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Notables

News and notes from around D-III

1999 offseason

Othell Wilson Indicted
ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. -- A grand jury indicted St. Mary's (Md.) men's coach Othell Wilson on Nov. 3 on charges on kidnapping and raping his ex-girlfriend. Wilson was arrested Sept. 27 and accused of kidnapping a 20-year-old college student from Fairfax County, Va., and holding her captive for almost three days in his apartment in St. Mary's County. He is being held without bond at the St. Mary's County Detention Center.

Wilson, 37, was arraigned Nov. 2 on charges of kidnapping, two counts of first-degree rape, two counts of second-degree rape, first- and second-degree sex offense and second-degree assault. He did not formally enter a plea, but attorney David Densford said "there's no doubt ... his plea will be not guilty."

Panko Waived
Former Lebanon Valley standout Andy Panko was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers Oct. 28. He had not played in the Lakers' previous preseason game.

Moore Resigns at Washington & Lee
LEXINGTON, Va. -- Kevin Moore, head basketball and golf coach at Washington and Lee, resigned Oct. 25 to explore other employment opportunities. Jeff Lafave, who served as Moore's assistant last year, will be the interim coach for the 1999-2000 season.

"Although the season is just starting, I believe this move is right for my family, the team and me at this time," Moore said. "The team has a strong group of upperclassmen returning and some good freshmen coming in. I wish them all the best."

Moore was named W&L's 20th men's basketball coach in 1995. Since then he compiled a record of 21-77, and twice led the Generals to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament. As golf coach, Moore was a two-time ODAC coach of the year. Before coming to Washington and Lee, Moore served as head men's basketball coach at Elmira, where he compiled a 122-93 record.

Lafave came to Washington and Lee in 1998 from Williams, where he served as recruiting coordinator from 1995 to 1998. In three years at Williams, Lafave helped guide the Ephs to two NCAA Division III Final Four appearances and one Sweet 16. He also coached the Williams junior varsity team to a 24-10 record in three seasons.

The search for a permanent head men's basketball and golf coach will begin after the first of the year.

Ward Lambert Announces Retirement
SALISBURY, Md. -- Ward Lambert has announced that the 1999-2000 season will be his last as head coach of the Salisbury State men's basketball team. Lambert, 61, will retire following his 30th season with the Sea Gulls. "A lot of people would like to have this job, so why not give them a chance to have it? I could do it for a few more years, but why hold on to it? ... I'll probably do some woodworking or try to improve my golf game."

Lambert begins the season with 416 career wins, 24th-most in Division III history. He has taken the Sea Gulls to the Elite Eight twice in the 1990s. Under his tutelage, the Sea Gulls have had 16 winning seasons, have notched double-figures in victories in 25 of 29 seasons and earned five NCAA Tournament bids. Included in that stretch is a record-setting 1991-92 season, when Lambert guided the Sea Gulls to a a 28-2 record and second-place ranking in the final Division III national poll that season. A 1962 Virginia graduate, Lambert was a three-year varsity player on the Cavalier basketball team. He received his master's degree from the University of Maryland in 1965.

St. Mary's (Md.) Coach Arrested
St. Mary's men's basketball coach Othell Wilson was arrested Sept. 27 and charged with rape. Police responded to a complaint filed by an unidentified 22-year-old woman Sept. 26 and arrested Wilson the following afternoon. Wilson was arrested on charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, first-degree rape, first-degree sex offense and assault charges, according to Lieutenant John Horne of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office. He was being held without bond. A school spokesperson said Wilson has been placed on administrative leave for "not being able to perform his duties as coach." No replacement was named. Wilson, 38, was named an assistant last season and was scheduled to take over as head coach following the departure of Bob Flynn, who left to take a high school job in Baltimore. Wilson played in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. St. Mary's finished 13-13 last year, reaching the semifinals of the Capital Athletic Conference tournament.

Finally, George Signs
The day before Lakers camp officially opened, the team announced it has signed first-round draft pick Devean George, of Augsburg, to a contract. No terms were announced, but as the 23rd overall selection in the NBA draft three months ago, George is eligible for a three-year contract for $2.1 million, not including a signing bonus. George, a 6-foot-8 Team of the Year first-team forward in 1999 and a second-teamer in 1998, averaged 23.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in four years at Augsburg. George and co-Team of the Year forward Andy Panko are each in the Lakers' preseason camp.

Lakers Sign Panko
The Lakers, who recently made Devean George the first D-III player ever drafted in the first round, have signed former Lebanon Valley star Andy Panko to a contract. Terms were not announced. Panko, who scored 2,515 points and had averaged 10 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in the summer rookie league, will fly out to Los Angeles Sept. 25 in preparation for the official opening of training camp on Oct. 5, 1999.

MAC to Receive Two Automatic Bids
The Middle Atlantic Conference has been awarded two automatic bids in men's and women's basketball for the 2000 NCAA Tournament. The AQs will go to the regular-season champions of the Commonwealth and Freedom Leagues of the MAC. The conference's postseason tournament will have no bearing on the NCAA qualifier. The Commonwealth League contains Albright, Elizabethtown, Juniata, Lebanon Valley, Messiah, Moravian, Susquehanna and Widener, while the Freedom League contains Allentown, Delaware Valley, Drew, FDU-Madison, King's, Lycoming, Scranton and Wilkes.

