FAIRFAX, Va. – Former George Mason University men's basketball coach Ernie Nestor has passed away at the age of 78.
Nestor elevated the Patriot program to an unprecedented new level during his five seasons in Fairfax. He led the Green & Gold to two-straight 20-win seasons and the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament during the 1988-89 season. The Patriots also captured their first ever CAA Championship that season.
In addition to his time with the Patriots, Nestor also served as the head coach at Elon University (2004-09). He worked as an assistant in all of the Power 5 conferences, including 14 seasons at Wake Forest.
Nestor was awarded "Guardians of the Game" recognition for education by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2014.
A native of Philippi, West Virginia, Nestor earned degrees at Alderson-Broaddus College (1968) and West Virginia University (1970).
The George Mason Athletics Family is keeping the Nestor Family and friends in our thoughts.
Remembering Former Head Coach Ernie Nestor
Jay Marsh – Student-Athlete (1970-72), Administrator (1976-2021)
"Coach Nestor's time at George Mason will be remembered for his friendship with everyone involved in the program and greater campus community. He led George Mason to our first NCAA Tournament, but most important to Ernie was his family, his friends and sharing basketball memories. Carolyn and I send prayers to his family and we will miss him."
Andrew Fingall – Student-Athlete (1991-95)
"I have always been grateful for Coach Nestor and the GMU family since 1990, when he took a chance on a kid from Irvington, NJ. He was not only an exceptional coach but also a mentor along with his coaching staff. He had the ability to connect with players during challenging times, and he knew when to enforce discipline, which typically resulted in sprints.
Over the years, he kept up with my family and with my military career. One time, we connected over Facebook Messenger when he was coaching in Kosovo and I was on my third deployment in Afghanistan. He told me he was proud of me and my service to the country, which meant a lot to me. He also showed genuine interest in my kids' athletic pursuits as one daughter played basketball at Stanford and the other played volleyball at Tennessee.
It truly is an honor when a coach cares enough to stay in touch with his athletes 33 years later. These are the things that truly matter - genuine relationships and thoughtful messages to show support and encouragement. I'm sorry to see coach pass on, but again, grateful that he took a chance on me."
