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Notables

News and notes from around D-III

Updated Nov. 27, 2002

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Preseason players picked
It's time for our preseason All-America selections, including the best five teams with a player at each position.

With all the seniors on the men's team, it simply reinforces our belief that it's going to be a dogfight to get to Salem for this year's Final Four.

There are more juniors in high positions on the women's team, so perhaps it might take a while before teams establish themselves and someone might make a late run to Terre Haute.

Catholic University center Matt Hilleary holds down a spot on the first team after averaging 17.4 points and 9.2 rebounds in just 25 minutes a game while shooting 57% from the floor and 76% from the line.

Westfield player dies on court
WESTFIELD, Mass. — Richard Cofield, a freshman basketball player at Westfield State, collapsed during a routine practice at Parenzo Hall late Wednesday, Oct. 16, and was pronounced dead at Noble Hospital that evening. He was 19.

Paramedics at the scene were unable to revive the East Taunton, Mass., native. The cause of death has not been determined.

"We are all very saddened by Richard's sudden passing and extend deepest sympathy to his family, friends, teammates, and teachers," said Arthur R. Jackson, vice president of student affairs.

College staff has met with the basketball team to assist them in dealing with the situation, Jackson said. Cofield lived on campus and was studying criminal justice.

"Rick Cofield was a giant of a human being, a truly beautiful young man," said head coach Rich Sutter. "He was completely dedicated to his family as well as our basketball team. As my wife and I prepare to start our own family we pray that our child will inherit all the wonderful qualities present in Ricky. He will forever be part of our program and we will use his life as a model for our present and future players to emulate."

Cofield is the second Westfield State student-athlete to die tragically this semester, as a car accident claimed the life of women's soccer player Justine Crocker.

"It's a close-knit campus community, so we are all touched by this tragic series of losses," said Jeanne Julian, public affairs director.

Fontbonne's McKinney beats cancer, again
For Fontbonne head men's coach, Lee McKinney, Oct. 15th could not come fast enough. Along with being the first day of his 41st season, it was also his first day back on campus following a successful battle with lung cancer.

This was McKinney's second win over a familiar opponent. Seven years ago eh also defeated colon cancer. Since that time he has been a major supporter of the program Coaches vs. Cancer.

McKinney said, "as a coach you ask your athletes to play each game as if it was their last. Now I'm practicing what I've preached, living everyday as if it was my last."

McKinney is entering his 15th year as the athletic director and head coach at Fontbonne, located in St. Louis. He is just seven wins shy of 700 for his career. Along with his duties at Fontbonne he also serves as the president of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and entering his second year as a member of the NCAA Nominating Committee.

Bethany hires Huffman for men's program
BETHANY, W.Va. — Bethany has announced that Aaron Huffman will be the 23rd head men's basketball coach in the program's 95-year history.

Huffman, who was an assistant for Dan Petri at Division II West Liberty State for the last season, succeeds Rob Clune, who left Bethany after seven years to become the head coach at Allegheny.

"I would like to thank (athletic director) Jan Forsty and the entire Bethany College administration for giving me this opportunity," said Huffman. "I am extremely excited about the chance to coach in an area that I have been so familiar with throughout my life.

With more than 30 applications for the position, there were many qualified candidates for the position. But Forsty is happy that the best candidate was just 4 miles away.

"By receiving more than 30 résumés for the position, we were able to consider coaches on all levels," said Forsty. "But I feel we were very fortunate that the best candidate was in our own backyard, which will hopefully allow for an easier adjustment period."

Huffman played one year of junior college basketball at Penn State-McKeesport in 1991-92 before beginning his coaching career at Waynesburg High School. Huffman served as the head ninth grade boys' coach from 1994-96, the head junior varsity boys coach in 1996-97 and the varsity boys' defensive, speed and strength coach from 1997-99. In his final year with Waynesburg High, he co-coached the team to a 17-9 record and a berth in the Pennsylvania state playoffs.

While coaching at the high school ranks, Huffman was also attending West Virginia University. He graduated cum laude in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education with a minor in Mathematics. He went on to earn his Masters degree from WVU in Athletic Coaching Education in 2000 and is currently enrolled in the WVU doctoral program and began coursework in Higher Education Leadership.

In 1999, Huffman's collegiate coaching career began at Waynesburg. He served under Marisa, assisting in spring/summer recruiting and basketball camp coordination for six months before moving on to West Liberty. From 1999-2001, Huffman was on Ullom's staff as the Lady Hilltoppers posted back-to-back WVIAC regular season and tournament championships. It was his work with the guards from those teams that helped the women's team record the second-best three-pointers made per game nationally in 2000 and the highest mark in the country in the 2001 season.

Last year, Huffman moved over to the men's program, which he helped guide to a 14-14 finish and a sixth-place finish in the WVIAC. As recruiting coordinator for the Hilltoppers, he had a large hand in signing what is considered a very strong recruiting class for 02-03.

Bethany's first practice came on the same day that he was officially named the team's coach. "I told the team in our first meeting that we need to stress communication," said Huffman. "Communication is crucial in any venture. I want to focus on getting to know the players, not just in practice but also informally and individually. I want them to get to know me as more than just their coach but also as someone they can turn to in any situation."

While last year's 21-8 team that won its second consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference title and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament lost a lot of players, including the program's all-time leading scorer Keith Schubert, the Bison cupboard is far from bare.

"I know that Coach Clune did an incredible job building the program," said Huffman. "I know that Mike Majzun (14.2 ppg.) and Derek Hoffman (8.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg) are very solid players that are returning. That's really all I know about the returning players. I have also seen a couple of the freshmen play, like the Drahos brothers (Mike and Matt from John Marshall High School) and I watched Jacob Dailer (Wheeling Central) win the state title in Charleston last year. But I am really looking forward to seeing what else we have."

Just 29 years old, Huffman is the second-youngest head coach in Bethany's history.

Notables 2003-pres.

2003 Notables
February 15-28
February 1-14
January 16-31
January 1-15

2002 Notables
December 16-31
December 1-15
November
October-early Nov.
September-October
June-August
May
March-April
February 22-28
February 15-21
February 8-14
February 1-7
January 22-31
January 15-21
January 8-14
January 1-7