Wilkes coach Jerry Rickrode hailed the changes. "It is a real positive because prior to receiving the two automatic bids, there was a possibility that for the first time in a long time the MAC could have gotten only one team in the tournament," Rickrode told D3hoops.com. "The only negative is that, at times, you may have the best two teams in the conference on the same side of the league, and one of those teams may not get a bid."

Scheible Takes over at U. Rochester
Former Elmira coach James Scheible is the new women's basketball coach at the University of Rochester. "The search committee was extremely impressed by Jim's proven track record and his ability to build a competitive women's basketball program," said Athletics Director George Vander Zwaag. Scheible has coached Elmira into the NCAA Division III playoffs each of the last two seasons, including a Sweet Sixteen spot in 1998. Before that, he led the Soaring Eagles to three consecutive ECAC Upstate NY championships. Over that five-year run, Elmira's record is 96-45 (.681). Elmira won consecutive EAA championships in 1998 and 1999, earning Scheible conference Coach of the Year honors. He previously was an assistant at Clarkson and UC San Diego before inheriting an Elmira program with 25 wins in its last five years. He replaces Joyce Wong, who announced her retirement in July. Rochester was 6-19 last season. Elmira has begun a national search for a new women's basketball coach.

Medashefski Signs Portuguese Contract
King's College standout Heather Medashefski has signed to play professionally in Portugal, with Associacao Academican de Coimbra. As a senior, the 6-3 center helped guide King's to a 18-9 record and the MAC semifinals, averaging 15.0 points and 8.4 rebounds while leading the MAC with 86 blocks. She contributed a career-high 42 steals while shooting 51.2% from the field and 78.4% from the foul line. During the year, Medashefski posted career highs with 32 points and eight blocks in a King's victory against FDU-Madison. Medashefski concluded her career with a school-record 214 blocks and stands among the career NCAA leaders. In April, King's men's assistant coach Marty Moyers put her in contact with an agent who sent tapes of Medashefski to professional leagues in Europe. On Aug. 23, she received a call from her agent and she signed her contract Thursday. "I am overwhelmed by what has happened over the last few days and still feel as if I am in a dream," Medashefski stated. "I love the game of basketball and I did not want my career to end. I am very thankful to coach Bryan Whitten for the support he has given me and helping me develop as a player."

D-III Team Finishes Tour 3-1
Malmö, Sweden -- The Men's College Select Team ended their European tour with an 81-67 victory over ABYHOJ of the Danish First Division. The victory improved the Select Team's record to 3-1. Five select team players scored in double figures, led by Rasheed Campbell (Lycoming) and Kevin Kretschy (FDU-Madison) with 14 points each. Kevin Rutherford (Lycoming) and Bill Timony (FDU-Madison) chipped in with 12 points each while Corey Dickerson (King's) added 11. Trailing nine points with less than six minutes left, the Select Team went on a 14-4 run to end the half. Leading the charge were Nick Giello (Drew), Brian Billman (Western Maryland) and Kevin Standford (Eastern) who stepped up the defensive intensity, creating easy scoring opportunities. Men's Select Team coach Bob Simmons (Lebanon Valley) said, "Nick, Brian and Kevin did all of the things that do not show up in the box score, but that are crucial in determining a team's success. They really stepped up the defensive pressure and gave us the momentum we needed." Coming out of the locker room, Ryan Moore (Lebanon Valley) converted back-to-back turnovers into easy layups. From that point on the Select Team maintained a double-digit lead. Simmons summed up the tour: "Going 3-1 with any team is great but with this team it was truly special because they became a team in a very short amount of time."

Men's Select Team Suffers First Defeat
Helsingborg, Sweden -- The Men's College Select team traveled to Helsingborg, Sweden to face the Helsingborg Pearls, reigning champs of the Swedish First Division. The game began with a 7-0 outburst by the College Select Team. Kevin Kretschy (FDU-Madison) began the charge with a game-opening three point shot followed by inside scores from Brian Billman (Western Maryland) and Kevin Rutherford (Lycoming). But by the midway point of the half, Helsingborg had tied the game at 25. Corey Dickerson (King's), Ryan Moore (Lebanon Valley) and Rasheed Campbell (Lycoming) turned up the defensive pressure, however, by creating havoc which led to scoring opportunities. With 0:21 remaining, trailing by one point, the Select Team scored on a set play. David Jannuzzi (Wilkes) threaded the needle with a precise pass to a slashing Bill Timony (FDU-Madison) who scored an easy layup. On the following play, the Select Team forced a turnover and was immediately fouled. They were unable to convert two free throws. Jonathon Sjoberg of the Pearls drove the length of the floor and scored the game-winning basket to give the Pearls a 60-59 victory. "We put ourselves in a great position to win the game. I am very proud of the troops. They showed great character and class and responded to the pressure extremely well," said Head Coach Bob Simmons.

