Here's another in the "Terrific 32," series, taking a look at the all-time best MAAC basketball happenings.
Up now ...
NO. 30
PAT COYLE BECOMES WNBA COACH
It's not very often that one of our conference's coaches makes it to the very top of the profession.
In fact, your blogger can't remember a single instance of a former men's head coach from the MAAC ever becoming an NBA head coach. The closest is former Siena assistant Steve Clifford ("Terrific" story, no. 31), who is now the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats..
But, it has happened on the women's side when, early in the 1998-99 season , Coyle was hired away from Loyola to become an assistant coach with the WNBA New York Liberty. Coyle eventually became that franchise's head coach from 2004-09.
Coyle had been at Loyola from the start of the 1992-93 season until she left the program for the pros after the Greyhounds' first five games. During her time at the Baltimore school she turned around a program that had 13 consecutive losing seasons (12-71 the three seasons before Coyle's arrival).
That turned around in quick order. Her first Loyola team went 14-15, and in her six-plus seasons there her teams had a 100-77 record and advanced to back-to-back NCAA tournaments (1995 and 1996), still Loyola's only two trips to the women's NCAA event.
When Coyle finally lost her position in the WNBA she wasn't out of work long, becoming an assistant coach with Pittsburgh, a position that lasted through this past season.
And, now, Coyle has come full circle. She is back in the MAAC, hired over the spring, to be head coach at Saint Peter's.
For sure, it's another rebuilding situation. The Peacocks have just one overall winning season in the last 11, and a league-worst 13-79 mark over the past three seasons.
"I'm not real concerned about what happened here in the past," said Coyle, in a phone interview this summer. "I haven't even looked at film from last year. I want to form my own opinion about what's here. Everyone starts with a clean slate."
It's not like success is foreign to the program. Saint Peter's won at least 20 games in a season 15 times from the league's start in 1971 through the 2001-02 season, more than any other MAAC team over that stretch.
"That's one of the things that attracted me ... that Saint Peter's has a real strong history," added Coyle. "This program had some great past success. Mike Granelli (the coach through much of that) did a real good job. I know because I had to coach against him at Loyola, and it was just a nightmare whenever you had to look forward to playing against Saint Peter's."
And, now, the league's only women's coach to have served as a WNBA head coach, is back in the league likely to soon make it a nightmare, once again, to play against Saint Peter's.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Best MAAC Stories: No. 31, NBA Bobcats Hire Clifford
Here's another in the "Terrific 32," series, taking a look at the all-time best MAAC basketball happenings.
Up now ...
NO. 31
FORMER SIENA ASSISTANT CLIFFORD BECOMES NBA HEAD COACH
Steve Clifford, a former assistant coach at both Siena College (1994-95) and at Fairfield (1989-90), became the first former MAAC connection to become an NBA head coach when he was hired for that position by the Charlotte Bobcats in late May.
Clifford might only have been at Siena for a single season (under then-head coach Bob Beyer), but his connection with the school has remained strong over the years.
He was a candidate for Siena's vacancy as head coach in 2000 (to replace Paul Hewitt), and again in 2001 (to replace Louis Orr).
Clifford reportedly was offered the Siena job in 2001 but turned it down when he was about to be promoted from advance scout to bench coach that year with the NBA New York Knicks.
It was a good career move because, after that, he was also an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets, the Orlando Magic and with the Los Angeles Lakers this past season.
Through his time in the NBA, he has remained close to his Siena connections, often serving as an advisor, of sorts, for school administrators when they have been conducting searches for head coaches over the years.
Clifford left Siena after his one season there to become the head coach at Division II Adelph and, then, became an assistant coach at Division I East Carolina University before he was hired by Jeff Van Gundy to be an advance scout with the Knicks.
Clifford has known Van Gundy since they both worked at Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's summer camp in 1985.
They renewed acquaintances in 1998 during an NBA lockout. Clifford was coaching at Adelphi and Van Gundy (then the Knicks' coach) was living nearby.
Clifford recalls that Van Gundy called him to say he was looking to keep active in basketball during the lockout and asked if he could come to Adelphi practices to help out. So, for several weeks, Adelphi's players got the benefit of working with an NBA head coach.
Van Gundy was so impressed with Clifford that, when the opportunity arose, he brought Clifford into the Knicks' organization.
"He (Clifford) is a person with impeccable integrity," Van Gundy was quoted as saying, when the Bobcats hired Clifford. "He is a brilliant basketball coach who relates to all kinds of people well, and I think he will do a fantastic job with the talent at hand. I'm so happy for one of the good guys in the league to get this opportunity."
Up now ...
NO. 31
FORMER SIENA ASSISTANT CLIFFORD BECOMES NBA HEAD COACH
Steve Clifford, a former assistant coach at both Siena College (1994-95) and at Fairfield (1989-90), became the first former MAAC connection to become an NBA head coach when he was hired for that position by the Charlotte Bobcats in late May.
Clifford might only have been at Siena for a single season (under then-head coach Bob Beyer), but his connection with the school has remained strong over the years.
He was a candidate for Siena's vacancy as head coach in 2000 (to replace Paul Hewitt), and again in 2001 (to replace Louis Orr).
Clifford reportedly was offered the Siena job in 2001 but turned it down when he was about to be promoted from advance scout to bench coach that year with the NBA New York Knicks.
