IN THIS SECTION:
All-Americans and Post Season Tourneys Friars in the NBA and Friars in the Hall of Fame Friar Legends No. 1 Falls in Friartown Spirit Squads Dunkin’ Donuts Center BIG EAST Conference Basketball Program History Chronology of Important Dates The Greatest Games The Greatest Names Award Winners All-Americans Uniform Numbers In The Pros 83
All-Americans All-Americans and and Post Post Season Season Tourneys Tourneys Friar All-Americans Ed Wineapple (1929) John Krieger (1930, 1931) William McCue (1931) Allen Brachen (1932, 1933) Larry Drew (1942) John Egan (1959, 1961) Len Wilkens (1959, 1960) Jim Hadnot (1961, 1962) Vin Ernst (1962, 1963) John Thompson (1964) Jimmy Walker (1965, 1966, 1967) Ernie DiGregorio (1971, 1972, 1973) Marvin Barnes (1973, 1974) Kevin Stacom (1974) Bruce Campbell (1976) Joe Hassett (1976, 1977) Dwight Williams (1978) Otis Thorpe (1983, 1984) Billy Donovan (1987) Eric Murdock (1989, 1990, 1991) Carlton Screen (1990) Jamel Thomas (1999) John Linehan (2001, 2002) Ryan Gomes (2004, 2005) Marshon Brooks (2011)
Allen Brachen (1932, 1933)
Otis Thorpe (1983, 1984)
Friars in the Post Season NCAA: 14-16 (15 Appearances, 2 Final Fours, 2 Elite Eights, 1 Sweet Sixteen) NIT: 30-19 (18 Appearances, 2 Championships, 2 Runner-ups, 3 Fourths) 1958-59 NIT - Fourth
Joe Mullaney and Friars celebrate after winning the school’s second NIT championship in 1963. Ernie DiGregorio and Marvin Barnes after beating Maryland to advance to the NCAA Final Four in 1973. 84
John Thompson (1964)
1959-60 1960-61 1961-62 1962-63 1963-64 1964-65 1965-66 1966-67 1970-71 1971-72 1972-73 1973-74 1974-75 1975-76 1976-77 1977-78 1985-86 1986-87 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1998-99 2000-01 2002-03 2003-04 2006-07 2008-09
NIT - Second NIT - Champions NIT - First Round NIT - Champions NCAA - First Round NCAA - Elite Eight NCAA - First Round NIT - Quarterfinal NIT - Quarterfinal NCAA - First Round NCAA - Final Four NCAA - Sweet Sixteen NIT - Second NIT - Fourth NCAA - First Round NCAA - First Round NIT - Quarterfinal NCAA - Final Four NCAA - First Round NCAA - First Round NIT - Quarterfinals NIT - Fourth NCAA - First Round NIT - Second Round NIT - Second Round NCAA - Elite Eight NIT - First Round NCAA - First Round NIT - Second Round NCAA - First Round NIT - First Round NIT - First Round
Hall of Fame and Friars in the NBA Friars in the Pros
Ryan Gomes (2005-present)
Austin Croshere (1997-2009)
Marshon Brooks 2011 NBA First Round Draft Pick
Friars in the Hall of Fame In September of 2006, former Friar Dave Gavitt was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Gavitt is the third member of the Providence basketball family to earn the honor and joins John Thompson and Lenny Wilkens. Gavitt - former BIG EAST Conference Commissioner and one of the founding fathers of the league spent 17 years at Providence College, first from 1962-66 as an assistant men’s basketball coach under the direction of Joe Mullaney, then from 1969-79 as head coach. Gavitt was also PC’s athletics director from 1971-82. In 1982, he resigned to be the director of the BIG EAST. As head coach of the Providence College men’s basketball program from 1969-79, Gavitt led the Friars to the school’s first Final Four berth in 1973, in addition to eight 20-win seasons, five NCAA Tournaments, three NIT Tournaments and five New England Coach of the Year trophies. He registered a record of 209-84 (.713) during his 10 seasons with the Friars, including 23 wins over Top-20 teams. His success as coach at Providence led to his selection as Head Coach of the 1980 United States Olympic Team. Lenny Wilkens, who graduated from Providence College in 1960, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989 and 1998. The first PC player to earn the honor, Wilkens was ushered in as a player on May 9, 1989, and as a coach on October 2, 1998, making him one of only two individuals (John Wooden being the other) enshrined in the Hall of Fame in both categories. Thompson, who graduated from Providence College in 1964, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Marvin Barnes Ira Bowman Marques Bragg Marty Conlon Austin Croshere Ernie DiGregorio Billy Donovan John Egan Ruben Garces Ryan Gomes Jim Hadnot Joe Hassett Tony Koski Eric Murdock Mike Riordan God Shammgod Dickey Simpkins Michael Smith Kevin Stacom Jamel Thomas John Thompson Otis Thorpe Jimmy Walker Dexter Westbrook Lenny Wilkens Eric Williams
