Villanova Univeristy Athletics

During some of the most successful seasons for Villanova men’s basketball during the Al Severance years, Sam Glassmire emerged as one of the prominent performers on the Wildcats roster in the early 1950’s. He was named a team captain during the 1952-53 season and was a member of All-Pennsylvania College teams in all three of his years on the active roster. Glassmire graduated from Villanova in 1953 and was inducted into the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1985.
 
The first year of Glassmire’s three seasons on the active roster was 1950-51 when the Wildcats tallied 25 wins and were nationally ranked in every Associated Press poll released during the season. Villanova appeared in at least one Top 20 poll in all three of Glassmire’s collegiate campaigns and went 66-24 (.733) during his career. He was named a team captain in 1953 when fellow Varsity Club Hall of Famer, Jim Mooney, used up his eligibility.
 
Hall of Fame head coach Al Severance spoke highly of Glassmire when he was named captain, telling The Catholic Standard and Times in its February 20, 1953 issue that “Sam is the kind of a player who picks you up by your own bootstraps when you’re losing. He’s a great little competitor who never knows when to quit. He’ll make a great captain.”
 
Glassmire was more than just a gritty competitor, however. He was chosen by the Associated Press for its All-Pennsylvania College Team in three consecutive years from 1950-51 through 1952-53, including being a second team selection in 1951 when he averaged 8.0 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per contest and 3.6 assists per game. Glassmire was an honorable mention selection in each of the next two seasons and added to those accolades with three appearances on the All-Philadelphia District Team. As a senior in 1952-53 he was a first team choice and contributed 11.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
 
Villanova reeled off a pair of nine-game winning streaks in the first two-plus months of the 1950-51 season and was 18-1 after a 37-point drubbing of King’s in early February. The team peaked at No. 7 in the national rankings on December 25 when the Wildcats were 6-0 and had tallied a 10-point win over Louisville at the Palestra and most recently a 68-61 road win at North Carolina State. Villanova claimed a second win over the Wolfpack at the Palestra on January 13, 66-64, but lost a third matchup at an inopportune time when N.C. State posted a 67-62 win on its home court in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Glassmire and the Wildcats continued their success over the next two seasons, going 19-8 in 1951-52 and 22-9 in 1952-53. Severance was at the height of his legendary coaching career (1936-61) during Glassmire’s time on the roster. In a span of nine seasons from 1946-47 through 1954-55, Severance guided Villanova to an overall record of 187-70 (.728) and three NCAA Tournament appearances.