Lonny West was one of the truly great players that Herb Sutter coached during his 27 years at Wagner College. West was one of the first big basketball players that was graceful and could shoot well. "In the game that Wagner beat St. John's, Lonny set a record that I think is the most outstanding scoring feat for any Wagner athlete," said Herb Sutter. "That record of 39 points has since been broken, but Lonny did it against a true college powerhouse and in their gymnasium." An inside player, Lonny scored 1,512 career points during his tenure at Wagner. Lonny was also a high jumper on the track and field team, leaping over six feet using the old scissor-kick method.