Dave Gavitt
John Thompson
Lenny Wilkens 85
Friar Legends Dave Gavitt
Friar Legend
Only a select few will ever earn the title of “Friar Legend.” This is the highest honor a Providence College basketball player or coach can receive. Each Friar Legend has his own banner hanging from the rafters of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. To earn the honor, the player or coach must have made a significant impact on Friar basketball and he must have received national recognition during his career at Providence. Joe Mullaney
Ernie DiGregorio
• Coached the Friars from 195569 and again from 1981-85 • Three-time New England Coach of the Year • Guided PC to nine consecutive 20-win seasons • Coached PC to the 1961 and 1963 NIT titles • Developed six All-Americans and recorded a 271-94 (.742) mark
• First Team All-American in 1971 and 1973 • NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team • Third pick in the 1973 NBA draft • ECAC Eastern Player of the Decade for the 1970’s • Holds Providence single season and career records for assists • Helped lead PC to the 1973 Final Four
Marvin Barnes
Jimmy Walker
• First Team All-American (1974); Third Team All-American (1973) • 1974 NCAA National Rebounding Champion (18.7 rpg) • Eastern Player of the Year (1974) • Second pick in the 1974 NBA draft • Holds Providence single game, season and career records for rebounds and blocks • Helped lead PC to the 1973 Final Four
Lenny Wilkens
• First Team All-American (1960) • MVP of the NIT and the EastWest All-Star Game • Retired from NBA second alltime in assists • Nine-time NBA All-Star • Retired from NBA coaching as the all-time leader in victories with 1,315 • Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach
Vinnie Ernst
• NIT Most Valuable Player (1961) • First Team All-American (1963) • Honorable Mention All-American (1962, 1963) • Helped PC capture the NIT (1961, 1963) • All-East (1962, 1963) • Averaged 5.9 assists per game for his career
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• Led Providence to the 1973 Final Four • Guided PC to 23 wins over top20 teams • Registered five NCAA appearances and three NIT invites in 10 seasons • Recorded eight consecutive 20-win seasons • Posted a 209-84 (.713) mark • Director of Athletics at Providence College (1971-82) • 1980 United States Olympic Basketball Coach • Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 • Founded the BIG EAST Conference
• Three time All-American, First Team All-American (1966, 1967) • Averaged over 30 points a game in 1967 • Led the nation in scoring in 1967 (30.4 ppg) • Providence College’s and New England’s only No. 1 Draft choice of the NBA • Set PC scoring records for single game, season and career • Scored 2,045 points in three seasons
John Egan
• Honorable Mention All-American (1959), Second Team AllAmerican (1961) • NIT All-Tournament Team Selection in 1959 and 1961 • Averaged 18.8 ppg during the 1961 NIT Championship season • Scored 1,434 points in three seasons • 12th pick in the 1961 NBA Draft • NABC All-District First Team from 1959-61 • All-East Selection (1961)
Ray Flynn
• All-East (1962, 1963) • NIT Most Valuable Player (1963) • Helped PC capture the NIT (1961, 1963) • Averaged 18.9 ppg during 1963 NIT Championship Season • Academic All-American (1963) • Scored 1,025 points in three seasons • NCAA Silver Anniversary Award (1988)
No. 1 Falls in Friartown February 24, 2009 Providence 81, No. 1 Pittsburgh 73 No. 1 Pittsburgh charged into the Dunk’ late in the season on February 24, 2009, surging in BIG EAST play with a 12-2 league record. The team featured two All-Americans and the Panthers were battling for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. PC featured a veteran squad and the seniors wanted to go out with a bang in the final home game of their careers.