It was a good career move because, after that, he was also an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets, the Orlando Magic and with the Los Angeles Lakers this past season.
Through his time in the NBA, he has remained close to his Siena connections, often serving as an advisor, of sorts, for school administrators when they have been conducting searches for head coaches over the years.
Clifford left Siena after his one season there to become the head coach at Division II Adelph and, then, became an assistant coach at Division I East Carolina University before he was hired by Jeff Van Gundy to be an advance scout with the Knicks.
Clifford has known Van Gundy since they both worked at Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's summer camp in 1985.
They renewed acquaintances in 1998 during an NBA lockout. Clifford was coaching at Adelphi and Van Gundy (then the Knicks' coach) was living nearby.
Clifford recalls that Van Gundy called him to say he was looking to keep active in basketball during the lockout and asked if he could come to Adelphi practices to help out. So, for several weeks, Adelphi's players got the benefit of working with an NBA head coach.
Van Gundy was so impressed with Clifford that, when the opportunity arose, he brought Clifford into the Knicks' organization.
"He (Clifford) is a person with impeccable integrity," Van Gundy was quoted as saying, when the Bobcats hired Clifford. "He is a brilliant basketball coach who relates to all kinds of people well, and I think he will do a fantastic job with the talent at hand. I'm so happy for one of the good guys in the league to get this opportunity."
Monday, October 28, 2013
Best MAAC Stories: No. 32, Long-Range Success
Here is the first in what will be a season-long series looking at the best "stories" in the MAAC's basketball history.
The MAAC has been around for 32 years (now entering its 33rd year of operation), so we'll identify a "Terrific 32" from the archives.
Our list will comprise the best from both the men's and women's ranks, include individual achievement, team achievement and coaching accomplishments ... basically anything that had significance and is connected to the conference has been considered.
We'll try to write about one, or two, of the all-time best happenings each week in the series, counting down in reverse order, and we'll continue it throughout the upcoming season.
Your blogger has been around the MAAC almost for the entirety of its existence, having covered Army basketball (when that program was a league member) from 1981 through the 1984-85 season. After that, we moved to the Capital Region of upstate New York to pick up Siena College coverage, and was there when that program joined the MAAC in 1989.
We've been involved with MAAC coverage, either as a newspaper reporter or through this blog, ever since. We'll not only identify the top stories, but we'll provide some insight, either through outside reports or first-hand connections.
So, let's begin with ....
NO. 32
THE BEST LONG-RANGE SHOOTING
The three-point rule has been around for most of the MAAC's history (it was approved for the 1986-87 season), but never has it been put to better, or more prolific use, than in recent years.
The two greatest single-game 3-point efforts in league history have been turned in by current Iona men's senior guard Sean Armand and Saint Peter's women's sophomore guard Bridget Whitfield.
Armand had his big night in early January of 2012, midway through his sophomore season when he connected on a MAAC record of 10 three-pointers (on 19 attempts) in a 95-59 rout of Siena in a game played at Madison Square Garden.
Prior to the game, Siena's forward O.D. Anosike had been quoted saying "We're still Siena ... we still feel we're the Cadillac program (of the MAAC)."
"Guess the Cadillac didn't work today," Armand sad, afterwards.
Siena's roadside breakdown that night came mostly courtesy of Armand, who got a game-high 32 points in just 22 minutes of playing time.
Armand surpassed the conference's single-game record for MAAC three's that had previously been nine and held by Saint Peter's Keydren Clark (twice), Loyola's Andre Collins, Manhattan's Bruce Seales and Siena's Jim Secretarski.
"I have to see if we can get more games here (at MSG)," Armand told me, several days after his terrific long-range performance. "I'm from Brooklyn, so a lot of my friends and family members were able to watch."
There probably weren't many fans of the Saint Peter's women's team on hand when the Peacocks played at Siena's Alumni Recreation Center in late February of last season.
But that didn't deter then-freshman guard Bridget Whitfield from having a perfect night from the field. The 5-foot-7 guard made all eight three-point attempts she took in the contest.
Whitfield had been so unerring that, at halftime, Siena coach Ali Jaques wrote the No. 50 in bright red on her left hand.
"I tried everything else," said Jaques, after the game. "I yelled her number during the whole first half. I wrote it in large numbers on our chalkboard at halftime. I figured I needed to write it on my hand, too, to show my players every time they looked at me on the sidelines."
Whitfield, though, didn't get quite enough help from her teammates that night and Siena was able to hold on for a 70-67 victory.
In women's basketball history, only one player (Keri Farley of Cornell, who went 9-for-9 in a game in 1993) has made more treys without a miss in a game.
The MAAC has been around for 32 years (now entering its 33rd year of operation), so we'll identify a "Terrific 32" from the archives.
Our list will comprise the best from both the men's and women's ranks, include individual achievement, team achievement and coaching accomplishments ... basically anything that had significance and is connected to the conference has been considered.
We'll try to write about one, or two, of the all-time best happenings each week in the series, counting down in reverse order, and we'll continue it throughout the upcoming season.
Your blogger has been around the MAAC almost for the entirety of its existence, having covered Army basketball (when that program was a league member) from 1981 through the 1984-85 season. After that, we moved to the Capital Region of upstate New York to pick up Siena College coverage, and was there when that program joined the MAAC in 1989.
