2021-22 FURMAN BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
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Women’s Basketball Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
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Bob Richey, Men’s Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Men’s Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Men’s Players to Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
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Jackie Carson, Women’s Coach . . . . . . . . . . .12
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Women’s Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Women’s Players to Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
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Coaching & Support Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
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Furman University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
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Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
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F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
1
2021-22 MEN’S SCHEDULE
D AT E
D AY
TIME
OPPONENT
L O C AT I O N
Nov 9
(Tue)
7:00 pm
North Greenville
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 12
(Fri)
7:00 pm
Louisville
Louisville, Ky.
Nov 15
(Mon)
7:30 pm
Belmont
Nashville, Tenn.
Nov 19
(Fri)
7:00 pm
Radford
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 21
(Sun)
3:00 pm
Navy
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 27
(Sat)
4:00 pm
USC Upstate
Spartanburg, S.C.
Nov 30
(Tue)
7:00 pm
High Point
High Point, N.C.
Dec 3
(Fri)
7:00 pm
College of Charleston
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Dec 7
(Tue)
7:00 pm
Winthrop
Rock Hill, S.C.
Dec 10
(Fri)
7:00 pm
Appalachian State
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Dec 14
(Tue)
7:00 pm
North Carolina
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Dec 17
(Fri)
7:00 pm
Mississippi State
Starkville, Miss.
Dec 21
(Tue)
7:00 pm
Presbyterian
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Dec 29
(Wed)
7:00 pm
Samford*
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 1
(Sat)
1:00 pm
VMI*
Lexington, Va.
Jan 5
(Wed)
7:00 pm
UNC Greensboro*
Greensboro, N.C.
Jan 8
(Sat)
4:00 pm
Mercer*
GREENVILLE (Bon Secours Wellness Arena)
Jan 12
(Wed)
7:00 pm
East Tennessee State*
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 15
(Sat)
4:00 pm
Chattanooga*
Chattanooga, TN
Jan 19
(Wed)
7:00 pm
Western Carolina*
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 22
(Sat)
7:00 pm
Wofford*
Spartanburg, S.C.
Jan 26
(Wed)
7:00 pm
VMI*
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 29
(Sat)
6:00 pm
Mercer*
Macon, Ga.
Feb 2
(Wed)
7:00 pm
The Citadel*
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Feb 5
(Sat)
12:00 pm
UNC Greensboro*
GREENVILLE (Bon Secours Wellness Arena)
Feb 7
(Mon)
7:00 pm
East Tennessee State*
Johnson City, Tenn.
Feb 12
(Sat)
4:00 pm
Chattanooga*
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Feb 16
(Wed)
7:00 pm
Western Carolina*
Cullowhee, N.C.
Feb 19
(Sat)
12:00 pm
Wofford*
GREENVILLE (Bon Secours Wellness Arena)
Feb 23
(Wed)
8:00 pm
Samford*
Birmingham, Ala.
Feb 26
(Sat)
1:00 pm
The Citadel*
Charleston, S.C.
Mar 3
(Thu)
TBA
Southern Conference Championships
Asheville, N.C.
BOLD indicates home game Schedule subject to change * SOCON Game 2
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
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2021-22 WOMEN’S SCHEDULE
D AT E
D AY
TIME
OPPONENT
L O C AT I O N
Nov 8
(Mon)
7:00 pm
Brevard
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 12
(Fri)
7:00 pm
Presbyterian
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 15
(Mon)
7:00 pm
Georgia
Athens, Ga.
Nov 17
(Wed)
7:00 pm
Converse
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 20
(Sat)
2:00 pm
UNC Asheville
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 22
(Mon)
7:00 pm
Erskine
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Nov 26
(Fri)
4:00 ET
Cal
Berkeley, Calif.
Nov 27
(Sat)
TBA
San Diego State
Berkeley, Calif.
Nov 27
(Sat)
TBA
Mississippi
Berkeley, Calif.
Dec 1
(Wed)
7:00 pm
Radford
Radford, VA
Dec 4
(Sat)
2:00 pm
Stetson
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Dec 6
(Mon)
TBA
Kennesaw State
Kennesaw, GA
Dec 12
(Sun)
1:00 pm
Georgia Tech
Atlanta, Ga.
Dec 16
(Thu)
5:30 pm
Charleston Southern
Charleston, SC
Dec 20
(Mon)
7:00 pm
Hampton
Hampton, VA
Dec 29
(Wed)
TBA
South Carolina State
Orangeburg, SC
Jan 1
(Sat)
2:00 pm
Southern Wesleyan
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 6
(Thu)
7:00 pm
UNC Greensboro
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 8
(Sat)
1:00 pm
Western Carolina
GREENVILLE (Bon Secours Wellness Arena)
Jan 13
(Thu)
7:00 pm
Wofford
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 20
(Thu)
TBA
Mercer
Macon, GA
Jan 22
(Sat)
3:00 pm
Samford
Birmingham, AL
Jan 27
(Thu)
7:00 pm
East Tennessee State
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Jan 29
(Sat)
2:00 pm
Chattanooga
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Feb 3
(Thu)
TBA
Western Carolina
Cullowhee, NC
Feb 5
(Sat)
4:00 pm
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
Feb 12
(Sat)
2:00 pm
Wofford
Spartanburg, SC
Feb 17
(Thu)
7:00 pm
Samford
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Feb 19
(Sat)
6:00 pm
Mercer
GREENVILLE (Timmons Arena)
Feb 24
(Thu)
TBA
Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN
Feb 26
(Sat)
TBA
East Tennessee State
Johnson City, TN
Mar 3
(Thu)
TBA
Southern Conference Championships
Asheville, NC (Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville)
BOLD indicates home game Schedule subject to change * SOCON Game
4
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
BOB RICHEY
HEAD COACH BOB RICHEY 2016 – Present The Paladins have posted back-to-back 25-win seasons and claimed four straight 20-win seasons for the first time in school history.