Select Team Goes to 2-0
Malmö, Sweden -- The Men's College Select team lifted its record to 2-0 by defeating MALBAS 81-69. Jon Mizener (Messiah) sparked the team with his physical play at both ends of the floor even taking a charge at a key point in the final moments of the game. Mizener snared five rebounds. Leading the way offensively were Rasheed Campbell (Lycoming) who poured in 21 points, including four three's, and David Jannuzzi (Wilkes) who netted 16 points and dished out seven assists. The first half concluded with a 7-0 run sparked by two key steals by Corey Dickerson (King's). The College Select team entered the half with a 49-36 lead. The Select Team started the second half with a 6-0 run to push their lead to nineteen points and a 59-36 advantage. With six minutes remaining in the game, MALBAS trimmed the Select Team's lead to two points behind the shooting of Magnus Neilson. Neilson scored 22 points including 15 in the second half. "Our team showed great composure down the stretch. The players knew they were going to walk away with a victory", commented Head Coach Bob Simmons. Simmons also added, "The team came together in the final moments and showed great unity, like soldiers in the heat of the battle."

D-III Stars Rout Swedish Pro Team
Malmö, Sweden -- The Men's College Select Team, made up of D-III players representing eastern region schools began their tour of Scandinavia with an impressive 112-57 victory against the Swedish professional club LOBAS. The college select team jumped out to an early lead behind the three-point shooting of Kevin Kretschy (FDU-Madison), David Jannuzzi (Wilkes) and Rasheed Campbell (Lycoming), each contributing two three-pointers. Overall, the team shot 8-for-11 from behind the three-point arc. Head coach Bob Simmons (Lebanon Valley assistant) said, "Our defensive intensity both on and off the ball was very strong. The players did a great job of executing the defensive game plan which led to easy baskets." During the first half, the select team jumped out to a 35-8 lead and extended it to 62-28 at the half. Inside play was dominated by 6-8 center Bill Timony (FDU-Madison) who grabbed 13 rebounds and poured in 19 points. John Mizener (Messiah) pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds and Kevin Rutherford (Lycoming) came off the bench and sparked the defense with physical play in the paint.

Two Calvin Grads Sign Pro Contracts
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A pair of former Calvin men's basketball players are headed off on European adventures. Recent Calvin graduates Ebong Eka and Scott Plaisier both signed professional basketball contracts this past weekend. Eka will play for Bocco in Switzerland's second division while Plaisier will play for a third division team in Ansbach, Germany. Preseason European camps are now opening with the seasons in Switzerland and Germany stretching from October through the end of April. Eka and Plaisier helped the Knights to a 19-7 overall record and a share of their first MIAA title since 1994 including the 23rd MIAA crown in program history.

Eka hails from Toronto, Ontario, and is a graduate of St. Basil's High School. As a senior this past year, the 6-5 power forward averaged 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds a game, earning honorable mention recognition from the MIAA. He was also named to the all-tournament team at the Marietta Shrine Classic after having led Calvin to the tournament championship. Plaisier is a native of Hudsonville and a graduate of Unity Christian High School. A four-year starter at the shooting guard position, Plaisier was an All-MIAA second-team pick in 1997 and 1999. As a senior this past winter, he finished second on the Calvin team in scoring, averaging 15.3 points a game while also leading the Knights in steals with a career-high 58.

Ansbach is located in South Central Germany, an hour northwest of Munich. In addition to playing basketball, Plaisier will serve as the part-time recreation director at a U.S. military base nearby. "This was an opportunity that I could not pass up," said Plaisier who will depart for Germany Aug. 23. "I would like to get into athletic administration someday so to have the chance to work as a recreation director, play basketball professionally and experience a foreign culture is ideal." Eka and Plaisier are the sixth and seventh players in Calvin history to sign pro basketball contracts overseas.

Panko Earns Laker Invite
Rapidly becoming the official NBA team of D3hoops.com, the L.A. Lakers have invited Lebanon Valley Team of the Year forward Andy Panko to training camp. According to a report in the July 25 Harrisburg Patriot-News, Panko, who averaged 11.7 points and shot 27-for-45 from the floor with the Lakers' rookie summer league team, will be one of 16 or 17 players competing for 12 spots on the active roster and three reserve slots. The Lakers' Mitch Kupchak told Panko they see him possibly fitting into their plans as a shooting guard or small forward. Camp opens Oct. 1.

Kjar Hired at St. Catherine's
St. Catherine has hired Tim Kjar as the new head coach of the Wildcats' basketball program. He replaces Lori Finanger who resigned this spring from coaching at St. Catherine after four seasons. Kjar comes to St. Catherine after having been the head women's basketball coach at Riverland Community and Technical College since 1995. While at Riverland he led his team to its best record since 1991 during the 1998-99 season and produced three all-conference, two all-state, one all-region, and one all-American in the past four seasons. Kjar also served as head coach for tennis, and women's soccer along with duties as the intramural sports director and physical education instructor at Riverland. Kjar received a B.S. in Physical Education from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Devean George Drafted by Lakers
WASHINGTON -- The Los Angeles Lakers made Augsburg's Devean George the first D-III player ever taken in the first round of the NBA draft and the first player taken since 1991 when they took him with the No. 23 pick. George is anxious to get to L.A., he tells our Mark Simon. The first-team Team of the Year member is Augsburg's second-leading scorer of all time, with 2,258 points. George averaged 28.2 points and 11.7 rebounds for the Auggies, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

"When he started out and went to school, no one really wanted him ... now he's 6-6, almost 6-7 and a really versatile player," said Lakers GM Jerry West. "He can really shoot the ball from the outside. We think he could be the kind of player that would be able to play very successfully for Phil (Jackson). What matters is if a kid can play at this level and not where he goes to school."

