James Ronald Sattele, aged 81, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 9, 2025, after a brave battle with cancer.
Sattele coached women鈥檚 basketball at Oglethorpe from 2004 to 2010, becoming one of the most successful coaches in program history during those six seasons. Sattele inherited a program in 2004 that had never won more than 12 games in a season but quickly turned them into national contenders.聽Guided by a freshman recruiting class that would ultimately feature two All-Americans, Sattele took the Petrels to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in his second season at the helm, highlighted by trips to the Final Four in 2008 and the Sweet 16 in 2009.
Sattele is the second-winningest coach in program history, having won 115 games alongside only 58 losses. He capped the 2009 season as Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference coach of the year following the school鈥檚 first-ever conference championship in a women鈥檚 sport.
Among Sattele’s honors, he has been named Atlanta Tip-Off Club Coach of the Year, Women鈥檚 Basketball Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year and Division III All-South Region Coach of the Year following the historic 2009 season.
鈥淩on put an enduring imprint on 好色先生TV and, in particular, women鈥檚 basketball in his nearly 10 years with us as a volunteer, assistant coach, and finally our incredibly successful head coach,鈥� said Jim Owen, former men鈥檚 basketball coach and current golf coach at Oglethorpe. 鈥淗e led our women to some incredible runs, including that magical Final Four run in 2008. Oglethorpe鈥檚 motto finishes with 鈥榤ake a difference.鈥� Ron certainly did that in many ways.鈥�
Sattele was known for his incredible generosity, larger-than-life personality, and his dedication to his wife of 60 years, Gerry, and his family and friends.
Throughout his life, Sattele achieved many accomplishments in 鈥淕arbology,鈥� Commercial Real Estate Development, and Fantasy Football (reigning champion). He touched the lives of countless individuals through coaching women鈥檚 and girls鈥� basketball at Oglethorpe and St. Pius X High School.