Bob Richey is in fifth season as head coach of the Furman men’s basketball team and 11th overall with the program. During his time at the helm of the program, Richey has guided the Paladins to an 8935 overall record and 51-18 mark in Southern Conference play. The Paladins have posted back-toback 25-win seasons and claimed four straight 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. His .717 winning percentage ranks in the top 10 among active Division I head coaches.
rebounds per game. Mounce joined Furman greats Bruce Evans, Jonathan Moore, Matt Rafferty, Karim Souchu and Derek Waugh as one of only six players in school history to post at least 1,200 points, 600 rebounds, 150 assists and 100 steals in a career as a Paladin.
Furman concluded the 2020-21 season at 16-9 overall and 10-5 in the SoCon, securing the program’s sixth consecutive winning record and sixth straight top three finish in the league standings. The Paladins, who spent the entire regular season ranked in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25, concluded the season a league-best No. 75 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Rankings, a SoCon-best No. 92 in the Pomeroy Ratings and No. 90 in the RPI.
Richey guided the Paladins to a 25-7 overall record and 15-3 Southern Conference mark in 2019-20 as the Paladins posted a school-record for victories for a second consecutive season. Furman finished the season at No. 74 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Rankings and No. 81 in the Pomeroy Ratings. Jordan Lyons, a College Insider Mid-Major All-American, earned first team All-SoCon honors while Mounce and Gurley received third team all-league accolades. Lyons finished his Furman career as the winningest player in school history with 96 victories.
Fifth-year senior Clay Mounce garnered third team All-SoCon honors and NABC All-District accolades after contributing 13.8 points and a team-best 6.3
6
Joining Mounce in receiving postseason honors were Mike Bothwell and Noah Gurley, who were named second team All-SoCon. Bothwell also earned NABC All-District 21 Second Team honors.
Under his leadership, the 2018-19 Paladins reached
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
new heights with a school-record 25 wins, including victories over defending national champion and eighth-ranked Villanova and 2018 NCAA Final Four participant Loyola Chicago. Furman finished the season with a 25-8 overall record, 13-5 league mark and earned the school's first trip to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) since 1991. Rafferty, who paced the country in win shares and defensive win shares, finished the season as the only player in the SoCon to rank in the top 10 in points (17.5ppg), rebounds (9.0rpg), assists (4.3apg), steals (2.5spg), blocks (1.1bpg) and field goal percentage (61.5%). The first team All-SoCon selection also ranked among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) and free throw percentage (76.7%). Lyons earned third team All-SoCon honors after a standout season that included a 54-point performance and NCAA record-tying 15 three-point baskets versus North Greenville. Gurley garnered SoCon AllFreshman honors. In his first season as head coach in 2017-18, Richey guided the Paladins to a school record-tying 23-win season that included a then school-record 22 regular season victories. Under his leadership, Furman placed three players on All-Southern Conference teams and the 2018 senior class finished their careers with 76 wins, now third best in school history. Devin Sibley earned first team All-SoCon honors, while Rafferty and Daniel Fowler garnered second team allleague accolades. The Paladins ranked second in the SoCon averaging 79.4 points per game and were third in scoring defense at 68.5 points per contest. Furman posted a 13-3 home record at Timmons Arena, including a 7-2 mark against SoCon opposition. A native of Florence, S.C., Richey, who served six seasons as a member of the Paladin coaching staff before moving into the head coaching role, helped Furman to a school record-tying 23 total victories and 14 Southern Conference wins in 2017, while the program earned a share of its first Southern Conference regular season championship in 21 years and a trip the CollegeInsider.com (CIT) Postseason Tournament semifinals. The 2016-17 Paladins, who also won a school record 12 road games, notched back-toback postseason appearances for the first time since 1974-75, and captured postseason victories in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. Richey, who has served as position coach for the Paladins’ guards since joining the Furman staff prior to the 2011-12 campaign, has recruited and developed back-to-back Southern Conference Players of the
Furman concluded the 2020-21 season at 16-9 overall and 10-5 in the SoCon, securing the program’s sixth consecutive winning record.
