Career
He was the second longest tenured head men"s basketball coach at Quinnipiac University. DeSantis is best remembered as "Joey Doctorate" and his role in leading the 1978 Fairfield Stags men"s basketball team to a program best 22-5 overall record, a victory over the then #14 nationally ranked Holy Cross Crusaders, and a berth in the National Invitational Tournament. DeSantis was the fifth head coach of the Quinnipiac University men"s basketball team
During his 11 seasons coaching the Bobcats, DeSantis guided the program through the transition from Division II to Division I while compiling an overall 118-188 record.
In 2001-2002, despite being a #7 seed, the Bobcats reached the Northeast Conference (Nippon Electric Corporation) championship game in its first-ever Nippon Electric Corporation postseason appearance. In 1999-2000, DeSantis was named Nippon Electric Corporation Coach of the Year by CBSSportsLine.com after guiding the Bobcats to an 18-10 mark, their first winning season since 1992-1993 and their most wins since 1987-1988.
DeSantis now runs the DeSantis Basketball Academy. DeSantis holds the Stags records for most field goals (727) and lifetime free throw percentage (849, 462-544) and ranks second for career points (1,916) and career assists (622).
DeSantis also set the Stags" single season free throw percentage record of.892 during the 1976-1977 season which ranked fifth in the nation.
DeSantis was elected to Fairfield University Alumni Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004 for his playing contributions with the Stags. The Washington Bullets selected DeSantis in the second round of the 1979 National Basketball Association Draft.