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Amherst and Holy Cross to be Honored 10/2/2006 KINGSTON, RI - The New England Basketball Hall of Fame has announced a new award that recognizes New England college basketball programs, which encourage classroom achievement, athletic success, and post-graduate career success. The first two recipients of the Halls Scholar-Athlete Program of Excellence Award are the mens basketball program at Amherst College and the womens basketball program at the College of the Holy Cross. The coaches of those two programs, Dave Hixon and Bill Gibbons, respectively, will accept the prestigious award during the 2006 New England Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Oct. 6 at the Ryan Center at the University of Rhode Island. ``This is the most important award we have ever given at the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, said Daniel E. Doyle, Jr., executive director of the Institute for International Sport, which administers the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. All too often, a number of college athletes leave school without the skills required by a global economy, Doyle said. For this reason, its extremely important to recognize intercollegiate basketball programs which are committed to developing the whole person and not just the athlete. Based on all of the factors we considered, we concluded that there are no finer intercollegiate basketball programs in America than the Amherst men and the Holy Cross women. Consider the following: · Under the leadership of Coaches Gibbons and Hixon, the graduation rates of both programs are nearly 100%. · In the 21-year tenure of Coach Gibbons, the Holy Cross womens program has compiled a record of 429-197. The team has gone to 12 post-season tournaments. · In the 29-year tenure of Coach Hixon, the Amherst mens program has compiled a record of 520-219. The team has been nationally ranked on a consistent basis, and has competed in 2 Division III Final Fours, 2 Elite 8s and 2 Sweet Sixteens in the past 12 years. And many of the former players from both programs have gone on to distinguished careers. Amherst basketball alumni who have found considerable success after leaving the game include bestselling author Harlan Coben, whose books, TELL NO ONE, NO SECOND CHANCE and PROMISE ME, are published worldwide; actor Ken Howard, star of the popular television series, The White Shadow, and former NFL tight end Jean Fugett, a successful lawyer, businessman and, at one time, a reporter for the Washington Post. Other Amherst luminaries, both on and off the court, include Jim Rehnquist, an All-American, who was the first Division III player to be inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, Greg Cosell, a documentary film maker and senior producer for NFL Films, and Dave Hixon who has coached Amhersts mens program for the past 30 years, compiling 520 wins. Hixon said it was ``humbling to learn that the New England Basketball Hall of Fame had chosen Amherst as one of the first two recipients of the Scholar-Athlete Program of Excellence Award. ``Certainly were very proud and honored. This is about a long-term commitment by people to the ideals to which college basketball programs should aspire. Its about a body of work as opposed to one or two years, he said. The womens basketball program at Holy Cross has similarly seen many of its players go on to successful, varied careers. They include: *Lauren Maney George, class of 96, who graduated with a grade point average of 3.65 while racking up 1,721 points on the court, who is now an attorney working as a forensic auditor for the federal government. *Monika Rothemich, class of 01, the only Holy Cross basketball player, male or female, to compete in four NCAA Tournaments, who is currently a medical student at Georgetown University. *Janet Hourihan Brooks, class of 86, who holds the record for rebounds as a Crusader, with 1,178, who is a corporate human resources executive. *Dr. Kathleen Courtney, class of 97, one of the 15 COSIDA Academic All-Americans at Holy Cross in Gibbons tenure, who is a pediatrician practicing in Winchester, Mass. Bill Gibbons, the coach of Holy Cross womens team, said he has always talked to his players about ``academic success being number one in our program and basketball number two and that the lessons that one learns in both areas will prove to be invaluable upon graduation. ``Were thrilled to receive this prestigious award, Gibbons said. Presentation of the Scholar-Athlete Program of Excellence Award will be one of the highlights of this years induction ceremony, which is expected to draw approximately 1,000 people to the Kingston campus of URI. The Friday evening event begins at 7 p.m. at the Ryan Center. Tickets cost $125 per person and can be purchased by calling Dr. Malcolm Mac Kenzie at 9401) 874-2673 or by visiting the Institutes website at: www.internationalsport.com/basketball/bhof_ticket.cfm. |
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Phone: 1-800-447-9889(401) 874-2375Fax: (401) 874-2429E-Mail: info@internationalsport.com
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Institute for International Sport
c/o International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame The Feinstein Building, University of Rhode Island 3045 Kingstown Road, P.O. Box 1710 Kingston, Rhode Island 02881-1710 |
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