Year. Stephen Croone, who finished his Furman career with 1,936 points, earned consensus SoCon Player of the Year honors in 2016 before joining the NBDL’s Sioux Falls SkyForce for the 2016-17 season. Sibley followed Croone by earning 2017 SoCon Player of the Year honors, first team All-SoCon accolades, and first team NABC All-District laurels. Sibley was joined on both the All-SoCon squad and NABC All-District Team by fellow Richey recruit Kris Acox, who capped his career with 1,051 points and ranked among the SoCon’s top rebounders over two seasons. In 2016, Richey played a key role in Furman’s return to the postseason as the Paladins fashioned a 19-16 overall record, finished third in the SoCon with an 11-7 mark, and advanced to the second round of the CIT with a buzzer-beating victory over Louisiana Monroe at Timmons Arena in first round action. Furman won a school record 14 home games, including 11 in a row, while Croone earned player of the year and first team All-SoCon accolades. The previous season, Richey helped lead the Paladins to their first Southern Conference Tournament finals appearance in 13 years as the Paladins downed No. 2 seed Chattanooga and No. 3 seed Mercer to advance to the league championship game. Richey’s recruits have garnered all-conference honors in 11 consecutive seasons, including Furman recruits Croone (2014, ‘15, ‘16 All-SoCon), Acox (2017 AllSoCon), and Sibley (2017 All-SoCon). He has also helped recruit six players over the last seven seasons who have garnered SoCon All-Freshman honors, (Continued on page 9)
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
7
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including Sibley, who won 2015 SoCon Freshman of the Year accolades. An associate head coach for Charleston Southern during the 2010-11 campaign, Richey helped the Buccaneers achieve their highest win total in 14 years in 2011. In five seasons as an assistant at CSU, he recruited five players who went on to garner All-Big South Conference honors, highlighted by the school’s No. 2 all-time leading scorer Jamarco Warren and 2013 all-league performers Saah Nimley and Arlon Harper. Richey helped the Bucs improve their conference record in each season, culminating with a squad that ranked in the top 50 nationally by averaging 74 points per game in his final season. During his five years at Charleston Southern, Richey recruited five of the top 11 scorers in CSU history in Warren (1,968 points, 2nd all-time), Nimley (1,866 points, 3rd all-time), Harper (1,633 points, 5th alltime), Kelvin Martin (1,483 points, 8th all-time) and Jeremy Sexton (1,253 points, 11th all-time). Two of his recruits earned Big South Freshman of the Year honors in their rookie seasons, and he placed at least one player on the Big South All-Freshman squad in four consecutive seasons. Basketball analyst Jeff Goodman rated Richey as the No. 4 assistant coach in the Big South Conference in 2010, while Richey also ranked
as the youngest coach on the list. A graduate of Florence Christian School, Richey led his team to a 28-2 record and state championship his senior year. He was named the 3A State player of the year and currently holds seven school records at Florence Christian. Richey graduated summa cum laude from North Greenville University in May of 2006 with a degree in business management. In April of 2007, he married the former Jessica Tingle and the couple have two children, Audrey Gabrielle and Robert McIntire “Mac”.
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2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
9
2021-22 MEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER
0
1
JP PEGUES
JAYLON PUGH
G I 6-1 I 165 I Fr Nashville, Tenn. / Hillsboro H.S.
G I 6-0 I 173 I Sr Cartersville, Ga. / Cartersville H.S.
G I 6-1 I 172 I Jr Michigan City, Ind. / Marquette H.S.
5
10
11
3
COLIN KENNEY
MIKE BOTHWELL
G I 6-3 I 195 I Sr Cleveland Heights, Ohio / Cornerstone Christian Academy
12
MARCUS FOSTER
ALEX HUNTER
ROBERT SWANSON
JONNY LAWRENCE
G I 6-4 I 210 I R-So Atlanta, Ga. / Drew Charter H.S.
G I 5-11 I 180 I S-Sr Raleigh, NC / Leesville Road H.S.
G I 5-10 I 165 I Sr Myrtle Beach, SC / Myrtle Beach H.S.
F I 6-10 I 205 I R-So Orlando, Fla. / Lake Howell H.S.
13
14
GARRETT HIEN
F I 6-9 I 205 I R-So Charlotte, NC / Concord First Assembly Academy
21
BEN BEEKER
F I 6-9 I 225 I Jr Hendersonville , NC / Hendersonville H.S.
10
2
15
20
RETT LISTER
TYRESE HUGHEY
JALEN SLAWSON
G I 6-1 I 167 I Jr Easley, SC / Easley H.S.
F I 6-6 I 210 I Fr Columbus, Ohio / Thomas Worthington H.S.
F I 6-7 I 218 I Sr Summerville, SC / Pinewood Prep
22
JOE ANDERSON
G I 6-0 I 170 I So Maryville, Tenn. / Maryville H.S.
24
ALEX WILLIAMS
F I 6-5 I 205 I Fr Xenia, Ohio / Archbishop Moeller H.S.
