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Notables

News and notes from around D-III

September-October 2002

Buff State women hire Moss as head coach
Buffalo State named Jerome Moss its fifth women's basketball coach since the varsity program's inception in 1965. Vice President for Student Affairs Hal Payne and Athletics Director Jerry Boyes made the announcement.

Moss inherits the program after Fred Batchelor resigned to take the head coaching position at Division II Elizabeth City State. The Bengals won their ninth SUNYAC championship last season, and made their 11th appearance in the NCAA playoffs while posting a 25-4 record.

Moss comes to Buffalo State with 18 years of coaching experience on his résumé, most recently serving as the first assistant coach with SUNYAC rival Fredonia State for the past two seasons. At Fredonia, Moss' duties included assisting with the planning and running of practices, recruiting and gameday coaching. In his first season with the team, he helped lead the Blue Devils to the conference semifinals for the first time in the program's history and a 16-10 record, one win shy of a school best.

From 1995 through 2000, Moss served as the head coach for the Forrestville Central High School boys varsity team, and was named the Chautauqua County Division III Coach of the Year in his first season. Prior to that experience, he was an assistant with Fredonia State and Elmira Colleges mens teams. Moss has also worked as a basketball referee and as an instructor with several summer camps.

As a player, Moss played two seasons at Hudson Valley Community College before transferring to Fredonia where he was an All-SUNYAC performer and the teams most valuable player as a junior.

"We are very pleased to welcome Jerome to our program," Boyes said. "We are confident that he is the right person to continue the tradition of women's basketball at Buffalo State College."

I am excited to come to a program with such a rich history of success," Moss said. "I look forward to the challenge of maintaining and building on that success in the coming years."

Moss holds a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in special studies from Fredonia State. He will also serve as the department's academic coordinator.

B-W gets boost from returnee
BEREA, Ohio — Baldwin-Wallace got a giant boost when D3hoops.com All-Region honoree Shawn McCormick decided to enroll in MBA classes and use his final year of eligibility.

McCormick, who received his undergraduate degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance, is a 6-4 guard/forward who has the ability to play both inside and outside. He returns as a three-year All-Ohio Athletic Conference and two-time All-Great Lakes Region player who has scored 1,345 points and grabbed 407 rebounds while shooting 51% from the floor, 41% from 3-point range and 89% from the foul line.

McCormick's 1,345 career points rank 12th in Yellow Jacket history. He has led B-W in scoring each of the past three seasons, including a year ago when he averaged a career-high 17.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

"We are pleased that Shawn will return for his final year as a Yellow Jacket," said veteran head coach Steve Bankson. "This is a great opportunity for Shawn to work on his Master's degree, play basketball and continue working at his current job."

Following undergraduate graduation in May, McCormick began working at an bank in Berea while considering his options. He will continue while attending master's classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

"It will be tough but we were able to work out a schedule that allows me to continue my work at the bank at close to 40 hours per week, begin taking master's classes that will progress me toward an MBA degree in the future and be able to attend practices and games," said McCormick. "Athletics have taught me a great deal about prioritizing, discipline and hard work. Now I will have to put it to work in all three areas."

Messiah women lead Division III in GPA
Messiah made a repeat finish in first-place on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll this year. The school has ranked in the Top 25 for five of the past six seasons.

"We train athletes to grow and achieve with excellence in all aspects of their lives, which would include good athletics, academics, relationships and spiritual development," said head coach Mike Miller, who is entering his 17th year at the helm of the Falcons.

His 247 wins place him atop the all-time wins list at Messiah. In 2001-02, Messiah (23-4 overall, 13-2 MAC Commonwealth) also finished No. 18 in the final D3hoops.com Top 25. The 3.733 GPA was the highest among any four-year school, easily outdistancing the 3.685 at NAIA Concordia (Neb.).

Bethany men's coach heads to Allegheny
MEADVILLE, Pa. — Allegheny interim athletic director Maureen Hager announced that Rob Clune, a former Gator assistant coach, has been named heads men’s basketball coach. Clune, who has been the head coach at Bethany for the last seven seasons, replaces Phil Ness, the all-time men’s basketball wins leader, who resigned to become a major gifts officer in the Development Office at Allegheny.

“It’s great to have Rob returning to Allegheny as head coach of our men’s basketball program,” Hager said. “Rob’s history of success as a head coach and his familiarity with Allegheny only add to our well-established program.”