George particpated in five NBA team workouts in a six-day span leading up to the draft. On June 25 and 26, he was in Chicago working out with the Bulls; June 27, he worked out for the Atlanta Hawks; June 28 for the Utah Jazz; June 29 for the Lakers. On the morning of June 30 he was in a three-team "open workout" in New Jersey before returning to Minneapolis in the evening for the NBA Draft. He had already worked out for Minnesota, Indiana, Houston, Miami, New York and Toronto. For more on George, check out Augsburg's page. Lebanon Valley's Andy Panko went undrafted.

Mahlum Named Greensboro Women's Coach
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Kelly Mahlum has been named the new head coach of the Greensboro College women’s basketball and tennis programs. Taking over the reigns of the Pride women’s basketball program marks the first head basketball coaching opportunity for Mahlum, who comes to Greensboro after a three-year tenure as an assistant basketball coach at Randolph-Macon. She replaces Steve Johnson, who is the program’s all-time winningest coach. As an assistant at Randolph-Macon, Mahlum had primary responsibilities in the areas of recruiting and conditioning. During her tenure, the Yellow Jackets reached the NCAA Tournament in 1999, finishing with a 23-5 overall record after winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship. Mahlum earned her bachelor’s degree from Saint Benedict (Minn.), where she played and later served as an assistant coach in women’s basketball, softball, and volleyball. Mahlum earned Kodak All-American honors in basketball as a senior, and finished as St. Benedict’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,612 points.

Panko Headed to Chicago, George Sidelined
With his twisted ankle not at 100%, Augsburg's Devean George will sit out the upcoming Chicago NBA scouting camp. Lebanon Valley's Andy Panko will participate. The playing portion of the camp runs from Tuesday, June 8 through Friday, June 11 at Moody Bible Institute's Solheim Center, with physical examinations and testing taking place June 12-14. George, who has already worked out for Minnesota and four other NBA teams, has post-camp workouts scheduled with Atlanta and Miami. Player personnel officials told George that while not participating in the camp should not hurt his draft position, playing in the camp on an injured ankle most likely would.

Keene State Coach Takes New Hampshire Job
After compiling a 41-16 record the last two years at Keene State, Phil Rowe has been hired as head coach at Division I New Hampshire. Rowe, who has also coached at the Division III level for New England College and Plymouth State, is the third D-III men's coach to get a D-I head coaching job this offseason, joining Glen Miller (Connecticut College to Brown) and Bo Ryan (UW-Platteville to UW-Milwaukee). Rowe, 46, takes on the challenge of building the New Hampshire program, which finished 4-23 last season and has had five winning seasons in its 58 years of men's basketball. Rowe and Miller will meet as Division I coaches Dec. 4 as Brown hosts New Hampshire.

St. Mary's Stays, Defiance Leaves MIAA
St. Mary's (Ind.) will become a full member of the MIAA, while Defiance will leave for the HCAC effective the spring of 2000. Each had been provisional MIAA members. Defiance will continue to participate in MIAA fall and winter sports and will be eligible for the conference championship and automatic bid in both men's and women's basketball in 1999-2000.

Centre Hires Mason
Greg Mason, a 1994 Centre College graduate and an assistant coach at the school since 1996, has been named the head men's basketball coach at his alma mater. After spending one season as an assistant at Kentucky Wesleyan, Mason, 28, returned to Centre to join former head coach Mike DeWitt's staff. Centre won eight of 25 games that first year, then went 15-10 the second season, the Colonels' best record since 1993. Centre was 12-13 last season. Centre President John Roush said Mason was a natural fit for Centre's basketball program and a welcome addition to the fulltime coaching staff. "Greg Mason is a young man marked as much by his warmth and integrity as his love of basketball," Roush said. "Greg already has won the confidence of our players, and we look forward to his successes as a coach and mentor." After an extensive national search, Mason emerged as the leading candidate to replace DeWitt, who returned to his alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan, in March. Playing under Tom Bryant, Centre's winningest coach, Mason averaged 10.9 points in 99 games, shooting 45.8% from the three-point line. He holds the school record for most three-point field goals attempted and made in a single game. His assist total (374) is fifth all-time on the Centre list while his scoring mark (1,082) is 19th in school history.

Another Year, Another New Plymouth State Coach
PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- The new men's basketball coach and men's tennis coach for the 1999-2000 season is John Scheinman, who spent the past three years as head basketball coach at New England College in Henniker, N.H. Scheinman takes over from Jim Ferry, who left last month after one season to become head coach at Adelphi University. A 1984 graduate of Marist College who earned his Master's degree from Keene State in 1988, Scheinman has been involved in collegiate coaching the past 15 years. He was an assistant coach at Keene State from 1984-89 and at Fairleigh Dickinson from 1989-91 before spending five years at St. Joseph's College in Maine. That stint included four years as an assistant (1991-92 and 1993-96) and one season as head coach (1992-93), when he posted a 22-7 record. Scheinman took over the New England College program prior to the 1996-97 campaign, inheriting a team that did not win a game the previous season. He guided his first squad to a 12-13 record, followed by successive years of 17-8 and 14-11, the first back-to-back winning seasons at NEC in 15 years. The 1998-99 unit posted a 14-11 record including an 85-83 victory against Plymouth State in the Panther Holiday Classic.