We've been involved with MAAC coverage, either as a newspaper reporter or through this blog, ever since. We'll not only identify the top stories, but we'll provide some insight, either through outside reports or first-hand connections.
So, let's begin with ....
NO. 32
THE BEST LONG-RANGE SHOOTING
The three-point rule has been around for most of the MAAC's history (it was approved for the 1986-87 season), but never has it been put to better, or more prolific use, than in recent years.
The two greatest single-game 3-point efforts in league history have been turned in by current Iona men's senior guard Sean Armand and Saint Peter's women's sophomore guard Bridget Whitfield.
Armand had his big night in early January of 2012, midway through his sophomore season when he connected on a MAAC record of 10 three-pointers (on 19 attempts) in a 95-59 rout of Siena in a game played at Madison Square Garden.
Prior to the game, Siena's forward O.D. Anosike had been quoted saying "We're still Siena ... we still feel we're the Cadillac program (of the MAAC)."
"Guess the Cadillac didn't work today," Armand sad, afterwards.
Siena's roadside breakdown that night came mostly courtesy of Armand, who got a game-high 32 points in just 22 minutes of playing time.
Armand surpassed the conference's single-game record for MAAC three's that had previously been nine and held by Saint Peter's Keydren Clark (twice), Loyola's Andre Collins, Manhattan's Bruce Seales and Siena's Jim Secretarski.
"I have to see if we can get more games here (at MSG)," Armand told me, several days after his terrific long-range performance. "I'm from Brooklyn, so a lot of my friends and family members were able to watch."
There probably weren't many fans of the Saint Peter's women's team on hand when the Peacocks played at Siena's Alumni Recreation Center in late February of last season.
But that didn't deter then-freshman guard Bridget Whitfield from having a perfect night from the field. The 5-foot-7 guard made all eight three-point attempts she took in the contest.
Whitfield had been so unerring that, at halftime, Siena coach Ali Jaques wrote the No. 50 in bright red on her left hand.
"I tried everything else," said Jaques, after the game. "I yelled her number during the whole first half. I wrote it in large numbers on our chalkboard at halftime. I figured I needed to write it on my hand, too, to show my players every time they looked at me on the sidelines."
Whitfield, though, didn't get quite enough help from her teammates that night and Siena was able to hold on for a 70-67 victory.
In women's basketball history, only one player (Keri Farley of Cornell, who went 9-for-9 in a game in 1993) has made more treys without a miss in a game.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Some Info, Thoughts On Newest Honor Roll Members
Earlier this month the MAAC revealed its latest class to be inducted to the league's "Honor Roll," in which honorees are enshrined in "The MAAC Experience" exhibit at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
Each member institution has one male and one female basketball-related individual inducted annually. Those honored need not have played in the MAAC, only to have played at schools that are currently affiliated with the conference.
Those selected will attend a dinner event on Saturday, March 8, 1014, at the Hall of Fame Court of Drames, and each honoree will be profiled in the game program for the 2014 MAAC Basketball Championshipo tournament. Honorees will also be recognized at halftime of the men's tournament's quarterfinal round game, session 5 of the event's schedule.
Here's a brief thumbnail description of honorees. Your hoopscribe can't begin to say he the play of all those selected. But, I will include some personal thoughts about some.
CANISIUS
- Frank Swiatek: He played from 1962-65 and led Canisius in scoring and rebounding (22.3 pints, 7.9 rebounds) as a senior. His 1962-63 team ad advanced to the championship game of the NIT.
- Dr. Ellen Conley: She has been primarily an administrator at Canisius since 1970. Under her direction the women's athletic program there was formed and grew from one club-level team to seven varsity teams.
FAIRFIELD
- George Bisacca: He was the head coach of the men's basketball team from 1958-68 and led the program's transition to Division I. In 10 seasons he led the Stags to a 151-87 record and three of his players were drafted by the NBA. Another, Nick Macarchuk, became a successful long-time coach.
- Dianne Nolan: Head coach of the women's team for 28 years, recording 456 career victories, four trips to the NCAA Tournament and one WNIT berth. She was named the conference's Coach of the Year five times. She is currently head coach of the Lafayette women's program.
IONA
- Kevin Hamilton: He scored 1,412 career points, which was fourth on the Gaels' all-time list when he finished his career in the late 1970's. His .883 free-throw percentage for the 1976-77 season still is among the best in school history. His teams recorded an 84-31 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons. He was picked in the fourth round of the NBA draft.
- Celeste Grier-Jonathan: She led her Iona teams from the late 1970's to two Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Regional Appearances. She averaged 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds over her career, while scoring 1,441 career points.
MANHATTAN
- Luis Flores: He began his college career at Rutgers before transferring to Manhattan where he played his final three seasons and scored 2,046 points there, the eighth-best total all time in conference history. His teams of the early 2000's went to two NCAA Tournaments and one NIT. The 6-2 guard was an unyielding competitor who played with an economy of motion. He was a two-time MAAC Player of the Year and two-time MAAC Championship tournament MVP. For sure, one of the top five or six men's players in conference history.
- Marianne Reilly: She played at Manhattan from 1978-82 and became the program's first women's player to surpass 1,000 career points (1,305), along with 860 rebounds. She led the Jaspers to their first-ever winning season as a junior. She is currently the Senior Associate Athletic Director at Fordham, overseeing compliance and eligibility and she also directs the department's lifeskills program and is an administrator for a number of intercollegiate sports.