December 29, 1976 Providence 82, No. 1 Michigan 81 The No. 1 ranked Michigan Wolverines came into Providence confident, averaging 95 points per game in the team’s first six games. But the Friars were an NCAA Tournament-caliber team themselves and were ready for all that Michigan would throw at them.
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Spirit Squads
2011-12 Providence College Cheerleaders Top Row (left to right): Krystal Radnor, Marcela Fernandez, Melissa Marks, Kerri Gavin, Jessica Kaminsky, Adrianna Ramirez, Chelsea Sousa, Lori Reynolds Middle Row (left to right): Gretta Schaaf, Melina Giakas, Haven Hatch, Mercedz Austin, Christine Genova, Samantha Wood, Sarah Bolduc, Megan Wood Bottom Row (left to right): Angelina Howard, Amanda Ervin, Kelsey Flanagan, Sarah Caputo
The cheerleading squad, dance team, and mascot make up the spirit program at Providence College. Members of the spirit program attend games and various public relations events around campus. They are expected to perform in front of large crowds at games and competitions. The first big performance of the year is at Late Night Madness to raise excitement for the upcoming basketball season.
2011-12 Providence College Dance Team Front Row (left to right): Christine Kennedy, Olivia Lovegreen, Alyssa Mello, Gillian Imse, Kaitlyn Dell’Aquila, Annie Walfield, Samantha Lovegreen, Colleen Hayes Back Row (left to right): Brianna Branch, Erin Pucciarelli, Cheyanne Viveiros, Jessica Di Pietro, Kristen Whyte, Jennifer Celli, Karli Ipsen
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Dunkin’ Donuts Center - Providence Dedicated: November, 1972 Capacity: 12,993 First PC Game: December 11, 1972 PC 93 - Fairfield 57 First PC Loss: December 30, 1974 St. John’s 91 - PC 79 100th Game: February 11, 1978 PC 61 - North Carolina 59 200th Game: December 13, 1983 PC 65 - Long Island 72 300th Game: February 7, 1989 PC 88 - Pittsburgh 78 400th Game: January 21, 1995 PC 59 - Syracuse 60 500th Game: November 24, 2001 PC 68 - Columbia 54 100th Victory: November 29, 1979 PC 68 - Assumption 66 200th Victory: March 5, 1988 PC 90 - St. John’s 81 300th Victory: December 28, 1995 PC 83 - Colgate 77 400th Victory: February 2, 2005 PC 98 - Virginia 79
Box Office Bonanzas
Attendance Opponent Date 13,307 PC 75 St. John’s 64 2- 9-91 13,287 PC 92 Syracuse 82 1-26-91 13,256 PC 80 Syracuse 87 - 2-18-89 13,203 PC 77 Georgetown 80 - 1-18-89 13,201 PC 72 Georgetown 69 1- 8-91 13,168 PC 65 Connecticut 61 2- 4-89 13,149 PC 67 Villanova 76 - 1-14-89
The Dunkin’ Donuts Center, home of the basketball Friars, became a reality on November 3, 1972 when the Rhode Island Reds played Tidewater in an American Hockey League contest. Since that time, millions of sports, music and trade fans have walked through the turnstiles in what many consider to be one of the finest civic centers in the country. Indeed, over five million people have played witness to Providence College basketball in this building. In the spring of 2001, the building gained a corporate sponsor. The facility, previously known as the Providence
