The New York Times ran a story in today’s editions regarding parents’ rage towards coaches (NYT requires registration). While the incident that inspired the story, which involved a Connecticut high school softball player’s dad bashing a coach’s skull six times with an aluminum bat, isn’t related to Division III, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen here.
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Monthly Archives: June 2005
D-III gets sniped by ESPYs
On Jan. 31, 2005, Jordan Snipes heaved the ball the length of the court, and was the talk of the sports world. His shot with 0.6 seconds remaining turned a would-be 89-88 overtime loss at Randolph-Macon into a 91-88 win.
Luckily, the local ABC affiliate in Richmond still had a camera there at the end of the game. Their video not only made SportsCenter’s top 10 plays, it was top play No. 9, No. 7, No. 5, No. 3 and No. 1. The anchors said we would see it again on the ESPYs.
One problem — less than five months later, ESPN has snubbed the shot seen ’round the world. Snipes shot isn’t even on the ballot for Best Play. Surely we could have done without the X-Games “play” that was included.
Not that the shot hasn’t had lasting effects. Later in the season I saw women’s basketball players imitating it in a shootaround before an NCAA Tournament game. Heck — Randolph-Macon is even remodeling its gym completely this offseason, and that can’t be a coincidence. I wouldn’t want any reminder of that shot left either if I were there.
Coaching changes and other moves
Some transactions have come across our desk, and we figured we’d better share them:
Colin Tabb, a D3hoops.com All-American, was named assistant coach at Brandeis. The 2002 fourth-teamer had been an assistant at Rhode Island College in 2003-04 and played professionally in Ireland this past season.
Russell Vanlandingham, a McMurry alumnus, was hired as a full-time assistant coach to Ron Holmes at his alma mater. Holmes was given additional duties as athletic development officer. McMurry women’s coach Sam Nichols was appointed to the board of directors of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, representing male coaches of women’s basketball.
“With the continual expansion and popularity of women’s basketball, it’s a very challenging and significant position,” said Nichols, who will enter his 11th season on the Lady Indians bench in 2005-06. “I’m committed to fostering harmony and communication between male and female coaches of women’s basketball at all levels. I’m humbled by (WBCA president Doug) Bruno and the Board by putting their trust in me with this position. It’s an honor for myself, the University and the American Southwest Conference.”
Ohio Wesleyan coach Nan Carney-DeBord was elected to the board as a Division III at-large member, joining Salem State’s Tim Shea and Southwestern’s Pam Ruder.
Marymount assistant Shannon Howley was hired as head women’s coach at Arcadia.
Clark men’s coach Mo Cassara promoted one of his assistants, Tyrone Hicks, to associate head coach, and hired another, Adam Polletta. Both are alumni.
UW-Platteville promoted assistant coach Adrian Todd to associate head coach.
Hood hired Keith Adams, head coach at Springbrook HS in Silver Spring, Md., as an assistant men’s coach.
Huntingdon assistant Jason Wright resigned to take the head coaching job at Providence Academy in Atlanta.
The latest on the recruiting trail
Keene State men’s coach Rob Colbert announced his 2005 recruiting class, which contains three freshmen and a transfer:
Tyler Kathan, a 6-5 small forward from Springfield (Vt.) High who was named to the Vermont Dream Dozen, the top 12 underclassmen in the state.
Nate Anderson of Westminster, Mass., a 6-6 power forward, was Oak Mont Regional’s all-time leading scorer with over 1,200 points.
Eric Malkowski, a 6-7 center from Warwick, R.I., averaged 18.2 points and 10 rebounds a game for The Prout School last season.
The transfer is Stanley Chamberlain of Chelsea, Mass., who played two seasons at Hesser.
Marion (Ill.) Crab Orchard HS guard/forward Ray Kissing, who was named second team all-state by the Associated Press, is heading to Millikin.
Community School’s (Naples, Fla., area) Jesse Greenberg is heading to NYU. Casey Berry will play at Sewanee.
Jason Murphy, from Charleston (Ill.) HS, will play both basketball and football at Illinois College.
National Trail (Ind.) forward Tim Beck will play at Wittenberg, along with Barron Collier (Fla.) point guard R.T. Murphy.
A pair of Potomac (Md.) HS forwards, 6-4 Daniel Boettger and 6-2 Dominique Kizer, will attend Capital Athletic Conference schools. Boettger is headed to Mary Washington, and Kizer will “walk on” at Marymount, according to The Washington Post.
Warwick (Pa.) 1,000-point scorer Chris Fairbanks will attend Elizabethtown.
And a handful of Colorado natives from CoHoopsTracker.com:
Colorado College picks up Lincoln Deffenbaugh, 6-2, G, Strasburg
Coe gets Marc Gorenstein, 6-9, P, Silver Creek
In women’s recruiting news, Burke Catholic High School (Monroe, N.Y.) post player Jaimie McFarlin is heading to Washington U. “We are excited about Jaimie joining us for the next four years,” said WU coach Nancy Fahey. “Her success both on the court and in the classroom make her an ideal fit for the program and the Washington University community.”
A four-year letterwinner and team captain, McFarlin garnered team MVP honors three times and led the Eagles to three division crowns, two section championships and one region title. She averaged 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game during her career.
She’ll be joined by Riverdale Country School’s Zoe Julian (Teaneck, N.J.).
Arundel’s Jessica Head is heading to Hood.
Finlandia’s recruiting class:
Republic-Michigamme High School guard Lindsey Antilla
Iron Mountain guard Casey Luke
Sault Ste. Marie forward Lindsey Andrews
And from CoHoopsTracker.com:
Laura Burtner of Skyview HS to DePauw
Tina Liskof Monarch HS to St. Benedict
Hannah McKelvin of Jefferson Academy to Carnegie Mellon
D-III alumni earn NBA rings
Congratulations to the Division III alumni on the San Antonio Spurs, who won the 2004-05 NBA championship in seven games against the Detroit Pistons.
Sure, most people should know that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was formerly head coach at Pomona-Pitzer. But can you name two others?
They’re both alumni of Emerson College. One is Sam Presti, the team’s director of player personnel. The other is a D3hoops.com All-American from 2004, Rob Hennigan, also working in the player personnel department. Of course, you know about Presti if you’re a loyal reader of Around the Nation (about two-thirds of the way down the page). That’s not the first time we’ve mentioned reading Around the Nation, by the way … maybe there’s something to be learned there.
Congrats to all.