"Our search committee and the players we involved were very impressed by John," said AD Steve Bamford. "It was a very tough search because we had four outstanding finalists. Our new coach is an outstanding recruiter, and has a real passion for coaching. One of the factors is that they played us hard and they beat us. I was impressed with the quality of effort his players showed. John will be a tremendous ambassador for our program."

Scheinman, who will officially begin July 1st but has already started working on his new job, will inherit a team that set a school record for victories with a 22-7 record, and advanced to the championship game of both the Little East Conference and ECAC New England Tournaments. "I'm impressed with the academic and athletic reputation of Plymouth State, and I'm looking forward to my new position," said Scheinman. "We'll be hard-pressed to match last year's success, but we'll bring stability to the program. I expect PSC will continue to be one of the first-class Division III institutions."

Plymouth State also has had to replace its football coach and men's lacrosse coach this summer.

Austin Names Hunter Head Women's Coach
Debra Hunter, who has served as head women’s basketball coach at Colorado College for the past two seasons and had an extremely successful 10-year stint as head coach at Bethel (Minn.) , has been named head women’s basketball coach and senior women’s administrator at Austin College. Hunter succeeds Robin Potera, who resigned in mid-April to accept the head women’s basketball coaching position at Texas Wesleyan University. While at Bethel, Hunter guided the Lady Royals to three NCAA Division III playoff appearances (1994, ‘95 and ‘96) including appearances in the Sweet Sixteen in 1994 and the Elite Eight in 1996. A 1985 graduate of the University of Minnesota, she still holds 11 statistical records at Minnesota.

Guilford Hires Jensen's Replacement
Butch Estes, the former head coach at Furman and Presbyterian College, succeeds Jack Jensen who retired in March after 386 victories and 29 seasons on the Guilford sidelines, including the 1972-73 NAIA national championship. Estes compiled a 227-185 coaching record in 14 seasons at Furman and Presbyterian. He guided Division I Furman to a 135-122 over nine years and graduated 26 of his 27 players who completed their eligibility. He has also worked as a commentator for the Fox Sports South television network. The 50-year-old Estes inherits five starters and nine letter winners from last season's injury-riddled 3-21 Guilford team which missed the ODAC Tournament for the fifth straight season. "This was a chance for me to come back home and that was really big in this decision," said Estes. "As I looked at Guilford and having grown up here, going back to what Coach (Jack) Jensen has done, I recognize that this is the end of an era. That tradition is something you build on."

WIAC Extends Conference Tournament Agreement Through 2001
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has added two years to its postseason championship tournament experiment, extending the agreement through the 2000-2001 season. "Our expenses the first year were around $30,000, and we made that back plus a chunk of change," WIAC commissioner Gary Karner told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Karner also told the newspaper he hoped to move the semifinals and championship games to neutral sites in future years to make it easier to secure television coverage.

NCAA Rules Committee Eliminates Held-Ball Rule
The rules committee eliminated the much-discussed held-ball rule from men's basketball, reverting to the previous situation in which all held balls will be decided via the alternate possession arrow. "We felt that it (the rule) didn't serve the purpose for which it was intended," said Air Force coach Reggie Minton, chairman of the rules committee. "This was the feeling of the committee, as well as that of the majority of the feedback that we got from coaches, the media and the public." A recent Division III Basketball Online survey revealed 36% felt it was a good rule, 35% felt it was bad and 27% felt it was a good rule that was enforced poorly.

Another men's rules change deals with the status of a shooter in the air -- a player is now considered 'in the act of shooting' until one foot hits the ground. Previously he was considered a shooter until both feet hit the ground. Both the men's and women's committees dealt with the lane in free-throw situations. The women will now be limited to five players on the lane, while the men will be pushed back from the end line an additional two inches. Also, 20-second timeouts in games without media timeouts were increased to 30 seconds to be consistent with other rules implemented in conjunction with television timeouts. Also, this year's points of emphasis, for men: calling the intentional foul as defined in the rule book, rough low-post play, rough play away from the ball, palming, and the coaching box; for women: block vs. charge, the principle of verticality, post play and hand-checking.

Ferry Resigns, DeChristopher Signs
First-year Plymouth State men's basketball head coach Jim Ferry resigned to take the head coaching position at Division II Adelphi, the same week that graduating star Adam DeChristopher signed with the USBL's New Hampshire Thunder Loons. "I certainly did not plan on leaving Plymouth this soon," said Ferry. "We bought a house here, we've enjoyed this place, and everyone has been great. But going back to New York, going to a school that is five minutes from where I grew up, and moving to a Division II school, it really was a no-brainer. It was obviously the best choice for me and my family." DeChristopher will be the third Division III player to play for the Loons this season when he hits the floor for the first time -- co-Little East star Stacey Massiah (Keene State) has played 14 minutes over two games, scoring five points, while Salem State's Khris Silveria (no longer with the team) played 17 minutes May 2 against Brooklyn, scoring four points while picking up five fouls.