Civic Center, was renamed the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The tremendous success of the Friars in the early 1970’s mandated a change from Alumni Hall to a downtown facility that would service the demand for tickets to Friar basketball games. Since that time, the Dunkin’ Donuts Center has helped Providence College play host to some of the nation’s top basketball teams, including each of the 15 BIG EAST opponents. The Friars have had great success in the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, running up a 472-197 record. When the Friars first moved downtown, they ran off 41-consecutive wins before St. John’s ruined the streak in the Ocean State Classic in 1974. The Friars have “shared” the building with the nation’s top collegiate and professional basketball teams. UCLA, North Carolina, Marquette, Brigham Young, Duke (then ranked No. 1) and Michigan (also ranked No. 1) have all played here. Of course, the BIG EAST roster includes Georgetown, St. John’s, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, DePaul, Villanova, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Rutgers, Louisville, Marquette, Cincinnati, South Florida and Notre Dame. The Boston Celtics have played a number of NBA teams in the building as well. The Friars
Providence College In The Dunkin’ Donuts Center -
Year 1972-73 1973-74 1974-75 1975-76 1976-77 1977-78 1978-79 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1984-85 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 39 years
All Games Home Games Total 16-0 14-0 144,878 18-0 16-0 139,616 14-3 11-1 102,360 15-3 14-2 142,870 17-1 15-1 149,856 18-4 16-2 165,048 8-8 8-6 102,246 10-10 10-7 134,305 8-9 8-8 121,675 10-7 9-7 97,537 8-7 6-7 96,023 13-5 12-5 128,766 6-10 5-10 107,682 14-7 14-7 * 159,494 14-3 13-3 156,673 11-7 11-6 170,007 13-4 12-4 172,047 13-5 13-4 169,332 17-3 17-3 * 211,498 10-6 10-6 172,976 15-4 15-4 * 203,484 13-1 13-1 151,504 13-5 13-5 * 187,684 12-5 11-5 * 168,554 12-3 12-3 165,447 8-7 8-6 142,778 10-7 10-5 150,022 8-9 7-9 132,049 13-3 13-3 151,037 12-5 11-5 130,000 13-5 13-5 * 157,985 11-4 11-4 151,451 9-8 9-8 ** 164,235 9-7 9-7 133,583 16-3 16-3 159,798 10-5 10-5 127,907 13-5 13-5 * 149,585 8-9 8-9 140,920 14-5 14-5 133,815 472-197 (.706) 450-186 (.708) 5,736,555 * NIT included ** Preseason NIT included
Average Nat’l Rk. 10,348 8,726 8,530 8,929 9,366 9,169 (32) 7,303 (49) 7,900 (52) 7,605 (60) 6,096 (68) 7,386 (63) 7,574 (72) 7,179 (71) 7,595 (57) 9,792 (38) 10,000 (37) 10,755 (33) 9,960 (30) 10,525 (33) 10,780 (32) 10,710 (35) 10,822 (36) 10,427 (38) 10,535 (37) 11,030 (33) 10,198 (36) 10,001 (38) 8,253 (59) 9,440 (49) 8,125 (65) 8,777 (52) 10,097 (44) 9,661 (47) 8,349 (64) 8,410 (68) 8,527 (64) 8,310 (64) 8,289 (61) 7,043 9,020
have hosted ECAC Basketball Championships, NCAA First and Second Round games (1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1996, 2010), NIT games, the first-ever BIG EAST Championship tournament and the 1978 and 1985 NCAA Eastern Regionals. In 1995 and 2000, the building hosted the NCAA Hockey Championships.