MARIST
- Mike Hart: A local guy, a product of Poughkeepsie, who stayed home to become a standout at Marist. At 6-5 he was a bit of an undersized forward who was still a force both inside and outside. Despite playi8ng just nine games a junior, due to a leg injury, he still scored 1,343 career points, which was the best on the Marist career list when he graduated. He is still No. 8 on the school's scoring list.
- Julianne Viani: A 5-8 guard, she scored 1,447 career points at Marist, still No. 5 on the career list. She was among the early standouts in current coach Brian Giorgis' tenure at the school and teams she played on recorded a 113-20 overall record. She also had 411 assists, third all-time in Marist history. She is currently a TV sports announcer and has been the analyst for the MAAC women's basketball championships, shown on ESPNU, for the past two seasons.
MONMOUTH
- Ron Kornegay: One of his program's all-time best, a first team all-NAIA selection in 1968 and '69. He was an extremely quick guard who is still Monmouth's all-time leading scorer with 2,526 career points. His teams posted a 112-17 record. He was also the team's coach for 10 years (1977-87) and is currently the director of athletics at Manasuan High School.
- Joan Martin: She has been a fixture at her school in a number of capacities, first as a coach for 13 seasons, beginning in 1969. She also served as softball coach for 11 years and field hockey coach for eight years. She moved into administration on a full-time basis in 1982 and has spearheaded the establishment and growth of women's athletics at the school where it now an 11-sport program.
NIAGARA
- Juan Mendez: We recall him as an irrepressible inside force as a rugged 6-8, 245-pound forward forward, certainly among the top five or six to ever play the position in the MAAC. At Niagara he scored 2,210 career points, fourth best all-time in the conference. He also had 1,053 rebounds, No. 6 on the conference list. In 2005 he became one of just two Purple Eagles to be named to the Associated Press All-America Team, earning honorable mention designation for averaging 23.5 points and 10.6 rebounds. He joined Niagara great Calvin Murphy on that list.
- Joan Thornton: The first scholarship player in Niagara women's basketball history, and the first to surpass the 1,000-point career mark (1,106 points). She is still first in all-time field-goal percentage (62.1) at the school. Her Niagara teams compiled an 84-19 record and she earned first-team Academic All-America honors in 1980.
QUINNIPIAC
- Keith Gaither: A familiar presence at the school's basketball facility for every Bobcats' home game for many years, recognized universally at the school as the No. 1 fan for both the men's and women's programs. Being relegated to a wheelchair and slowed by cerebral palsy has not dimmed his passion for basketball at the school. Quinnipiac honored him two years ago, declaring him as the Bobcats' No. 1 fan, and he was greeted with a standing ovation.
- Pat Hayes: A behind-the-scenes contributor, she is accounting secretary in the Bursar's Office at the school. She regularly interacts with students and student-athletes, always with a smile and a kind word, as well as being one of the most-dedicated fans of school athletics. She was recognized in 1999 with the school's "Behind the Scenes Award," and, again, in 2004 with the university's Excellence in Service to Students Award.
RIDER
- Jack Madden: A two-sport standout (1956-59), he scored 1,341 points with 800 rebounds in basketball and was also an outstanding pitcher on the school's baseball team. He signed with the Cincinnati Reds following his junior season, but went on to a prolific career as a professional basketball official both in the NBA and ABA. He is one of only seven officials to have worked 25 NBA Championships.
- Kelly Eckardt-Zawodny: She was a star during the school's early years of Division I basketball, finishing with 1,652 career points and 848 rebounds. She averaged 21.9 points as a senior and was a three-time team MVP while at Rider.
SAINT PETER'S
- Don Kennedy: He is the school's all-time winningest men's basketball coach with a record of 323-1985 from 1950 to 1972. His teams went to five NIT events and he coached eight 1,000-point scorers. His teams posted winning records in 19 of his 22 seasons, including a program record 24 victories in 1967-68, when it finished fourth in the NIT.
- Tonya Grant: A dominant force in the paint from 1986-90 who finished her career at the school as its all-time leading scorer (2,020 points) and fourth-leading rebounder (964). She is currently the conference's fifth all-time leading scorer and was a two-time first-team all-MAAC choice as well as the conference's Player of the Year for the 1989-90 season. Her teams compiled a 79-33 record.
SIENA
- Billy Harrell: While we weren't around when Harrell played (1949-52), his teams compiled a 70-19 record. The 1949-50 team, of which he swas the leading scorer and rebounder, finished 27-5 and won the National Catholic Invitational Tournament. He was a UPI Honorable Mention All-American in 1952 and, later, went on to play four seasons of major league baseball , three with the Cleveland Indians and one with the Boston Red Sox. He is universally recognized as the best all-around athlete ever produced by New York's Capital Region.
- Lisa (Serafino) Ruggiero: A 5-4 guard who used quickness, a superlative outside shot and court sense to succeed. She averaged 5.1 assists per game in 1992-93 and finished with 364 career assists, No. 7 all-time at Siena. She was also a GTE/CoSIDA Academic First Team selection.
Each member institution has one male and one female basketball-related individual inducted annually. Those honored need not have played in the MAAC, only to have played at schools that are currently affiliated with the conference.