Clune becomes the 17th head coach in the 106-year history of Gator basketball, and just the sixth in the last 59 years since Robert Garbark began his 19-year stint in 1943.

“We’re very excited about returning to the Allegheny and Meadville communities,” Clune said. “Personally, I’m thrilled to be rejoining a basketball program that is rich in tradition going back to Norm Sundstrom and up through John Reynders and Phil Ness. I am very privileged to be carrying on that tradition.”

Clune has spent the last seven seasons as head coach at Bethany, where he rebuilt the men’s basketball program, which is coming off the best season in Bethany history. He compiled a 69-111 career coaching record, after inheriting a team that had one winning season in the 15 years preceding his arrival. Clune also was named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2002.

“Rob brings outstanding coaching credentials, experience, success and passion for the game to this position,” said incoming Director of Athletics Larry Lee. “It was apparent as an assistant at Allegheny that Rob loved teaching the game of basketball to young people, this passion obviously assisted him in building a very strong program as the head coach at Bethany. I could not be more pleased with all of the qualities he has displayed and the experience he brings to our staff and I look forward to working very closely with Rob in the very near future.”

Last season, Clune led the Bison to a 21-6 record and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. It was the most wins in a single season at Bethany and the school’s first tournament berth since 1982. The Bison went on to post a win in the tournament, Bethany’s first since 1978, before losing in the second round to eventual national champion, Otterbein.

Clune first came to Allegheny as men’s basketball assistant under Ness in October 1989. He helped in recruiting the core of players that went on to win the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship and earn an NCAA Tournament bid after his departure. Clune also was an assistant coach at Plattsburgh State for one year.

“I feel that my familiarity with Allegheny and Meadville will have a great impact for me as the new head coach,” Clune commented. “I spent seven years recruiting for the Gators and knowing the school will give me a tremendous advantage going into the new job.”

As a player, Clune helped the State University of New York at Albany to three NCAA Tournament appearances, earning first team All-SUNYAC honors his senior season. He was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. He graduated from Albany State in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is currently nearing completion of a master’s in athletic coaching from West Virginia.

Upon graduation from Albany, Clune continued his playing career overseas, playing for Club Polisen in Stockholm, Sweden, from 1981-83. He led his team to a playoff spot in the Swedish First Division.

Clune and his wife, Linda, have two children, Trevor (7) and Jason (4).

Hilbert names RIT assistant head men's coach
HAMBURG, N.Y. — Robert deGrandpre has been named sports information director and head men's basketball coach at Hilbert.

deGrandpre will take on the programs to allow former coach Richard Walsh to concentrate on his administrative responsibilities as Hilbert's director of athletics.

"Rob is an outstanding coach who will continue the strong tradition of Hilbert's competitive men's basketball program," said Walsh. "He's a tireless recruiter who will work hard to attract top quality student-athletes to the college."

For the past three seasons deGrandpre has served as assistant men's basketball coach at the Rochester Institute of Technology, helping the Tigers to three consecutive postseason appearances, including a trip to the second round of the 2000 Division III NCAA Tournament.

Previously, he was assistant men's basketball coach at Brockport State College. The Golden Eagles made trips to the 1997 and 1998 NCAA Division III Tournament, reaching the Sweet 16 round in 1997.

During the past three summers, deGrandpre has worked with some of Western New York's finest amateur players while serving as assistant basketball coach for the Western team at the Empire State Games. The 2000 team brought home a silver medal.

"With the outstanding job Rob did as assistant at RIT and Brockport, I'm confident he's ready to lead his own basketball program," said Walsh.

As a student-athlete at Brockport State, deGrandpre was a point guard for the Golden Eagles and helped them win a SUNYAC title, earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years.

A Plattsburgh, N.Y., native, deGrandpre holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from Brockport State where he is currently completing work on a master's.

By Mike Lovett, Brandeis Chris Ford lost three seniors from last year's team, including Rashad Williams, the all-time leading scorer.

Nonetheless, Chris Ford will return for a second season as head men's basketball coach at Brandeis, director of athletics Jeff Cohen.

"I enjoyed my time at Brandeis last season," Ford said. "I think we can be even more successful this year, with a year of recruiting. I am looking forward to continuing the challenge."

As an interim coach brought in just before the season in 2001-02, Ford, who played for and coached the Boston Celtics, helped Brandeis improve by three games overall last season to 8-17, including a two-game improvement to 3-11 in the UAA. The Judges' 2001-02 season matched their best year of the previous five.