Wisconsin-Platteville Names Landrum Head Coach
Assistant coach Todd Landrum, who has assisted Wisconsin-Platteville the past two years, was named the new head coach for the two-time defending NCAA Division III national champions at a press conference Friday afternoon. He replaces Bo Ryan, who guided the Pioneers to a 353-76 record in a 15-year stint that included eight WIAC and four national championships. "There's not going to be another Bo Ryan, and I won't try to be Bo," said Landrum. "All I have to do is win five national championships and win 95% of my games, and they'll forget all about Coach Ryan. Seriously, I've coached three different times and known him for over 20 years. We shared a lot of memorable moments in coaching." Landrum has served as a UW-Platteville Admissions Advisor since 1997 and has assisted the team the past two seasons, in which the Pioneers were 60-2 with two national titles. This was his second stint with the Pioneers, as he served as an assistant from 1990-94, coaching the 1991 national champions and the 1992 squad which finished third nationally. He also served as the school's interim athletic director in 1991-92. In 1994, Landrum left UW-Platteville to become an assistant coach under Don Zierden in the CBA. Landrum returned to UW-Platteville in 1997. Landrum, 48, earned his bachelor of arts at Ohio Northern University in 1973 in health and physical education.

George Road Show Continues with Globetrotters
Augsburg senior and pro prospect Devean George is playing with the Harlem Globetrotters professional basketball team in a series of three games against a team of college basketball seniors. The 6-8 forward, started for the Globetrotters and scored 11 points in the first game of the College All-Star Series, a 108-87 victory by the Globetrotters in Oakland April 25. He also had five rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot. The final two games are May 1 at Detroit's Palace of Auburn Hills and May 2 at the Firstar Center in Cincinnati. Sunday's game will be aired on a tape-delayed basis on ESPN2 Monday, May 3 at 7:00 EDT (barring NHL playoff coverage) and Wednesday, May 5 at 11 p.m. "He is talented, which is the thing you'd want in a kid, but he also has a physical and mental strength that not many college kids his age have," said Mannie Jackson, owner and chairman of the Harlem Globetrotters. "I was sitting with several of the scouts at the (first college all-star) game and they were impressed with his personal discipline. He's strong, both mentally and physically." Overall, the Globetrotters own a 20,060-332 lifetime record in their 73 years. Of the 332 losses, 65 have been at the hands of the College All-Stars.

Metro N.Y. Basketball Writers Name All-Stars
Four of Division III's eight regions are represented in the 1999 All-Met teams. The Atlantic, East, Northeast and Middle Atlantic placed players on the team, chosen by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Kings Point's Sean Bradley and William Paterson's Jose Rebimbas were named player and coach of the year for the men, while NYU swept the women's awards with Jehan Clark and Janice Quinn. The full list in Jim Stout's Northeast Notebook.

Conn. College Hires Miller's Replacement
Connecticut College has named Lynn Ramage its new head men’s basketball coach. Ramage takes over for Glen Miller who resigned in March after six seasons at Connecticut College to become the head men’s basketball coach at Brown. Ramage, 41, has spent the last three years as the head men’s basketball coach at East Stroudsburg University; a Division II school in Pennsylvania. Ramage was named PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year in 1998 after guiding the Warriors to a 15-11 record. "I’m very excited about this opportunity," said Ramage. "I realize the level of excellence that this program has achieved and I’m looking forward to the challenge of keeping Connecticut College among the top programs in Division III." Connecticut College is coming off a 28-1 record and a first-ever Division III Final Four appearance. Ramage also served as the interim head coach at Morgan State in Baltimore, Maryland in 1994-95 after being an assistant at the school for four years.

Cunningham Goes from Chicago to Trinity
Trinity University hired U. of Chicago coach Pat Cunningham as its new men's basketball coach. Cunningham, UAA Coach of the Year three of the last four seasons, has been the head coach at Chicago since 1991 and was the head coach at Manchester from 1987-91. Cunningham's teams twice advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the past three years. "I am really excited about the opportunity to work with such a quality university as Trinity," said Cunningham. "Trinity is known for having success in every sport and I welcome the chance to work around such successful programs. (Wife) Mary Jo and I are looking forward to starting a new part of our life in a city as beautiful as San Antonio." Cunningham inherits a team that loses only three players, was 16-9, finished third in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and is only one year removed from its last NCAA Tournament berth. Chicago named assistant Mike McGrath as interim coach for the '99-00 season.

George Leads Five Drafted by USBL
Augsburg's Devean George, North Carolina Wesleyan's Marquis McDougald, Richard Stockton's Brendan Fagan, Lebanon Valley's Andy Panko and Keene State's Stacey Massiah were drafted Thursday by the United States Basketball League. The Atlanta Trojans made George their second-round pick and the 16th taken overall. McDougald was taken by the Raleigh Cougars (4th round, 40th), Fagan by the Atlantic City Seagulls (4th, 45th), Panko by the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs (7th, 79th) and Massiah by the New Hampshire Thunder Loons (8th, 92). Last year the USBL drafted one player, Rowan center Rob Scott. The USBL's season starts at the end of April.

