Press Releases

May 1, 1996
PRESTIGIOUS SCHOENFELD SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD GOES TO SOUTHAMPTON'S MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

CBOA's HIGHEST HONOR TO BE PRESENTED TO RUNNIN' COLONIALS ON MAY 9

Contact: Jane Finalborgo
(516) 287-8313

The Southampton Graduate Campus Men's Basketball team, which enjoyed its best season in 23 years under rookie head coach Sidney Green, has earned the greatest honor bestowed by the Collegiate Basketball Officials Association.

The Runnin' Colonials have earned the 1995-96 Metropolitan-area Sam Schoenfeld Sportsmanship Award, presented to the college which best exemplifies "the highest degree of sportsmanship, character and ethics among its players, coaches and spectators in the conduct of its basketball games."

Eight schools in the Eastern College Athletic Conference, and one overall winner (Gettysburg) earned the honor, which commemorates the late Sam Schoenfeld, a former college basketball great renowned for his character, impeccable honesty, and integrity.

The announcement was made on April 27 at the annual CBOA banquet in Atlantic City. The local presentation of the award will be held May 9 at Tony Roma's restaurant in Howard Beach.

"We are really honored," said coach Green, former NBA star with the New York Knicks. "The reason I appreciate this is because it's not an individual award. It's for the whole team and the school, which makes it even better."

Columbia University was last season's recipient of the honor, which has been presented annually since 1956. Few Division II teams have won the award in its 31-year history. Every official who works a game votes, and each team is rated on a 1-10 scale.

The Runnin' Colonials-- led by seniors and co-MVPs Kwane Thomas, John Burke (the nation's only Division II player named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star Game) and Monge Codio-- compiled a 16-13 record (12-10 in conference). The team also received a bid to the ECAC playoffs, its first post-season appearance since 1972.

Southampton Graduate Campus is one of the six campuses of Long Island University, which in the last decade has become one of the nation's ten largest private educational institutions.