Yale football coach Tony Reno dies at 52 just months after retiring due to health issues
Legendary Yale football coach Tony Reno has died at the age of 52.
No cause of death was given but Reno resigned back in February due to health issues and had been on medical leave since the end of last season.
He led the Bulldogs to five Ivy League championships over 14 seasons and guided several players toward careers in the NFL. Reno is survived by his wife, Toni, and their children, Dante, Angelina and Vince.
Yale confirmed his death on Friday, with athletic director Victoria Chun calling Reno ‘an extraordinary member of the Yale Athletics family.’
Chun said: ‘Tony Reno devoted his life to serving others and approached every day with humility, compassion, and purpose.
‘He believed deeply in the power of mentorship and invested wholeheartedly in the success and well-being of his players, colleagues, and friends.’
Legendary Yale football coach Tony Reno has died at the age of 52, the school announced
Reno is survived by his wife, Toni, and their children, Dante, Angelina and Vince
Athletic director Victoria Chun called him ‘an extraordinary member’ of the Yale ‘family’
The statement continued: ‘While his accomplishments on the football field were remarkable, it is the relationships he built and the lives he changed that will define his enduring legacy.
‘Our thoughts are with Toni, Dante, Angelina, Vince, and the entire Reno family during this time.’
Reno went 83-49 during his tenure, finishing with the second most wins in program history behind Carm Cozza, who was 179-119-5. Under Reno, Yale defeated archrival Harvard in seven of the past nine meetings.
Dante Reno quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a 9-3 record and the Ivy League championship last season.
Playing in its first postseason game, Yale came back from a 42-14 deficit in the third quarter to defeat Youngstown State 43-42. Montana State defeated Yale 21-13 in the next round, with the Bulldogs finishing 13th in the FCS rankings.