"We are extremely pleased that coach Ford has decided to return for another season," Cohen said. "The team made great strides under his guidance last season, and we expect to see that improvement continue."

Last year was Ford's first as a head coach at the collegiate level after nine seasons as a head coach in the NBA. He spent five seasons with Celtics (1990-95) and two each with the Milwaukee Bucks (1996-98) and Los Angeles Clippers (1998-2000). Ford was also an assistant coach under K.C. Jones for the Celtics' championship teams in 1984 and 1986.

Lehman hires
former WNBA
star as asst.
BRONX — Lehman has hired WNBA veteran Tora Suber as an assistant women's basketball coach. Suber, 27, is a 1997 graduate of the University of Virginia and was a finalist for the Naismith award as a senior

"We are excited to welcome Tora to the Lehman College women's basketball staff," said Lehman head coach Eric Harrison. "Tora brings a great deal of experience, professionalism, and a winning attitude which will help in the continued growth of our basketball program."

Upon completion of her college career at Virginia, Suber was the 7th overall pick in the 1997 WNBA Draft. She spent two seasons as the starting point guard for the Charlotte Sting, before moving on to the Orlando Miracle. After two seasons with the Miracle, Suber suffered a knee injury that sidelined the 5-8 guard for the 2002 season.

Suber joins a Lightning program that has gone 41-11 over the past two seasons. In addition, the Lightning has compiled a 24-2 CUNY Athletic Conference mark during that span including a berth in the 2002 championship game. Lehman, which led the nation in scoring following the 2000-01 season, has qualified for the ECAC tournament the last two years.

Washington & Lee hires interim women's coach
LEXINGTON, Va. — Washington and Lee athletic director Mike Walsh has announced that Washington and Lee head volleyball coach Bryan Snyder will serve as the interim women's coach for the 2002-03 season. Snyder had served as the women's assistant coach each of the past two seasons in addition to his volleyball coaching duties.

"We are very fortunate to have a coach of Bryan's caliber on our staff and willing to coach and direct the women's basketball program this year," said Walsh. "He is one of our most successful coaches and is very familiar with the women's basketball team. Because of the timing of this opening, we decided to suspend our current search and to reopen the search for a replacement at a later date. As an alumnus, Bryan has a deep affection for the University and our players are very pleased with his selection."

"I just want to maintain and build upon the recent successes the women's basketball program has had while a search continues to find a permanent head coach," said Snyder. I'm very excited about this opportunity to work with such a great group of young people and I feel that it will be a positive experience for everyone involved."

Snyder has guided the W&L volleyball program to a 50-15 (.769) overall record during his two years, winning the ODAC Championship and advancing to the NCAA South Region Semifinals last season with a 30-5 overall mark. He was named the ODAC and Virginia College Division Coach of the Year following the season.

"Coach Snyder is the perfect choice for the interim head coach of women's basketball," said senior guard Elizabeth Igo. "He is well-respected as a coach and person by all the members of the team and is a great fit for the women's basketball program."

A 1995 W&L graduate with a bachelor of science in mathematics and physics/engineering, Snyder served as the head volleyball coach and sports information director at St. Mary's (Md.) for two seasons before returning to his alma mater. His Seahawk volleyball squads posted a 41-25 mark during his two seasons.

A national search for a permanent head coach will resume near the completion of the 2002-03 season.

NCAA approves 17 members
The NCAA management council approved the active membership of 17 new institutions, paving the way for a possible limited expansion of the men's and women's basketball tournament brackets.

Baptist Bible, Bay Path, Dominican (Ill.), D'Youville, Husson, LeTourneau, Medaille, Mt. Ida, Peace, Penn State-Altoona, Philadelphia Bible, Pitt-Greensburg, Texas-Dallas, Schreiner, SUNY-Farmingdale, Texas Lutheran and Westminster (Pa.) completed their transition to Division III and would be eligible for the 2003 championships.

That brings the total of eligible men's teams to 367 (Peace has women only), making it possible for a 49-team tournament to be held in 2003. With 17 new women's members, and one championship slot for every 7.5 eligible teams, the women's bracket could go to 52 teams.

The council also recommended for legislation a new championships format that would allow for one playoff spot for every 6.5 teams. However, no change would go into effect before the 2005-06 season. A ratio of 1-to-6.5 would mean a men's basketball tournament field of 56, a women's basketball field of 58 and a football field of 32.

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

2001 Notables
December 16-31
December 1-15
October-November
July-September
June
May
April
March

Notables 1998-2001

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