Those selected will attend a dinner event on Saturday, March 8, 1014, at the Hall of Fame Court of Drames, and each honoree will be profiled in the game program for the 2014 MAAC Basketball Championshipo tournament. Honorees will also be recognized at halftime of the men's tournament's quarterfinal round game, session 5 of the event's schedule.
Here's a brief thumbnail description of honorees. Your hoopscribe can't begin to say he the play of all those selected. But, I will include some personal thoughts about some.
CANISIUS
- Frank Swiatek: He played from 1962-65 and led Canisius in scoring and rebounding (22.3 pints, 7.9 rebounds) as a senior. His 1962-63 team ad advanced to the championship game of the NIT.
- Dr. Ellen Conley: She has been primarily an administrator at Canisius since 1970. Under her direction the women's athletic program there was formed and grew from one club-level team to seven varsity teams.
FAIRFIELD
- George Bisacca: He was the head coach of the men's basketball team from 1958-68 and led the program's transition to Division I. In 10 seasons he led the Stags to a 151-87 record and three of his players were drafted by the NBA. Another, Nick Macarchuk, became a successful long-time coach.
- Dianne Nolan: Head coach of the women's team for 28 years, recording 456 career victories, four trips to the NCAA Tournament and one WNIT berth. She was named the conference's Coach of the Year five times. She is currently head coach of the Lafayette women's program.
IONA
- Kevin Hamilton: He scored 1,412 career points, which was fourth on the Gaels' all-time list when he finished his career in the late 1970's. His .883 free-throw percentage for the 1976-77 season still is among the best in school history. His teams recorded an 84-31 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons. He was picked in the fourth round of the NBA draft.
- Celeste Grier-Jonathan: She led her Iona teams from the late 1970's to two Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Regional Appearances. She averaged 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds over her career, while scoring 1,441 career points.
MANHATTAN
- Luis Flores: He began his college career at Rutgers before transferring to Manhattan where he played his final three seasons and scored 2,046 points there, the eighth-best total all time in conference history. His teams of the early 2000's went to two NCAA Tournaments and one NIT. The 6-2 guard was an unyielding competitor who played with an economy of motion. He was a two-time MAAC Player of the Year and two-time MAAC Championship tournament MVP. For sure, one of the top five or six men's players in conference history.
- Marianne Reilly: She played at Manhattan from 1978-82 and became the program's first women's player to surpass 1,000 career points (1,305), along with 860 rebounds. She led the Jaspers to their first-ever winning season as a junior. She is currently the Senior Associate Athletic Director at Fordham, overseeing compliance and eligibility and she also directs the department's lifeskills program and is an administrator for a number of intercollegiate sports.
MARIST
- Mike Hart: A local guy, a product of Poughkeepsie, who stayed home to become a standout at Marist. At 6-5 he was a bit of an undersized forward who was still a force both inside and outside. Despite playi8ng just nine games a junior, due to a leg injury, he still scored 1,343 career points, which was the best on the Marist career list when he graduated. He is still No. 8 on the school's scoring list.
- Julianne Viani: A 5-8 guard, she scored 1,447 career points at Marist, still No. 5 on the career list. She was among the early standouts in current coach Brian Giorgis' tenure at the school and teams she played on recorded a 113-20 overall record. She also had 411 assists, third all-time in Marist history. She is currently a TV sports announcer and has been the analyst for the MAAC women's basketball championships, shown on ESPNU, for the past two seasons.
MONMOUTH
- Ron Kornegay: One of his program's all-time best, a first team all-NAIA selection in 1968 and '69. He was an extremely quick guard who is still Monmouth's all-time leading scorer with 2,526 career points. His teams posted a 112-17 record. He was also the team's coach for 10 years (1977-87) and is currently the director of athletics at Manasuan High School.
- Joan Martin: She has been a fixture at her school in a number of capacities, first as a coach for 13 seasons, beginning in 1969. She also served as softball coach for 11 years and field hockey coach for eight years. She moved into administration on a full-time basis in 1982 and has spearheaded the establishment and growth of women's athletics at the school where it now an 11-sport program.
NIAGARA
- Juan Mendez: We recall him as an irrepressible inside force as a rugged 6-8, 245-pound forward forward, certainly among the top five or six to ever play the position in the MAAC. At Niagara he scored 2,210 career points, fourth best all-time in the conference. He also had 1,053 rebounds, No. 6 on the conference list. In 2005 he became one of just two Purple Eagles to be named to the Associated Press All-America Team, earning honorable mention designation for averaging 23.5 points and 10.6 rebounds. He joined Niagara great Calvin Murphy on that list.
- Joan Thornton: The first scholarship player in Niagara women's basketball history, and the first to surpass the 1,000-point career mark (1,106 points). She is still first in all-time field-goal percentage (62.1) at the school. Her Niagara teams compiled an 84-19 record and she earned first-team Academic All-America honors in 1980.
QUINNIPIAC
- Keith Gaither: A familiar presence at the school's basketball facility for every Bobcats' home game for many years, recognized universally at the school as the No. 1 fan for both the men's and women's programs. Being relegated to a wheelchair and slowed by cerebral palsy has not dimmed his passion for basketball at the school. Quinnipiac honored him two years ago, declaring him as the Bobcats' No. 1 fan, and he was greeted with a standing ovation.
