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Former Yale Coach Tony Reno, Who Led the School to 5 Ivy League Football Championships, Dies at 52
Reno won five Ivy League titles and 83 games in 14 seasons, and Yale said he stepped down after a medical leave in December 2025.
Yale University announced Friday that former head coach Tony Reno has died. Reno led the Bulldogs for over 14 seasons before stepping down in February due to health reasons.
Since taking over in 2012, Reno compiled 83 career victories, ranking second in Yale Football history behind Carm Cozza. He guided the Bulldogs to five Ivy League championship titles in 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Yale coach Kevin Cahill, who served on Reno's staff for 10 seasons, praised his leadership. "As a coach, Tony loved his players and held them to a standard they often didn't know they were capable of reaching," Cahill said.
Athletic director Victoria Chun expressed sadness at Reno's passing, praising his mentorship and devotion. Reno is survived by his wife, Toni, and their children, Dante, Angelina, and Vince.
In his final season, Reno led the Bulldogs to a 9-3 record and their first automatic berth to the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs. The team defeated Youngstown State 43-42 in a first-round comeback.