35
51
JAMES REPASS
CONLEY GARRISON
F I 6-10 I 250 I Fr Jacksonville, Fla. / Providence School
G I 6-1 I 170 I Gr Bolivar, Mo. / Bolivar H.S.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
<<
MIKE BOTHWELL
#3
A first team NABC District 21 and second team All-Southern Conference selection, Bothwell led the Paladins in scoring in 202021 averaging 15.6 points per game while adding 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Bothwell started in all 25 games for the Paladins and ranked in the top 10 for the SoCon in scoring, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and steals. The Cleveland Heights, Ohio, native scored in double figures 21 times highlighted by 20 more points in six contests. Bothwell scored a career-high 32 points in Furman’s 78-66 victory over ETSU at Timmons Arena. He began last season scoring at least 20 points in three of his first four games and posted double-digit scoring efforts in the final five games of the year.
#10
<<
ALEX HUNTER
A native of Raleigh, N.C., Hunter compiled a career year for the Paladins in 2020-21 averaging 11.1 points per game while starting in all 25 games. Hunter finished the season fourth on the team in scoring and ranked first in assists averaging 3.6 per game. He ranked in the top 10 for the SoCon in assists, 3-point field goal percentage and 3-point field goals made. Hunter led the conference in assists-to-turnover ratio at 2.7. He scored in double figures 13 times highlighted by 20 or more points twice. Hunter set a new career-high with 23 points during the Paladins’ 78-64 victory over Samford in Greenville. He added a 22-point scoring performance in the second game of the season when Furman defeated USC Upstate 91-63 at Timmons Arena.
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
11
JACKIE CARSON
HEAD COACH JACKIE CARSON 2010 – Present Furman Hall of Famer Jackie Carson will soon begin her 12th season as head coach of the Paladin women’s basketball program. Solidly entrenched as head coach at her alma mater, for which she once starred as a player, Carson has revitalized a program that suffered through five consecutive losing seasons prior to her arrival. Challenged by the worldwide pandemic this past year, as well as injuries that claimed the Paladins’ starting back court by mid-season, Furman finished strong, winning its final three regular season games and beating Chattanooga, 58-40, in SoCon Tournament quarterfinal round action — the 40 points allowed representing the lowest total surrendered a Paladin foe in league tournament history. In 2019-20 Carson directed the Paladins to their second 19-win campaign, finishing at 19-12 overall highlighted by an 11-3 home record. Furman posted a 19-14 overall record, 9-5 SoCon worksheet, second place regular season finish, and an appearance in the SoCon Tournament championship game in 2018-19, which yielded a fourth postseason berth and second Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) appearance in the Carson era. Furman’s turnaround under Carson began almost the day she returned to campus in 2010. In her first year the Paladins, bereft of any recruiting additions and a SoCon coaches preseason No. 10 pick, started 6-3 in league play, highlighted by a home win over eventual league regular 12
season champion Appalachian State. In winning five of its final six games to finish with 14 victories, thereby doubling the program’s win total from the year before, Furman leaped from 11th to fifth place in the standings and jumped from a 4-16 league mark to a 10-10 SoCon ledger, making the Paladins to league’s most improved team in 2010-11. The strides continued in year two as Furman, with only one senior starter and a host of newcomers, again won 10 league games, including a 75-61 triumph over Chattanooga in Greenville that halted an embarrassing series losing skid to the Mocs. In addition, the Paladins defeated Conference USA member Marshall and picked up their first SoCon Tournament victory under Carson. In 2014, the big dividend arrived with an 18-13 season, highlighted by an 11-2 home record and second place league finish — the program’s best in over a decade. In addition, the Paladins produced two All-SoCon First Team selections for the first time since the 2004-05 campaign and landed a bid to the NIT — another program first. Those accomplishments netted Carson consensus Coach of the Year honors, making her the first person in league women’s basketball history to garner both player of the year and coach of the year accolades. The success continued the following year as the Paladins went 19-14 and secured the program’s first bid in the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) Tournament. In 2017, the Paladins dealt Chattanooga, the eventual
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
SoCon Tournament champion, their first league loss of the season with a 65-48 triumph in Greenville, halting the Mocs’ seven-game winning streak, and in 2018 Furman notched its first season sweep of Chattanooga since 2002 on the way to a second round appearance in the WBI. That Carson could quickly transform Furman’s basketball fortunes may have surprised many but not those who know her and appreciate her talent and commitment to recruiting, on-the-floor coaching, preparation, intensity, execution and overall passion for the game. It is those same qualities, underscored by a deep and abiding dedication to her players and to their athletic and intellectual development, that has many fans of the purple and white sold on the future of Paladin women’s basketball. After bringing in a solid recruiting class in her first year that included 2011-12 SoCon Freshman of the Year forward Brittany Hodges, Carson’s second recruiting haul stoked the embers of excitement by including 2012-13 SoCon Freshman of the Year forward Holli Wilkins, who graduated as Furman’s fifth all-time leading scorer. Among the newcomers featured in her third class was standpoint point guard Whitney Bunn, a consensus three-time All-SoCon selection who blew away Furman’s assist standards on the way to brilliant career that saw her finish as the Paladins’ fifth all-time leading scorer (1,538 points) despite suffering a career ending injury seven games prior to season’s end. In 2017-18, Furman produced three All-SoCon performers for only the second time in program history. The trio included forward Cierra Carter, who finished her career as the program’s 10th all-time leading scorer (1,383 points) and fifth in rebounding, guard Le’Jzae Davidson, and forward Celena Taborn. Four Paladins collected All-SoCon recognition in 2018-19, with Davidson and Taborn garnering AllConference laurels, Milicia Manojlovic an All-Freshman Team citation, and Kaitlyn Duncan a SoCon AllDefensive Team selection. Davidson concluded her Furman career in 2020 as the program’s all-time 3-point leader and ranking third in scoring with 1,753 points. Taborn, meanwhile, concluded her Paladin tenure in 2021 as the program’s all-time leader in field goal percentage (.633). Headlining the shortened 2020-21 campaign was the selection of consensus All-SoCon forward Tierra Hodges and SoCon Freshman of the Year guard Sydney James. All told during Carson’s tenure Furman has produced 16 All-SoCon performers, 10 All-Tournament players, three Freshmen of the Year, and 11 SoCon All-Freshman Team selections. In addition to the on-court performance of her squads, Carson has taken an active leadership role in a number of areas, serving on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee and WBCA Board of Directors. In addition, she serves on the Southern Conference Racial Equity Task Force and is president of
During Carson’s tenure, Furman produced 15 All-SoCon performers, nine All-Tournament players, two Freshmen of the Year and nine SoCon All-Freshman Team selections.