The First Game Box Score December 11, 1972
Providence Bello Walters DiGregorio Crawford Baker Barnes Stacom King Costello Total
FG FT PTS 1 2 4 0 2 2 16 5 37 2 0 4 0 3 3 3 1 7 7 3 17 3 4 10 4 1 9 36 21 93
Fairfield Lademan Kelly Groom Ryan Bogard Bradley Rehn Backfish Fermeglia Duffy Moorer Rogers Totals
FG FT PTS 1 2 4 4 0 8 1 2 4 1 2 4 0 2 2 3 0 6 3 0 6 1 2 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 6 5 2 12 22 13 57
The Dunkin’ Donuts Center has seen the world’s top entertainment acts visit Providence: The Boston Pops, Lawrence Welk, Ice Capades, Barnum and Bailey Circus, Moscow Circus, Ringling Brothers Circus, ABC Wide World of Sports, World Heavyweight Boxing, Harlem Globetrotters, Disney on Ice, Elvis Presley, Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan, Bobby Brown, Kenny Rogers,
Dunkin’ Donuts Center Renovation By The Numbers • Average Number of Construction Workers 300Per Day During Peak Construction Periods • Total Man Hours During Construction 447,800 • Pounds of Rebar - 300,000 • Gallons of Paint - 3,606 • Percentage of Materials Recycled - 95% • In Pounds - 11,677,048 • Tons of Steel - 460 • Cubic Yards of Concrete Used - 2,200 • Tiles Installed - 73,440 • Square Feet of Glass Installed - 15,000 • Square Yards of New Flooring - 7,000 • Bricks Installed - 215,000 • Block Installed - 65,000
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Dunkin’ Donuts Center - Providence Van Halen, Aerosmith, The Bee Gees, Lionel Richie, Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac, Diana Ross, U2 and Bruce Springsteen to name a few of the hundreds of entertainers and acts that have played the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. It now serves as the home of the Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins. No other New England college basketball team has enjoyed the success that the Friars have seen. That is especially true given the attendance figures given for the first 38 years of the facility. In the spring of 2006, the facility began extensive renovations that were completed in the fall of 2008. The Dunkin’ Donuts Center continues to be one of the nation’s premier complexes, seating almost 13,000 fans. The $80 million project enhanced almost every aspect of the arena and included luxury boxes, new seats, a new video scoreboard and sound system, new concession stands, new locker rooms and a new weight training and fitness area. The renovations ensure that the Friars will continue to play in one of the top college basketball facilities in the country.
PC Vs. Opponents In The Dunkin’ Donuts Center
(includes “away” and neutral games)
FRIARS VS. THE BIG EAST (1979-11) (134-126, .515) TEAM W L Boston College 14 11 Connecticut 10 15 Cincinnati 2 1 DePaul 3 1 Georgetown 12 11 Louisville 1 3 Marquette 1 2 Miami 7 4 Notre Dame 2 6 Pittsburgh 13 9 Rutgers 9 2 St. John’s 15 13 Seton Hall 13 11 South Florida 3 1 Syracuse 5 21 Villanova 16 12 Virginia Tech 3 0 West Virginia 5 4
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FRIARS VERSUS ALL TEAMS (151 teams) (472-197, .706) TEAM W L Alabama 2 0 Alabama State 1 0 American 1 0 Arizona 2 0 Arkansas 1 0 Arkansas-Little Rock 1 0 Assumption 13 1 Austin Peay 2 0 Binghamton 1 0 Biscayne 1 0 Boston College 18 12 Boston University 8 0 Bowling Green 1 0 Brooklyn 1 0 Brown 39 5 Bryant 3 0 Bucknell 1 0 California 1 0 Cal State-Bakersfield 1 0 Cal State-Fullerton 1 0 Cal State-Irvine 1 0 Campbell 2 0 Canisius 6 0 Catholic 1 0 Central Connecticut 5 1 Charleston Southern 1 0 Cincinnati 2 1 Cleveland State 2 0 Colgate 2 0 College of Charleston 2 0 Columbia 3 0 Connecticut 12 15 Creighton 1 0
Dartmouth Dayton DePaul Drake Drexel Duke Duquesne Evansville Fairfield Fairleigh Dickinson Florida Florida International Florida State Fordham George Mason George Washington Georgetown Harvard Hawaii Hofstra Holy Cross Howard Illinois State Iona College Jackson State Jacksonville James Madison Lafayette LaSalle Liberty Long Island Longwood Louisiana-Lafayette Louisiana Tech Louisville Loyola of Chicago Loyola of Maryland Loyola Marymount Maine Manhattan Marist Marquette Massachusetts Memphis Mercer Miami Michigan Michigan State Mississippi Valley Monmouth Morgan State Navy New Hampshire Nevada-Las Vegas Niagara North Carolina North Carolina A&T North Carolina-Asheville North Carolina State Northeastern
4 1 6 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 12 2 1 2 11 4 0 0 1 3 2 2 0 1 5 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 10 1 1 2 5 0 1 9 1 0 1 1 3 0 8 0 7 1 2 1 1 5
0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 12 0 0 0 4 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Northwestern Notre Dame Ohio University Oklahoma Oklahoma State Oregon Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Prairie View A&M Princeton Purdue Rhode Island Richmond Rider Robert Morris Rutgers Sacred Heart St. Bonaventure St. Francis (NY) St. John’s St. Joseph’s St. Leo St. Michael’s St. Peter’s St. Thomas Aquinas San Diego State San Francisco Seton Hall Siena South Alabama South Carolina South Florida Stanford Stonehill Syracuse Temple Texas Texas Christian University Texas-Pan American Tulsa Utah Vanderbilt University Vermont Villanova Virginia Virginia Tech Wagner Washington Wayne State Western Kentucky West Texas State West Virginia Wichita State William and Mary Winthrop Wisconsin Wisconsin-Superior Xavier Yale