- Pat Hayes: A behind-the-scenes contributor, she is accounting secretary in the Bursar's Office at the school. She regularly interacts with students and student-athletes, always with a smile and a kind word, as well as being one of the most-dedicated fans of school athletics. She was recognized in 1999 with the school's "Behind the Scenes Award," and, again, in 2004 with the university's Excellence in Service to Students Award.
RIDER
- Jack Madden: A two-sport standout (1956-59), he scored 1,341 points with 800 rebounds in basketball and was also an outstanding pitcher on the school's baseball team. He signed with the Cincinnati Reds following his junior season, but went on to a prolific career as a professional basketball official both in the NBA and ABA. He is one of only seven officials to have worked 25 NBA Championships.
- Kelly Eckardt-Zawodny: She was a star during the school's early years of Division I basketball, finishing with 1,652 career points and 848 rebounds. She averaged 21.9 points as a senior and was a three-time team MVP while at Rider.
SAINT PETER'S
- Don Kennedy: He is the school's all-time winningest men's basketball coach with a record of 323-1985 from 1950 to 1972. His teams went to five NIT events and he coached eight 1,000-point scorers. His teams posted winning records in 19 of his 22 seasons, including a program record 24 victories in 1967-68, when it finished fourth in the NIT.
- Tonya Grant: A dominant force in the paint from 1986-90 who finished her career at the school as its all-time leading scorer (2,020 points) and fourth-leading rebounder (964). She is currently the conference's fifth all-time leading scorer and was a two-time first-team all-MAAC choice as well as the conference's Player of the Year for the 1989-90 season. Her teams compiled a 79-33 record.
SIENA
- Billy Harrell: While we weren't around when Harrell played (1949-52), his teams compiled a 70-19 record. The 1949-50 team, of which he swas the leading scorer and rebounder, finished 27-5 and won the National Catholic Invitational Tournament. He was a UPI Honorable Mention All-American in 1952 and, later, went on to play four seasons of major league baseball , three with the Cleveland Indians and one with the Boston Red Sox. He is universally recognized as the best all-around athlete ever produced by New York's Capital Region.
- Lisa (Serafino) Ruggiero: A 5-4 guard who used quickness, a superlative outside shot and court sense to succeed. She averaged 5.1 assists per game in 1992-93 and finished with 364 career assists, No. 7 all-time at Siena. She was also a GTE/CoSIDA Academic First Team selection.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Preview of Coming Attractions: Much Ahead For Blog
The team-by-team recruiting/newcomer reports are done. So, what's next for "Keepin' Track of the MAAC?"
Plenty. A few weeks ago we mentioned that we would identify all-time top stories from our conference.
Your blogger had diligently been compiling a list that was originally meant to be a top 10. The quick realization was that there was just too much to limit it to that number.
So, the plan now is to go with a "Terrific 32," a number that matches the length of years of the conference's existence. And, believe me, there is no shortage of candidates.
Your blogger has been around for most of that, having covered the MAAC in some form or other since its very beginning. Back when the conference was formed in 1981 I was working for a newspaper in Middletown, N.Y., and covering then-conference member Army.
In 1985 I made a move back to New York's Capital Region and covered Siena, which joined the conference in 1989.
Since then, my MAAC coverage has been continuous, either at newspaper locales or via this blog.
The "Terrific 32" list will be self-produced, my own thoughts of the all-time best stories from men's and women's programs.
There is no criteria ... this won't be like the major league all-star game; each team won't necessarily be represented.
This will be an on-going process throughout the coming season. We'll be recalling one of the top stories every few days throughout the 2013-14 season. They will be in reverse order starting with No. 32 and, then, counting down to No. 1.
Each "highlight" will be relatively comprehensive, both with description and personal observations.
ALSO, as the season approaches we'll be producing the annual team previews for every men's and women's program.
Your blogger did a men's league preview for The Sporting News' annual College Basketball Preview Issue. But, space limitations of national publications of that sort make those previews relatively brief.
This blog has no such space limitations, so there will be plenty of insight about each and every MAAC program in the upcoming previews.
The team-by-team previews will start around the time of the beginning of non-league games and continue throughout most of November as we head toward conference play.
So, check in early and often not only for the upcoming team previews and the "Terrific 32" list, but plenty of other news, perspective, insight and just about anything else from around the MAAC.
Plenty. A few weeks ago we mentioned that we would identify all-time top stories from our conference.
Your blogger had diligently been compiling a list that was originally meant to be a top 10. The quick realization was that there was just too much to limit it to that number.
So, the plan now is to go with a "Terrific 32," a number that matches the length of years of the conference's existence. And, believe me, there is no shortage of candidates.
Your blogger has been around for most of that, having covered the MAAC in some form or other since its very beginning. Back when the conference was formed in 1981 I was working for a newspaper in Middletown, N.Y., and covering then-conference member Army.
In 1985 I made a move back to New York's Capital Region and covered Siena, which joined the conference in 1989.
Since then, my MAAC coverage has been continuous, either at newspaper locales or via this blog.
The "Terrific 32" list will be self-produced, my own thoughts of the all-time best stories from men's and women's programs.
There is no criteria ... this won't be like the major league all-star game; each team won't necessarily be represented.
This will be an on-going process throughout the coming season. We'll be recalling one of the top stories every few days throughout the 2013-14 season. They will be in reverse order starting with No. 32 and, then, counting down to No. 1.