the Women of Color Coaching Network. A Woodbridge, Va., native, and 2000 Furman graduate who served as an assistant coach at James Madison for five seasons (2006-10), including the final two as associate head coach and last four as recruiting coordinator, Carson was named Furman’s ninth head coach in April of 2010. During Carson’s five-year tenure at James Madison, the Dukes posted a 125-40 record (.758), including a 74-16 mark (.822) in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), and advanced to postseason tournament play each year. The string of postseason berths included NCAA Tournaments in 2007 and ‘10, as well as Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) appearances in 2006, ’08, and ’09. In 2009-10 the Dukes went 26-7 overall and 16-2 in CAA action en route to league regular season and tournament championships. Among the noteworthy wins were triumphs over nationally 13th-ranked Virginia (7573), Georgetown (79-76), and Virginia Tech (66-59). In 2007, her second season on staff, James Madison posted a 27-6 slate and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after a regular season that featured wins over Clemson and Wake Forest. That same year she was among a select number of coaches chosen to participate in the Black Coaches Association’s “Achieving Coaching Excellence” program. The program, for ethnic minority male and female basketball coaches, is a collaborative effort of the BCA, the NCAA Office of Diversity and Inclu sion, the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, and the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics. It was during her time at James Madison that Carson gained notoriety on the national level with a “Rising Star” Award, presented to five associate or
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
(Continued on page 14)
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JACKIE CARSON
assistant coaches by BasketballScoop.com and ONS Performance in recognition of recruiting, player development, team development/scouting, leadership, and administration. Prior to going to James Madison, she spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Bucknell (2004-05). In her short tenure there she played a key role in recruiting Patriot League All-Rookie Team honorees Hope Foster and Kesha Champion, who went on to garner league player of the year and defensive player of the year honors, respectively, while leading the Bison to a 20-11 campaign and Patriot League crown in 2007. Carson began her coaching career as an assistant with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Fairfax (Va.) Stars, helping the squad, which featured future collegiate stars Marissa Coleman (Maryland), Brittany Mitch (Duke), Abby Robertson (Virginia), and Laura Haskins (Virginia Tech), to the 2003 15-Under AAU National Championship. One of the finest players in Furman women’s basketball history, she led the Paladins in scoring and rebounding and earned First Team All-SoCon honors and team MVP accolades as a sophomore, junior and senior. The standout forward was named SoCon Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999, and served as team captain her final two seasons. She also garnered three SoCon Academic Honor Roll tabs. As a freshman, she helped Furman to a SoCon regular season championship and as a senior keyed the Paladins to a 20-11 season, SoCon Tournament championship and the program’s second NCAA Tournament appearance. Many of her statistics rank among the finest ever posted by a Paladin, including points (1,920/2nd), points per game (16.8/4th), rebounds (1,057/2nd), rebounds per game (9.3/7th) and blocks (99/4th). She scored a school record 37 points against Middle Tennessee State her junior year, and her 724 career free throws and 52 double-doubles (points/rebounds) are still program standards, as are her 12 SoCon Player of the Week scrolls.
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As a freshman player, Carson lead Furman to a SoCon regular season championship and as a senior keyed the Paladins to a 20-11 season, SoCon Tournament championship and the program’s second NCAA Tournament appearance. Honored as Furman’s 1999 Edna Hartness Female Athlete of the Year, she was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 in her first year of eligibility and in November of 2009 became only the third player in program history to have her jersey (No. 22) retired. Following graduation in 2000 with a degree in health and exercise science, she played for professional teams in Belgium and Israel for two years before entering the coaching ranks. Carson and husband, Rob, who serves as Associate Athletics Director for Academic Success Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement, have two daughters — Londyn Elaun Carson and Lathyn Ellea Carson.
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
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F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
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2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
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2021-22 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER
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EVIE DEPETRO
JANAY OUTTEN
JADA SESSION
TATE WALTERS
G I 5-9 I So Knoxville, Tenn. Carter H.S.