1 3 1 0 1 2 4 13 1 1 1 30 1 2 2 9 4 3 2 17 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 16 3 1 2 4 1 4 6 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 5 18 1 3 1 0 1 1 1 7 0 1 0 2 1 1 4
0 7 1 1 0 0 1 9 0 0 2 13 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 15 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 1 0 0 21 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 14 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 4 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
The Big East Conference
John Marinatto Commissioner
15 Park Row West Providence, RI 02903 Switchboard: (401) BIG-EAST (244-3278) Communications: (401) 453-0660 Fax: (401) 274-5967 Website: www.bigeast.org Nicholas Carparelli, Jr. Senior Associate Commissioner
Joseph D’Antonio, Jr. Senior Associate Commissioner
Donna DeMarco Egan Senior Associate Commissioner
Dan Gavitt Associate Commissioner
John Paquette Associate Commissioner
Tom Odjakjian Associate Commissioner
an unprecedented four by Villanova’s Sheila Reid. Reid was the 2010 individual cross country champion, a member of the Wildcats’ winning indoor distance medley relay team and won the 5,000- and 1,500meter titles in outdoor track & field. Louisville’s Matt Hughes, meanwhile, repeated as the NCAA champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA outdoor meet. Moore and Reid joined Notre Dame soccer standout Melissa Henderson as winners of Honda Sports Awards as the top performers in their respective sports. Moore also became the first three-time winner of the Wade Trophy as the nation’s top women’s basketball player and joined Villanova lacrosse player Brian Karalunas as winners of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. BIG EAST football maintained its national profile as a competitively balanced group. Connecticut claimed the league’s Bowl Championship Series bid for the first time as the Huskies shared the conference title with Pittsburgh and West Virginia. Six of the league’s eight squads went to bowl games and helped the BIG EAST post a 4-2 bowl record for the second straight year. The BIG EAST became the nation’s largest Division I-A conference in 2005-06 when five new members began competing – the University of Cincinnati, DePaul University, the University of Louisville, Marquette University and the University of South Florida. Since opening its doors in 1979, the league has won 31 national championships in six different sports and 133 student-athletes have won individual national titles. In 2003-04, Connecticut became the first school in NCAA history to win the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball titles in the same season. In ’02-03, the BIG EAST became the first conference in NCAA history to win the men’s and women’s titles in the same year when the Syracuse men and the Connecticut women captured their respective national championships. In men’s basketball, BIG EAST squads have won four of the last 13 NCAA championships. BIG EAST women’s teams have taken seven of the last 12 NCAA titles. Proactive movement has been a signature strategy for the conference that was born in 1979. The BIG EAST continually turns challenges into opportunities to become stronger. The conference currently crowns champions in 24 sports. The BIG EAST became a reality on May 31, 1979, following a meeting of athletic directors from Providence College, St. John’s, Georgetown and Syracuse universities. Seton Hall, Connecticut and Boston College completed the original seven school alliance. While the membership has both increased and changed, the focus of the BIG EAST has not wavered. The conference reflects a tradition of broad based programs, led by administrators and coaches who place a constant emphasis on academic integrity. Its student athletes own significantly high graduation rates and their record of scholastic achievement notably show a balance between intercollegiate athletics and academics. Any successful organization has had the good fortune to have outstanding leadership. The BIG EAST primarily was the brainchild of Dave Gavitt, who was the conference’s first Commissioner. Michael Tranghese, the league’s first full-time employee, and for 11 years the associate to Gavitt, became Commissioner in 1990. In his first year, he administered the formation of The BIG EAST Football Conference. John Marinatto, who had served as senior associate commissioner, moved into the Commissioner’s chair in 2009 and has continued to steer the conference on its path of success. The league has long been considered a leader in innovative concepts in promotion and publicity, particularly regarding television. Those efforts have resulted in unparalleled visibility for BIG EAST student athletes. The conference has enjoyed longstanding relationships with CBS, ESPN, Inc. and ABC. BIG EAST men’s basketball games are regular sellouts at campus and major public arenas, including the annual men’s BIG EAST Championship in Madison Square Garden. The women’s basketball championship has led all conferences in attendance for the past eight years. Attendance figures also are significant in soccer and baseball. The BIG EAST has its headquarters in Providence where the conference administers to more than 5,500 student-athletes.
