Press Releases

April 16, 1999
Women's Basketball Team Sweeps Awards for Coach of the Year, Player of the Year

Anthony Bozzella of Southampton College Named Division II/NAIA Coach of the Year; Rita Breivaite of Lithuania Named Player of the Year for Metropolitan Area

Contact:
Joe Dionisio
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 4081

Anthony Bozzella, head coach of the women's basketball team at Southampton College of Long Island University, has been named Coach of the Year, and Rita Breivaite of Lithuania has earned Player of the Year honors just one month after capturing their second straight ECAC Division II championship.

The Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association will make its official presentation for the NIT/ Division II/ NAIA category at its 66th Annual Awards Dinner on April 21 at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. Honorees from Divisions I, II and III also will attend.

Anthony Bozzella earned his 100th career win March 7, when Southampton (19-11, 15-5 in conference) successfully defended its East Coast Athletic Conference Div. II title by defeating Philadelphia Textile, 74-69.

"All our players and coaches should take pride in these two awards," said Bozzella, whose team broke the school record for wins and enjoyed a fifth straight winning season. "Thanks to their dedication, we?ve been the most successful Division II women's basketball program on Long Island for five years. I?m especially happy for Rita, who overcame a knee injury and has been a tremendous leader on the court."

Prior to Bozzella's 1992 arrival, the Lady C's had never reached the ECACs or had a winning season. During his tenure, his team's graduation rate is an impressive 100-percent. His current roster earned the highest GPA (3.319) of any Div. II women's basketball team in New York State, and the 15th-best in the nation.

Rita Breivaite, a 6-foot-3 junior center from Panevezys, Lithuania, is one of five players named to the NIT/MBWA 1999 All-Star team. She recently became the first woman to win two straight ECAC playoff MVP awards. In the championship game at Philadelphia Textile, Breivaite had a game-high 18 points, a career-high 19 rebounds, and shot 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

In 1998-99, Breivaite averaged 13.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. She was named a NYCAC 1st-Team selection in March, one of two Lady C's to ever earn the honor.

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