G I 5-6 I Fr Fort Myers, Fla. Fort Myers H.S.
F I 5-7 I So Greenville, S.C. Greenville Senior H.S.
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KENNEDY GRIER
PARASKEVI KOILIA
GRACE VAN RIJ
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TIERRA HODGES
NIVEYA HENLEY
G I 5-8 I So Athens, Greece Moraitis H.S.
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F I 6-2 I Sr Knoxville, Tenn. Bearden H.S.
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BEATRIZ MATEO
GREYSON BOONE
AALIYAH IRIZARRY-PEREZ
G I 5-4 I Sr Madrid, Spain SEK El Castillo
G I 5-9 I Sr Greenville, S.C. Wade Hampton H.S.
F I 6-0 I FR Oviedo, Fla. The Masters Academy
G I 6-0 I Fr Seattle, Wash. Montverde (Fla.) Academy
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G I 5-4 I So Charlotte, N.C. Charlotte Country Day School
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G/F I 5-9 I 5-SR Covington, Ga. Alcovy H.S.
G I 5-9 I So Buford, Ga. / Buford
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JAEYDEN HILL-MIMS
F I 6-1 I Fr Locust Grove, Ga. / Luella
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SYDNEY JAMES
KATE JOHNSON
KATIE WHITAKER
CYAN DYKE
G/F I 6-0 I So Ocala, Fla. West Port H.S.
F I 6-3 I Fr Canton, Ga. Cherokee H.S.
F I 6-5 I Fr Rochester, N.Y. Our Lady of Mercy
G/F I 5-11 I So Los Angeles, Ca. Bishop Montgomery H.S.
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
PLAYERS TO WATCH
<<
TIERRA HODGES
#15
2020-21: Consensus first team All-SoCon selection by head coaches and media and second team SoCon All-Tournament selection... paced the SoCon in rebounding (10.4 rpg) and ranked third in scoring (16.2 ppg), sixth in field goal percentage (.464), third in free throw percentage (.798), and sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (.354)...posted a league leading 15 double-doubles over 25 games...scored 12 points and claimed a season high 17 rebounds in a 73-58win over Georgia Southern...notched double-doubles in the final five games, including a 16-point, 15rebound performance in the Paladins’ 58-40 SoCon Tournament victory over Chattanooga... finished the season ranked 21st in Furman history in scoring (1,122points) and fifth in rebounds (914)....named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll.
#35
<<
SYDNEY JAMES
Consensus 2021 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year selection by head coaches and media, becoming the eighth Furman player to collect league freshman of the year honors...saw action in 23 games and made four starts...led all league freshmen in scoring...posted nine double figure scoring performances, including a pair of season high 20-point outings against both Elon and Samford...scored 14 points in the Paladins’ 58-52 win over Wofford in the regular season finale....named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll.
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
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© 2 0 2 1 B H H Af f i l i a t e s , L LC . A n i n d e p e n d e n t l y o w n e d a n d o p e r a t e d f r a n c h i s e e o f B H H Af f i l i a t e s , L LC . E q u a l H o u s i n g O p p o r t u n i t y.
where love of the game takes root
LO O KING F O R YO U R P E R F E CT H O M E ? L E T’ S TA L K ! C DA NJ OY N E R .CO M | 8 6 4 .9 0 0.HOM E
COACHING & SUPPORT STAFF
MEN’S BASKETBALL
BOB RICHEY Head Coach
JEREMY GROWE Associate Head Coach
JIMMIE WILLIAMS Assistant Coach
TIM JOHNSON Assistant Coach
JON D’ANGELO Director of Operations
DANIEL FOWLER Director of Recruiting
MATT ALDRED Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
TYLER ECKSTEIN Video and Analytics Coordinator
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
JACKIE CARSON Head Coach
PIERRE CURTIS Associate Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
ASHLEY JOHNSON Assistant Coach
STEPHANIE OWENS Staff Athletic Trainer
LAUREN BORNSTEIN Director of Operations
BECKY TRADER Head Manager
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
AMBER REEVES Assistant Coach
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YOUR AC HIEVEMENTS CE L EB R ATED N OW. AND FOREVER. Herff Jones of South Carolina and The Waters Family are proud to support the Furman Paladins.
Photos from recent Furman University Ring Ceremony.
NEW Diamond F Signet Ring
IFSGG MZ GVSNBO
34-4163.R18
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
T
he Southern Conference, which is in its 99th season of intercollegiate competition in 2019-20, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and
in helping to build lifelong leaders and role models. The Southern Conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first postseason college basketball tournament (1921), to tackling the issue of freshman eligibility (1922), to developing women’s championships (1984), to becoming the first conference to install the 3-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer. The Southern Conference is the nation’s fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association. Only the Big Ten (1896), the Missouri Valley (1907), the Pac-12 (1915) and the Southwestern Athletic (1920) conferences are older in terms of origination. Academic excellence has been a major part of the Southern Conference’s tradition. Hundreds of Southern Conference student-athletes have been recognized on CoSIDA Academic All-America and all-district teams. A total of 20 Rhodes Scholarship winners have been selected from conference institutions, most recently in 2012-13, when former Wofford volleyball player Rachel Woodlee earned the prestigious award. The conference currently consists of 10 members in six states throughout the Southeast and sponsors 22 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division I Championships. The league added rifle, becoming just the second Division I conference to sponsor the sport, in 2016-17, and added women’s lacrosse for the 2017-18 campaign. The Southern Conference offices are located in the historic Beaumont Mill in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A textile mill that was in operation from 1880 until 1999, Beaumont Mill was enovated in 2004 and today offers the league first-class meeting areas and offices as well as a spacious library for storage of the conference’s historical documents.
