A Union homecoming for Audino, Bagnoli

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Less than a year after not being retained in Schenectady, long-time Union head coach John Audino returned to Frank Bailey Field Saturday, along with another Dutchmen coaching legend, Al Bagnoli. It was a business trip.

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Who would have thought you would have seen John Audino back at Frank Bailey Field so soon?

Second-year Columbia University football coach Al Bagnoli had a few spots to fill on his staff, and John Audino wasn’t ready to leave the game after not having his contract renewed by Union College after last year’s winless season.

“The stars lined up,” Bagnoli said of his reconnect with Audino, Columbia’s first-year assistant coach. “We were both graduate assistants with Bob Ford and I’ve known him forever. I’m happy to have him. He has valuable knowledge I can lean on.”

Audino and Bagnoli have another tie as former Union College head coaches, and Saturday they were back at Frank Bailey Field where they led the Dutchmen to 238 victories and numerous championships.

Together they were back on campus for a scrimmage between Columbia and Ivy League rival Cornell.

“It’s been four or five years since I’ve been here,” Bagnoli, who led Union from 1982-91 before a 23-year run at Penn, said. “I was just taking a walk around campus and it’s changed. They’ve done a wonderful job.

“This has been interesting,” he continued. “There’s a little bit of surrealness coming back to a place where you got your roots.”

Audino’s long coaching run included a stop at Columbia in the late 1970’s and early ’80s before he moved to Union as an assistant and eventually took over for Bagnoli. Audino’s teams won a school-record 152 games and lost 89.

“It is kind of surreal,” Audino said. “I’m very familiar with the place, obviously. The place looks great. I just saw some folks I’ve known for a long time. This is home.”

Though the victories became fewer late in Audino’s stay at Union — the Dutchmen were 0-10 last year in his final season — he said he is proud of the work he did at college. His teams won eight or more games on nine different occasions and he coached 16 All-Americans, 145 Liberty League All-Academic student-athletes and 146 all-conference players.

“Over time, we won a lot of games. We went on some runs that were ridiculous. We made a lot of headway,” Audino said. “We represented the university very well. We had great kids and played some great games.

“Our program represented exactly what the school wanted,” he continued. “Quality student-athletes and a quality football program.”

Bagnoli’s Dutchmen posted an 86-19 overall record, advanced to two NCAA Division III title games and earned six NCAA Division III tournament playoff berths.

“Nothing but positives,” Bagnoli said of his 15-year stay Union. “I’ve been blessed. This is an awesome place to work. Great memories. Great kids.”

In 1989, Bagnoli guided the Dutchmen to the program’s greatest season ever, rolling to a 10-0 regular season record en route to the NCAA Division III National Championship Game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.

“I’ve said this ever since I’ve known him [Bagnoli],” Audino said. “I never saw a guy who could change the culture and turn around a program as well as him. He did it here [Union] and at Penn, and we’re going to try to do it at Columbia.”

Audino is eager to be part of the rebuilding process. Columbia went 2-8 overall last season and 1-6 in the Ivy League.

“It’s great to work with a guy who knows how to win,” Audino said. “I have a job to do and that’s to help him [Bagnoli], help the other coaches and help the kids. It’s a great opportunity for me and my family. We’re happy here.”

Bagnoli and Cornell coach David Archer thought Union College would be a perfect site for the Columbia-Cornell scrimmage as both institutions are located about three hours away.

“Columbia and Cornell thought it was good to have a dry run before the season,” Bagnoli said. “We reached out and Jim McLaughlin [Union’s athletic director] has been very gracious.”