George Named to Portsmouth All-Tourney Team
Devean George averaged 12 points and 10.7 rebounds at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Portsmouth, Va. The Augsburg senior was the only non-Division I player named to the all-tournament team. George had a double-double in each of his three games in the tournament. He scored 16 points (two three-pointers) with 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one blocked shot in the opener; 10 points with 10 rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot in the second game; and had 10 points (two three-pointers), 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal in the championship game. George's jumper with 1:56 left in the title game stopped a run by the opposition. "The scouts were impressed with him," said Mike Morris, director of the Portsmouth camp. "Even though he is talented already, they (the pro scouts) were saying that he has a lot of potential, which can't be said for everyone." Next up for George could be an invitation to the NBA's development camp in Phoenix, Ariz. The other D-III player in Portsmouth, Lebanon Valley's Andy Panko, averaged 10.7 points but only three rebounds and shot 4-for-11 inside the three-point arc.

Dornisch Promoted to St. Thomas Head Coach
The University of St. Thomas has elevated five-year assistant coach Tricia Dornisch to head coach of its women’s basketball program. Dornisch will replace Ted Riverso, who’s leaving coaching to begin work in the university’s Development Office. Riverso’s teams compiled a 337-80 record (.808) in 15 seasons, with one Division III national championship (1991), two third-place national finishes, and five conference championships. Under Riverso, the Tommies had the second-best winning percentage in NCAA Division III during the 1990s (247-37, .870), and were selected to play in the NCAA tournament in each of the last 13 seasons. Dornisch, a Minneapolis native, will relinquish her duties as head coach of women’s soccer and will be replaced by assistant coach Colleen Carey. She will continue as assistant director of McCarthy Gym. In three seasons as UST soccer coach, Dornisch’s teams compiled a 41-15-1 record, with two NCAA playoff berths and three MIAC runner-up finishes. The 1997 soccer team set a school record with 17 victories. Dornisch was voted MIAC Coach of the Year in 1996. Dornisch was a four-year basketball performer at St. Thomas (1987-90) and started two seasons. She set a season assist record and ranks eighth in career assists at UST. She also competed in soccer at St. Thomas for three seasons. She coached softball for three seasons at Minneapolis Southwest High and coached soccer for four seasons at Minneapolis South. She was an assistant basketball coach at UW-River Falls 1991-94. "We’re excited about the future of our women’s basketball team under Tricia Dornisch," said UST athletic director Steve Fritz. "She’ll bring the same high energy and expertise to this job as she did as soccer coach."

It's Official -- Bo Ryan to UW-Milwaukee
Four-time national coach of the year Bo Ryan is leaving Wisconsin-Platteville to take the head coaching position at Division I Wisconsin-Milwaukee, ending months of speculation. Ryan, whose Pioneers won their fourth national title of the decade two weeks ago in Salem, was announced at a press conference in Milwaukee Thursday afternoon. "This is one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, but this poses a tremendous challenge as well as an opportunity to better my family," said Ryan. "Coaching is all about relationships, and over the past 15 years, we have developed some of the best relationships imaginable." The Pioneers are the winningest team in men's college basketball this decade, posting a 266-27 record (.908) to earn the title of Team of the '90s. Ryan will be joined at UW-Milwaukee by Pioneer assistant Greg Gard and former Pioneer player and assistant Rob Jeter, who spent the last year in Milwaukee working at Marquette University. For more on Coach Ryan and his coaching career, read Mark Simon's Bo Ryan feature.

Who Won the Contest?
Bryan Whitten won our NCAA women's tournament contest, scoring 78 points. Whitten got seven of the Elite Eight and all of the Final Four correct. Only one other person picked all four of the finalists. Ryan Graver of Muhlenberg College is the winner of our men's contest. The sophomore biology major got 72 points out of a possible 93 and nailed the results of the Final Four, picking Platteville to beat Hampden-Sydney with Connecticut College taking third place. So in keeping with the spirit of the contest, there's no prize, just your name in lights, Ryan and Bryan!

Big Changes Afoot
It's already time to look forward to the 1999-2000 season, where NCAA changes will make it the least competitive tournament yet. Find out what the men's basketball committee will have to deal with in choosing next year's Field of 48.

George, Panko Invited to NBA Combine
Augsburg's Devean George and Lebanon Valley's Andy Panko will each attend the Portsmouth Invitational, a camp for the 64 top collegiate players in the nation to show their skills to be potentially drafted or signed by NBA teams. The camp will be held in Portsmouth, Va., March 31-April 3. The Portsmouth camp is the first of three development camps for NBA prospects, leading up to the NBA Draft June 30 in Washington, D.C. The other camps will be held in Phoenix, Ariz., and Chicago. They are trying to become the first Division III player drafted by an NBA team since 1991, when Lamont Strothers of Christopher Newport was drafted by Golden State.