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CODE OF SPECTATOR CONDUCT The Southern Conference and the NCAA are committed to promoting good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches, and fans. We request your cooperation in supporting the studentathletes and officials in a positive manner. Profanity, derogatory comments, or other intimidating actions directed at student-athletes, officials, team representatives, or other fans will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the facility. The Southern Conference appreciates your cooperation in creating a safe and positive game environment. Those in attendance should report any act violating this policy to game management or security personnel. Thank you.
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
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FURMAN UNIVERSITY
urman University is the oldest, largest and
F
most selective private institution of higher
learning in South Carolina. Founded in 1826 by the Baptist Convention of South Carolina as the Furman Academy and Theological Institution, Furman today is an independent, coeducational liberal arts college of 2,600 students located on a spacious 750-acre campus in Greenville. Named for Richard Furman, a prominent pastor in Charleston, South Carolina, and a leader in Baptist higher education, the institution moved three times in its early years before being chartered as the Furman University and settling permanently in
An unparalleled education starts with a personalized four-year
Greenville in 185-. Eight years later, its theological department became the Southern Baptist Theolog-
pathway, a team of mentors and
ical Seminary, which eventually moved to Louisville,
high-impact engaged learning.
Kentucky.
Between 1920-32, the university in-
cluded a law school, but for most of its history, it has been a liberal arts college. In 1933 Furman was coordinated with the nearby Greenville Woman’s College, which was founded by South Carolina Baptists in 1854 as Greenville Baptist Female College. The two schools operated under one administration but on separate campuses in downtown Greenville until 1961, when the current physical plant on the outskirts of town was completed and the two campuses were united. The university and the South Carolina Baptist Convention severed ties in 1992.
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The move to the new campus served as the catalyst for Furman’s ongoing transformation form a primarily regional college to one of the leading liberal arts institutions in the country. Today Furman offers majors and programs in 40 subjects and is one of the select group of colleges that quality for a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic honorary society. Ninety-six percent of the faculty hold doctorate or the terminal degree of their field, and the student body comes from 47 states and 47 countries.
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
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DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS FURMAN UNIVERSITY
JASON DONNELLY Jason brings new energy, excitement, and vision to Furman Athletics, with an emphasis on a first-class student-athlete experience and enhanced alumni and external engagement.
S
ince arriving at Furman as Director of Athletics in August 2019, Jason Donnelly has brought a new energy and excitement to Furman Athletics with an emphasis on a first-class student-athlete experience and enhanced alumni and external engagement strategy. Under Donnelly’s leadership, Furman Athletics strives to inspire, educate and develop outstanding student-athletes through a culture of excellence, prestigious liberal arts and sciences education, and nationally competitive athletics programs. A major tenet of Donnelly’s directorship is a commitment to academic excellence in support of the Furman Advantage, and the results over the last year and half reveal major successes. For the 2019-20 school year, a record 64 percent of student-athletes were named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll, and in the Spring of 2020, Furman student-
percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR), a 990 Academic Progress Rate (APR), 14 Furman athletic programs earning NCAA Public Recognition APR honors, and five teams recording perfect 1000 APR scores in 2020 are all indicative of the commitment to academic achievement. Mirroring the impressive academic results has been remarkable athletic achievement, underscoring Furman’s commitment to SoCon success and fielding nationally competitive programs. Despite a short tenure as athletic director and the COVID-shortened 2020 calendar year, Paladin teams have already won six SoCon championships and made five NCAA Tournament appearances during Donnelly’s time in Greenville, while nine student-athletes have garnered All-America honors, including women’s golfer Natalie Srinivasan, who was named PING WGCA National Player of the Year and received the prestigious
athletes posted the highest overall grade point average (3.35) in program history — a mark that was followed
ANNIKA Award. In addition, five Furman coaches have earned SoCon Coach of the Year honors. In a
by a stellar 3.24 GPA in the Fall. The department’s 93
testament to the strength of Paladin Athletics during (Continued on page 27)
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
27
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DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS efforts with its wide array of constituencies is evidenced in the impressive social media metrics posted by the department in 2020. Specifically, among the 127 FCS Athletics Departments, Furman ranked 13th nationally in total interactions generated by its
the 2019-20 year, Furman’s men’s sports programs ranked first and the women’s sports programs ranked second in the SoCon’s Commissioner’s Cup and Germann Cup standings at the time athletic competition was suspended in mid-March. In a concerted effort to make Furman Greenville’s college athletics program, Donnelly conceptualized and engineered the return of Paladin men’s and women’s basketball to downtown Greenville with games at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, part of the “Weekends At The Well” initiative that saw a record-breaking growth in attendance. A significant part in the overall strategy of collaboration and engagement that Donnelly has implemented for Paladin Athletics is an emphasis on Furman Family culture and connection to the community. Engagements with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and fans have increased dramatically, with events such as Purple Fridays, the highly successful “Charge Forward” Campaign, and popular “Lunch & Learn” virtual Zoom series that brought together Furman athletic staff, coaches, heralded alumni and Paladin fans. The effectiveness of Furman Athletics’ engagement
