well as his sons who have followed his path as highly respected college coaches. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time of loss.”
The most successful head coach in Indiana University of Pennsylvania history, it didn’t take long for Cignetti to leave his mark at IUP, leading the Hawks to conference titles in his first two seasons in 1986 and 1987 and subsequent Division II national title game appearances in 1990 and 1993.
At the end of 20-year tenure from 1986 to 2005 at IUP, he had tallied a 182-50-1 record, and he had taken the Hawks to 13 Division II playoffs appearances, including six trips to the national semifinals. He led the Hawks to at least a co-share of the PSAC Western Division title 14 times. Under his tutelage, IUP ranked in the Top 20 each season from 1986-2004, achieving undefeated regular seasons in 1991 and 1993. He retired after the 2005 season as the third-winningest active coach in Division II.
Cignetti’s teams received the Lambert Cup 10 times as the top Division II team in the East. He was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year five times and the Kodak College Division Regional Coach of the Year three times en route to earning Chevrolet Division II National Coach of the Year honors in 1991. Cignetti coached 11 First Team All-Americans and 124 First Team All-PSAC performers.
Cignetti served as the offensive coordinator at West Virginia University under College Football Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden from 1970-75 before taking over as the Mountaineers’ head coach for four seasons (1976-79), posting a 17-27 record. He began his career at Leechburg High School from 1960-65. He then served as assistant at Pitt from 1966 to 1968 before heading to West Virginia.
A former NAIA All-American, Cignetti played end at IUP from 1956-59, and he was an inaugural member of his alma mater’s athletics hall of fame in 1996, and he served as the school’s athletics director from 1982-98. He remains one of only three Hawks in the College Football Hall of Fame, following defensive end Jim Haslett (2001) and fellow coach Chuck Klausing (1998). In 2013, IUP named its football field at George P. Miller Stadium as Frank Cignetti Field.
Cignett’s oldest son, Frank Jr., played for him at IUP before entering the coach profession, and he currently serves as the offensive coordinator at Pitt. His son Curt headed the IUP program for five years, and he now heads the James Madison program.