Each "highlight" will be relatively comprehensive, both with description and personal observations.
ALSO, as the season approaches we'll be producing the annual team previews for every men's and women's program.
Your blogger did a men's league preview for The Sporting News' annual College Basketball Preview Issue. But, space limitations of national publications of that sort make those previews relatively brief.
This blog has no such space limitations, so there will be plenty of insight about each and every MAAC program in the upcoming previews.
The team-by-team previews will start around the time of the beginning of non-league games and continue throughout most of November as we head toward conference play.
So, check in early and often not only for the upcoming team previews and the "Terrific 32" list, but plenty of other news, perspective, insight and just about anything else from around the MAAC.
Former Maryland Coach Gary Williams Visits Siena
It's not an every day occurrence for someone with a world championship ring to visit a MAAC athletic team, so it's always a big event when it happens.
At Siena, in recent years, Rollie Massimino (Villanova, 1985) attended a practice and spoke to the Saints. His staff for that championship team included Mitch Buonaguro, Siena's head coach for the past three seasons; and, Marty Marbach, who lived in upstate New York for several years and served as radio color commentator for the Siena men's games.
Former NFL head coach and Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells, who has a home in Saratoga Springs, also stopped in to visit the team a couple of years ago.
And, Tuesday, it was Gary Williams, the head coach of the 2001-02 Maryland national championship team, who accepted an invitation from current Saints' head coach Jimmy Patsos, to spend two days around the Siena program.
The connection between Williams and Patsos is cemented by Patsos' 13 years as an assistant on Williams' Maryland staff.
Coincidentally, Maryland's first game on its national championship run in 2002 came with an 85-70 first-round victory over Siena.
Two nights earlier Siena had to advance to its meeting with Maryland by knocking off Alcorn State, in Dayton, in a play-in round contest.
Siena stayed close to Maryland for a few minutes, trailing by just a point, 18-17, with 14:40 remaining. Maryland then went on a 15-3 run to start to break things open. The winners' lead was up to 19 late in the first half before Siena cut it to 14 at the break.
Maryland put it away with a 15-2 run early in the second half for a 67-44 lead. The winners used reserves for the last seven or eight minutes of the game, enabling Siena to cut the final margin to 15. And, if memory serves, that was the smallest margin of any Maryland game that tournament prior to its 12-point victory over Indiana in the championship contest.
"Siena was right there and, then, we played well in the second half," Williams recalled to reporters at Siena's practice on Tuesday.
It's no surprise that Williams would make the visit, out of respect for his long-time assistant and friend, Patsos.
And, it was Patsos who prepared the scouting report for Maryland's 2002 NCAA tournament victory over Siena.
Maryland had a team, back then, that included four future NBA players in guards Juan Dixon and Steve Blake and forwards Lonny Baxter and Chris Wilcox. Dixon had a game-high 29 points in the game against Siena.
Siena got 16 points from forward James Clinton, and 14 points from Dwayne Archbold and 13 from Andy Cavo in the contest.
"Siena was good ... that was a very good basketball team," said the 68-year old Williams, who retired two years ago with 668 career victories over 33 years as a head coach.
Williams, who also coached at American University, Boston College and Ohio State, usually employed an up-tempo, pressure style of play that Patsos favored at his previous position as Loyola's head coach and is currently installing at Siena.
"He (Patsos) was my assistant for 13 years at Maryland, and he was a big part of my success," said Williams. "We've been friends ever since."
Patsos is quick to credit Williams.
"Most of the stuff we do is from him," said Patsos. "He was very influential in (getting) this job. Right away he said, `That's a job you've got to try to get ... basketball job, great city.' He talked to John D'Argenio (Siena's athletic director) to help me get this job."
"Williams spoke to Siena's players prior to their team workout on Tuesday. Each Siena player introduced himself and gave his name and hometown.
Williams spoke to the Saints about the excitement of the upcoming season and the importance of helping the team improve with their daily practice effort.
Williams also attended a dinner at a local restaurant on Monday to meet with team boosters and took a brief tour of the area Tuesday morning, including a stop at the Times Union Center, Siena's home court for games.
At Siena, in recent years, Rollie Massimino (Villanova, 1985) attended a practice and spoke to the Saints. His staff for that championship team included Mitch Buonaguro, Siena's head coach for the past three seasons; and, Marty Marbach, who lived in upstate New York for several years and served as radio color commentator for the Siena men's games.
Former NFL head coach and Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells, who has a home in Saratoga Springs, also stopped in to visit the team a couple of years ago.
And, Tuesday, it was Gary Williams, the head coach of the 2001-02 Maryland national championship team, who accepted an invitation from current Saints' head coach Jimmy Patsos, to spend two days around the Siena program.
The connection between Williams and Patsos is cemented by Patsos' 13 years as an assistant on Williams' Maryland staff.
Coincidentally, Maryland's first game on its national championship run in 2002 came with an 85-70 first-round victory over Siena.
Two nights earlier Siena had to advance to its meeting with Maryland by knocking off Alcorn State, in Dayton, in a play-in round contest.
Siena stayed close to Maryland for a few minutes, trailing by just a point, 18-17, with 14:40 remaining. Maryland then went on a 15-3 run to start to break things open. The winners' lead was up to 19 late in the first half before Siena cut it to 14 at the break.
