 Lannigan, however, remained loyal to the University of Virginia until he was forced into retirement by a severe illness to which he succumbed after several months.Lannigan was a renowned college basketball coach in the early years of the sport.His team achieved a perfect record of 17–0 in the 1914-15 season, and posted an undefeated conference record in the old Southern Conference's inaugural year of 1921-22.