Anthony Louis Guzzo, 75, of Norfolk, VA, beloved father, grandfather, brother and coach passed away on October 10, 2024. Known to many as “Tony” or “Coach Guzz” he touched the lives of so many and had a heart as big as his smile and his hugs. Guzzo was one of the deans of collegiate baseball in the state of Virginia and a head coach for 26 years, including 10 years at Old Dominion, 12 years at Virginia Commonwealth and 4 years at North Carolina Wesleyan. He won 734 games and had an overall record of 734-618-1 while at the helm of collegiate baseball programs. During his tenure at Old Dominion, the team won two CAA regular season titles (1996, 2000), two CAA Tournament titles (1995, 1996) and earned three NCAA Regional appearances (1995, 1996, 2000). He was named CAA Coach of the Year in 1996, coached three All-Americans, three Academic All-Americans, six Freshman All-Americans, two CAA Players of the Year and two CAA Rookies of the Year. A total of 24 Monarchs earned All-CAA honors under Guzzo and 22 of his players were selected in the MLB Draft. At VCU he led the Rams to three conference tournament titles in his last six seasons, achieved the program’s first 45-win season, helped take the team to their first appearance in an NCAA Regional and in the following year secured four NCAA postseason victories. He led the program to a laundry list of firsts including its first conference championship, NCAA Regional appearances, NCAA postseason victories, and MLB Draft picks. Prior to VCU, Guzzo was the head coach at North Carolina Wesleyan where he compiled a 102-66 record and led the team to back-to-back Division III World Series in 1981 and 1982. While at North Carolina Wesleyan Guzzo was named the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (now USA South) Coach of the Year three consecutive years, the ’82 Bishops were ranked #1 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball magazine and he was a two-time finalist for Division III National Coach of the Year. Guzzo was inducted into the North Carolina Wesleyan Hall of Fame in 2011.

He returned to Old Dominion as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach in 2017 and was the 40th recipient of Old Dominion’s Bud Metheny Award which he described as one of the most prestigious and special honors of his career that recognized his contributions to baseball. In 2019 Tony was inducted into the Tidewater Baseball Shrine at Harbor Park which he described as Cooperstown for him. Guzzo was raised in Norfolk and attended Holy Trinity, St. Pius X Catholic School and Norfolk Catholic High School, where he was both a football and baseball star. He was a catcher on the baseball team and a placekicker on the football team in his collegiate playing career at East Carolina University. While at ECU, he famously kicked the game-winning field goal against Marshall University on Nov. 14, 1970. After graduating from East Carolina University in 1972, he was named head coach at Norfolk Catholic High School, his alma mater. He won four consecutive Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools titles and had an 86-33 record with the Crusaders. He returned to ECU as a graduate assistant before being hired as the head coach at North Carolina Wesleyan in 1979. After leaving ODU in 2004, he coached at North Carolina State, earned a World Series ring as a scout for the Boston Red Sox, coached a few seasons at Nash High in Rocky Mount, North Carolina and coached at Louisburg Junior College before returning to ODU in 2017.

He is survived by his son Anthony and daughter-in-law Jessica of Gloucester, VA, his daughter Dr. Gina Guzzo and son-in-law Dr. Jonathan Lewis and grandchildren Cora, Camden and Elijah Lewis of Williamsburg, VA, his wife of 38 years Kitsy Guzzo of Wilson, NC, his sister Cathy Guzzo and her husband Mark Rautenbach of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He is preceded in death by his father Ralph Peter Guzzo and his mother Victoria DeMarco Guzzo of Norfolk, VA, nephew Michael Anthony Woodard of Tuscaloosa, AL and his beloved German Shepherd, The Great Bambino. A mass for family and close friends will be held at St. Pius X on Saturday, October 19, 2024. An open to the public Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 1 p.m. at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. In lieu of flowers, donations can be directed to The Old Dominion Athletic Foundation’s Tony Guzzo Baseball Program Endowment. Contributions can be made at https://bit.ly/guzzo-odu or by contacting John Vellines at [email protected] or 757-683-6774.