Maryland put it away with a 15-2 run early in the second half for a 67-44 lead. The winners used reserves for the last seven or eight minutes of the game, enabling Siena to cut the final margin to 15. And, if memory serves, that was the smallest margin of any Maryland game that tournament prior to its 12-point victory over Indiana in the championship contest.
"Siena was right there and, then, we played well in the second half," Williams recalled to reporters at Siena's practice on Tuesday.
It's no surprise that Williams would make the visit, out of respect for his long-time assistant and friend, Patsos.
And, it was Patsos who prepared the scouting report for Maryland's 2002 NCAA tournament victory over Siena.
Maryland had a team, back then, that included four future NBA players in guards Juan Dixon and Steve Blake and forwards Lonny Baxter and Chris Wilcox. Dixon had a game-high 29 points in the game against Siena.
Siena got 16 points from forward James Clinton, and 14 points from Dwayne Archbold and 13 from Andy Cavo in the contest.
"Siena was good ... that was a very good basketball team," said the 68-year old Williams, who retired two years ago with 668 career victories over 33 years as a head coach.
Williams, who also coached at American University, Boston College and Ohio State, usually employed an up-tempo, pressure style of play that Patsos favored at his previous position as Loyola's head coach and is currently installing at Siena.
"He (Patsos) was my assistant for 13 years at Maryland, and he was a big part of my success," said Williams. "We've been friends ever since."
Patsos is quick to credit Williams.
"Most of the stuff we do is from him," said Patsos. "He was very influential in (getting) this job. Right away he said, `That's a job you've got to try to get ... basketball job, great city.' He talked to John D'Argenio (Siena's athletic director) to help me get this job."
"Williams spoke to Siena's players prior to their team workout on Tuesday. Each Siena player introduced himself and gave his name and hometown.
Williams spoke to the Saints about the excitement of the upcoming season and the importance of helping the team improve with their daily practice effort.
Williams also attended a dinner at a local restaurant on Monday to meet with team boosters and took a brief tour of the area Tuesday morning, including a stop at the Times Union Center, Siena's home court for games.
Recruiting: Quinnipiac Women Add Two Good Ones
Here's the last of the series looking at newcomers joining conference teams for the upcoming season.
Up now ...
QUINNIPIAC WOMEN
- Morgan Manz, a 6-foot-1 freshman forward: She played four varsity seasons in high school, the last three with The Taft School in Watertown, Conn. No high school stats available, but she is versatile enough to have played point guard in high school for a portion of her career before moving up front. We saw her play in the 2011 GymRat AAU tournament, and here's the report on her from that event: "Big, solid body. Typical power forward skills, yet a nice touch from the perimeter. She moves well for her size and strength. Good, strong player who knows how to use her strength to her advantage on both ends of the court." Here's what Quinnipiac coach Tricia Fabbri said about Manz, in a release issued by the school: "Morgan fits that versatile power forward position that can really shoot the ball. She has tremendous deep three-point range with a super quick release. We are excited to have her join our squad and can make an immediate impact for us."
- Brianah Ramos, 5-9 freshman guard: She played at the high school level at DePaul H.S. in New Jersey where she averaged about 18 points per game this past season. She was an all-New Jersey all-star selection for this past season. She was also her school's class salutatorian. "Brianna is a really strong athlete who comes from a great high school program," said Fabbri. "I'm excited that she's here. She can be explosive offensively but she is also a tremendous defender. She is a great addition to the program."
ANALYSIS: The program doesn't need a lot of immediate help, not after finishing with 30 victories last season and having eight of its top nine layers returning. But, Manz is a good one, based on personal observation. She should get into the playing group quickly and eventually be a factor in the conference. And, Ramos is an explosive, athletic guard who should also make some early contributions. Those two should help ensure Quinnipiac's recent run of success will continue in future seasons.
Up now ...
QUINNIPIAC WOMEN
- Morgan Manz, a 6-foot-1 freshman forward: She played four varsity seasons in high school, the last three with The Taft School in Watertown, Conn. No high school stats available, but she is versatile enough to have played point guard in high school for a portion of her career before moving up front. We saw her play in the 2011 GymRat AAU tournament, and here's the report on her from that event: "Big, solid body. Typical power forward skills, yet a nice touch from the perimeter. She moves well for her size and strength. Good, strong player who knows how to use her strength to her advantage on both ends of the court." Here's what Quinnipiac coach Tricia Fabbri said about Manz, in a release issued by the school: "Morgan fits that versatile power forward position that can really shoot the ball. She has tremendous deep three-point range with a super quick release. We are excited to have her join our squad and can make an immediate impact for us."
- Brianah Ramos, 5-9 freshman guard: She played at the high school level at DePaul H.S. in New Jersey where she averaged about 18 points per game this past season. She was an all-New Jersey all-star selection for this past season. She was also her school's class salutatorian. "Brianna is a really strong athlete who comes from a great high school program," said Fabbri. "I'm excited that she's here. She can be explosive offensively but she is also a tremendous defender. She is a great addition to the program."
ANALYSIS: The program doesn't need a lot of immediate help, not after finishing with 30 victories last season and having eight of its top nine layers returning. But, Manz is a good one, based on personal observation. She should get into the playing group quickly and eventually be a factor in the conference. And, Ramos is an explosive, athletic guard who should also make some early contributions. Those two should help ensure Quinnipiac's recent run of success will continue in future seasons.
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