The Big East Conference The 2011-12 academic year is the 33rd in the history of The BIG EAST Conference as the unique consortium marches on competing at the highest level with integrity and sportsmanship. The BIG EAST has gone through membership changes since its birth, but the 2011-12 year marks the conference’s seventh straight with the same 16-member group, making for the nation’s largest Division I-A conference. The BIG EAST Conference’s goals have always been the same. The outstanding performances of the student-athletes at BIG EAST schools are evidence of the league’s proud tradition of success. The league has always been able to boast that many of its best students are also its best athletes. The 2010-11 year was no different. Seven BIG EAST student-athletes were named NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners, while 22 earned Capital One Academic All-America recognition. Maya Moore, Connecticut’s women’s basketball standout, won the NCAA Honda-Broderick Cup as the nation’s top female studentathlete and was chosen as the Capital One Academic All-America of the Year. In the athletic arena, BIG EAST studentathletes again enjoyed success on the national stage. The Connecticut men’s basketball team won its third national championship, completing a magical run through five games of the BIG EAST Championship and six wins in the NCAA tournament. The Villanova women’s cross country team won the NCAA title for the second straight year and the ninth time overall. The Notre Dame women’s soccer team won its third NCAA title, while BIG EAST teams reached national championship games in women’s basketball (Notre Dame) and men’s soccer (Louisville). The BIG EAST placed two teams in the NCAA Women’s Final Four for the second time in the last three years as Connecticut joined Notre Dame in Indianapolis, capping a season in which the Huskies extended their NCAA-record winning streak to 90 games. Individually, BIG EAST student-athletes won five NCAA championships, including
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The Big East Conference Results 2010-2011 BIG EAST Final Standings Big East Overall W-L PCT H A W-L PCT Pittsburgh (4/12)#^ 15-3 .833 8-1 7-2 28-6 .824 Notre Dame (5/14)^ 14-4 .778 9-0 4-4 27-7 .794 Louisville (14/22)^ 12-6 .667 9-0 4-5 25-10 .714 Syracuse (12/18)^ 12-6 .667 6-3 6-3 27-8 .788 St. John’s(18/rv)* 12-6 .667 7-2 5-4 21-12 .636 West Virginia (22/rv)* 11-7 .611 7-2 4-5 21-12 .636 Cincinnati (rv/rv)* 11-7 .611 6-3 5-4 26-9 .743 Georgetown (rv/rv)* 10-8 .556 5-4 5-4 21-11 .656 Connecticut (9/1)& 9-9 .500 5-4 4-5 32-9 .780 Villanova (rv/-) 9-9 .500 5-4 4-5 21-12 .636 Marquette (rv/20) 9-9 .500 6-3 3-6 22-15 .594 Seton Hall 7-11 .389 4-5 3-6 13-18 .419 Rutgers 5-13 .278 3-5 2-7 15-17 .469 Providence 4-14 .222 4-5 0-9 15-17 .469 USF 3-15 .167 2-7 1-8 10-23 .303 DePaul 1-17 .056 0-9 1-8 7-24 .226 2011 BIG EAST Tournament Results Tuesday, March 8- First Round Connecticut 97, DePaul 71 Seton Hall 70, Rutgers 76 Villanova 69, USF 70 Marquette 87, Providence 66
Wednesday, March 9- Second Round Georgetown 62, Connecticut 79 St. John’s 65, Rutgers 63 Cincinnati 87, USF 61 West Virginia 61, Marquette 67
H 17-1 17-0 19-2 16-3 12-3 12-2 15-3 10-4 13-4 13-4 14-4 8-7 10-6 13-5 7-9 6-11
A 7-2 5-4 4-6 6-3 5-7 5-6 8-4 7-5 5-5 7-5 4-7 4-7 3-8 0-10 1-12 1-9
