Peter Paul Peletta was born January 10, 1928, in Sacramento, CA, and attended Santa Clara University, where he played basketball under Head Coach Ray Pesco. He attended Sacramento Jr. College, the University of Santa Clara, and Sacramento State College, where he received a degree in Physical Education in 1950.
He began his coaching career at Lincoln High School where he also mowed the outfield lawn on the baseball diamond and washed the towels. He kicked his barber’s son off the team and had to drive 17 miles to get a haircut. He moved to Northern Sacramento High School and after earning tenure, accepted a reduction in pay in order to teach at Monterey Peninsula Junior College. A fellow alumnus of Santa Clara University who owned a fish market in Monterey, said “every day was Friday for the penniless Peletta.” In the meantime, Phil Woolpert, the USF Head Basketball Coach had left and his successor, Ross Giudice, announced that he would step down in 1960. Peletta applied for the job. "I didn't think I had a chance and wasn't too concerned about it," he told Sports Illustrated. "I kept reading the papers and never saw my name mentioned. They had everybody in there but the janitors." When the Jesuits at USF announced they had hired Peletta, the public, press and alumni all responded with silence and disbelief. Pete himself responded by getting a speeding ticket on the way to his contract-signing ceremony and his first press conference (Sports Illustrated).
In 1960, when he was appointed to the position of Varsity Basketball Coach at USF, he had been coaching for four years at Monterey Peninsula Jr. College. At 31, was the youngest of the 64 applicants for the USF position. He was known for his tough attitude towards his players. His players called him Pontius Pilate. With his Assistant Coach Phil Vuykicevich, he managed to recruit some excellent players and put together a winning team.
He attained the highest-winning percentage of any basketball coach in the history of the university. During five seasons and a portion of a sixth, under his direction, the Dons won 69% of their games. He guided the Dons to three consecutive West Coast Conference Championships, beginning in 1963 with a season record of 10-2. He was awarded the WCC Coach of the Year three times from 1963 to 1965. In 1966, he transferred to the position of Athletic Director for health reasons. At the end of his six coaching seasons, he had a 114-15 record. His last year as coach, his senior year players Ellis, Mueller and Gumina and he "went out together" (Sports illustrated).
His coaching tree is comprised of former players: Dan Belluomini (1962-1963) who coached the Dons from 1979 to 1981; Jim Brovelli, (1962-1963), who coached from 1985 to 1995. Bob Gaillard (1959 to 1962), was an Assistant Coach to Peletta from 1968 to 1970, and went on to Head Coach from 1970 to 1978, then moved to Lewis & Clark as Head Coach. Phil Vukicevich (1949 to 1953) served as an Assistant Coach to Peletta and then succeeded him in 1966, and stayed until 1971. Peletta was inducted into the USF Hall of Fame in 1975.