Glen Miller Resigns to Take Brown Post
Connecticut College men's basketball head coach Glen Miller (pictured) resigned Monday in order to take the head coaching position at Division I Brown. Miller led his team to a 28-1 record and third place in this weekend's Final Four. His teams were 95-58 in his six seasons, including 85-20 the last four years. "Leaving Connecticut College is one of the toughest decisions that I’ve had to make but this is a wonderful opportunity for myself and my family," said Miller, who was to be named head coach at Brown in a Tuesday press conference. Miller previously served seven years as an assistant coach under Jim Calhoun at the University of Connecticut.

Higgins, Panko to Play in All-Star Games
Williams guard Kathleen Higgins has been selected to play in the second annual WBCA All-Star Challenge, to be held March 27 in San Jose. Higgins was one of 20 players selected, including the 17 top seniors in Division I and the top senior at D-II, D-III and the NAIA level. The game is held in conjunction with the women's D-I Final Four and the WBCA convention. Panko received the D-III invite to the NABC game March 26 in St. Petersburg in conjunction with the men's D-I Final Four.

Jensen Retires After 29 Years At Guilford
After 29 years and 386 career coaching victories, Guilford head men's basketball coach Jack Jensen announced his resignation at a press conference March 19. Jensen remains the Quakers' head men's golf coach and as an Assistant Professor of Sport Studies. "I wish to thank Guilford for allowing me the fantastic opportunity to be involved in its basketball program for 34 years. Guilford has been a great place for me," Jensen said. "I am extremely proud of this year's team which continued to fight after losing six of their teammates to season-ending injuries," Jensen said. "Hopefully most of the players I've coached have learned many things in addition to basketball that will serve them well during their lives after college."

Jensen led Guilford to a 386-392 overall record in his 29 seasons. He led the 1972-73 squad to the NAIA national championship -- Guilford's first national title of any kind. The 1972-73 unit included future NBA players M.L. Carr '73, World B. Free, and Greg Jackson '74.

Nunnally Retires, Rhoades to Head Randolph-Macon
Bothered by health problems, Randolph-Macon head coach Hal Nunnally will announce his retirement this afternoon and introduce his replacement, current assistant coach and former Lebanon Valley star Mike Rhoades. Nunnally, who led his team to five conference titles in 24 years, advanced to the NCAA second round this season and steps down with a 431-232 career record. "I wanted very much to see Mike get the job," Nunnally told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "The program has been so stable since Coach (Paul) Webb took over in 1956. That was one thing I wanted to see continue." Rhoades graduated as Lebanon Valley's all-time leading scorer with 2,050 points, but his mark was passed this year by preseason Team of the Year member Andy Panko.

Venne, Schantz Win Jostens Awards
SALEM, Va. -- Kristen Venne of Susquehanna and Michael Schantz of Hamilton are the recipients of the 1999 Jostens Trophy, recognizing the outstanding student-athletes in Division III basketball. The two athletes will receive their awards on March 18 in Salem, Va. Venne, a Shillington, Pa., native, helped lead the Crusaders to a 1999 NCAA Division III Tournament bid. She completed her final season with a 21.4 point and 9.4 rebound per game average and received league honors on eight occasions. A two-time Division III All-America, Venne tied the modern Middle Atlantic Conference career scoring record with a 19.3 average in 100 games. She recorded 98 double-digit scoring performances in her career. Off the court Venne has a 3.70 GPA as a psychology major and has been named to the Dean’s list all seven semesters at Susquehanna. Schantz, a 6-6 forward from Sharon, Mass., has helped lead the Continentals to this year's Sweet 16. Schantz averages 25.9 points and 12.6 rebounds per game and is one of two players in Division III who ranks in the Top 10 nationally in both scoring (6th) and rebounding (2nd). A 3.0 student in economics, Michael was named the top Hamilton male student-athlete in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99. The Jostens Trophy is a joint creation of Jostens, Inc., of Minneapolis and the Rotary Club of Salem. The purpose of the award is to honor the true Division III student-athlete -- an athlete which shows excellence in the classroom, on the playing floor and in the community. In addition to the Trophy, the Wooldridge Scholarship, a $1,000 donation, will be presented in the name of the winner to his/her institution.

Lewis Scores 38 to Help Lincoln Advance in ECAC
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. -- Darrel Lewis scored 26 of his game-high 38 points in the second half to lead Lincoln past Allentown, 91-87 in the first round of the ECAC Southern Region tournament for its 14th straight win on Wednesday. In fact, the 6-3 senior guard scored Lincoln's last 14 points of the game. He also added seven assists, six rebounds and four steals. With the win, Lincoln advances to play top-seeded Gettysburg (15-9) March 6 at 8:00 in a semifinal game. Third-seeded PSU-Behrend meets No. 2 Albright in the first semifinal at 6:00. Both games are in Gettysburg and the championship will be on Sunday at 2:00 pm. The Lions also received double-doubles from junior guard Greg Carr (11 points, 12 assists) and senior forward Tarron Richardson (10 points and 10 rebounds). As a team the Lions recorded a season-high 28 assists on 34 baskets. Lincoln led 46-32 at halftime and extended the advantage to 69-51 with nine minutes remaining before Allentown mounted a charge to cut the Lions lead to 87-85 with 11 seconds to play in the game. Lewis then stepped to the line and nailed four consecutive foul shots. Mark Watermaysk led the Centaurs with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Tom Heller added 20 for Allentown, which ended its season at 14-11.

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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