N 4-3 5-3 2-2 5-1 4-2 4-4 3-2 4-0 14-0 1-3 4-4 1-4 2-3 1-2 2-2 0-4
Thursday, March 10- Quarterfinals Pittsburgh 74, Connecticut 76 Syracuse 79, St. John’s 73 Notre Dame 89, Cincinnati 51 Louisville 81, Marquette 56
Lost 1 Lost 1 Lost 2 Lost 1 Lost 2 Lost 1 Lost 1 Lost 5 Won 11 Lost 6 Lost 1 Lost 1 Lost 1 Lost 1 Lost 1 Lost 6
Friday, March 11- Semifinals Connecticut 76, Syracuse 71 Louisville 83, Notre Dame 77 Saturday, March 12- Final Connecticut 69, Louisville 66
BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE YEAR Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR Mike Brey, Notre Dame DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Rick Jackson, Syracuse BIG EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Cleveland Melvin, DePaul BIG EAST Sixth Man Award Justin Burrell, St. John’s BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award Brad Wanamaker, Pittsburgh BIG EAST MOST IMPROVED PLAYER Dwight Hardy, St. John’s
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM Kemba Walker, Connecticut Austin Freeman, Georgetown *Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh Marshon Brooks, Providence Dwight Hardy, St. John’s ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM Preston Knowles, Louisville Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette Brad Wanamaker, Pittsburgh Rick Jackson, Syracuse Corey Fisher, Villanova
ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM Chris Wright, Georgetown Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall Kris Joseph, Syracuse Corey Stokes, Villanova ALL-BIG EAST HON. MENTION Peyton Silva, Louisville Jimmy Butler, Marquette Scoop Jardine, Syracuse Kevin Jones, West Virginia
ALL-BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinatti Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut Shabazz Napier, Connecticut *Cleveland Melvin, DePaul Brandon Young, Depaul Gilvydas Biruta, Rutgers
Composite Team Records 1979-2011 in BIG EAST Years Regular Season
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Boston College Cincinnati Connecticut DePaul Georgetown Louisville Marquette Miami Notre Dame Pittsburgh Providence Rutgers St. John’s Seton Hall South Florida Syracuse Villanova Virginia Tech West Virginia
26 6 32 6 32 6 6 13 15 28 32 15 32 32 6 32 31 4 15
181-233 .437 44-60 .423 307-215 .588 22-82 .211 312-210 .597 71-33 .683 63-41 .606 99-125 .442 147-126 .538 265-223 .532 210-312 .402 81-191 .298 273-249 .523 207-315 .397 23-81 .221 338-184 .648 296-220 .574 17-47 .266 134-139 .491
in BIG EAST Tournament
in Non-League in Postseason Regular Season NIT NCAA NIT/PCT NCAA/PCT
20-24 .456 3-5 .375 57-22 .722 3-2 34-25 .576 340-65 .840 35-20 1-4 .200 43-31 .581 2-1 49-25 .662 320-63 .836 12-6 6-5 .500 67-18 .788 3-1 8-6 .571 67-17 .798 0-0 1-2 .333 9-15 .375 147-50 .758 12-6 24-27 .471 278-73 .792 8-3 16-30 .348 268-112 .705 11-10 6-12 .333 119-56 .680 5-4 26-25 .510 283-98 .743 10-2 21-29 .420 264-103 .719 0-5 2-3 .400 45-33 .577 0-1 45-27 .625 351-52 .871 12-7 31-30 .508 269-102 .725 12-8 1-1 .500 12-14 .462 145-41 .780 9-3
1-1 48-13 0-0 43-22 7-5 2-4
.600 .636 .667 .667 .750
.500 .787 .000 .662 .583
6-7 13-8 7-7 0-0 17-17 15-20 0-0 43-23 31-17
.667 .727 .524 .556 .833 .000 .000 .632 .600
14-7
.750
.462 .619 .500 .000 .500 .429 .000 .652 .646 .667