main three social media accounts (Instagram + Twitter + Facebook), with its 23 percent increase placing it among just 35 programs that added engagement in 2020 and representing the eighth highest increase among 127 schools. Under Donnelly’s leadership, Furman Athletics has also worked to develop and add a number of strategic partnerships, including one with Van Wagner Collegiate Services, the department’s multimedia rights partner, as well as with ESPN Upstate Radio, the top-rated sports talk station in the Upstate and flagship station for Furman Football and Men’s Basketball. The partnership with Bon Secours Wellness Arena, the home of Furman’s “Weekends At The Well” basketball game series and facility host to NCAA Basketball Tournament action in 2022, 2023, and 2026, that Furman will co-host, has been a resounding success. Donnelly has also positioned Furman at the forefront of social justice initiatives by making Paladin Athletics one of the original co-signers of the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge reflecting a commitment to ensure equal opportunities for underrepresented minority coaches. Less than six months into his tenure, Donnelly faced the challenge of leading a department heavily impacted by the COVID pandemic, which included the cancellation of spring and fall seasons, significant financial challenges, and a realignment of sports sponsorships. Through it all, he worked closely with campus leaders, the SoCon and the NCAA regarding changes in scheduling and legislation that impacted the welfare of student-athletes, coaches, and staff. While managing a department through a unique (Continued on page 28)
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
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DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS period in its history, Donnelly has kept a keen eye on ensuring the future viability of Paladin Athletics through the development of a strategic plan for competitive success, academic excellence, and long-term sustainability with an emphasis on philanthropy and revenue generation. To that end, he has taken the lead on an athletics campaign and helped formulate a facilities master plan and gender equity plan in coordination with Furman’s administration and Board of Trustees. Donnelly’s drive to heighten connection and engagement with alumni, parents, and fans has resulted in a significant increase in fundraising and revenue generation focused on facilities, scholarships, and operations for all 18 Furman athletic teams. In September 2020, the Department launched its “Charge Forward” campaign, netting $5 million in commitments. In addition, Donnelly has also overseen notable improvements to Paladin Stadium, a $500,000 refurbishment and expansion of the Department’s weight room, and the recent launch of a two-phase project to benefit the university’s two highly acclaimed golf programs, beginning with the construction of the Davis Faxon Golf Training Facility at REK followed by a complete refurbishment of the REK Center for Intercollegiate Golf. Prior to arriving at Furman, Donnelly spent 15 years at Villanova University, most recently as senior associate athletics director and executive director of athletics development. Prior to that role, he served as director of athletics development and oversaw the Villanova Athletics Fund, managing fundraising and external support for all 24 varsity sports. Over his final four years at Villanova, he helped raise more than $120 million for Wildcat Athletics, including three consecutive record-breaking fundraising years representing a 330 percent increase in dollars raised. Before moving to administration, Donnelly served the Villanova Men’s Basketball program in a number of capacities, including as an assistant men’s basketball coach, director of basketball operations, and special assistant to head coach Jay Wright, the AP men’s college basketball coach of the decade, contributing to Villanova’s basketball success, including the Wildcats’ NCAA Division I national championship wins in 2016 and 2018.
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Before going to Villanova, Donnelly was a teacher and basketball coach at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia, as well as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at Muhlenberg College, his alma mater. He also served as a long time camp commissioner and coach for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Morgan Wootten from DeMatha High School and was the director of basketball operations for USA Basketball at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil. A native of Colonia, New Jersey, Donnelly graduated from Muhlenberg in 1999, where he played varsity basketball, was a student leader, and was the Class of 1999 student commencement speaker. He also earned a master’s of public administration degree from Villanova in 2019. Donnelly and his wife, Rachel, a native of Bakersville, North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Villanova, have three children—Aidan (10), Raeyln (8), and Allister (5).
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
DR. ELIZABETH DAVIS The Furman Advantage is a vision for higher education that combines learning with immersive experiences outside the classroom, creating a personalized pathway that prepares students for extraordinary lives.
E
lizabeth Davis became Furman University’s 12th President on July 1, 2014. Under her leadership,
the university has instituted The Furman Advantage, a distinctive vision for higher education that combines learning with immersive experiences outside the classroom, creating a personalized pathway that prepares students for lives of purpose, successful careers and community benefit. The groundbreaking effort, which has received more than $52.5 million in support from The Duke Endowment, was launched in October 2016. In September 2018, the National Society of Experiential Education recognized President Davis’ efforts to launch The Furman Advantage by selecting her as the recipient of the William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence in Experiential Education. The annual award recognizes a sitting college president who has made “significant contributions to experiential education.” President Davis is a member of the Council of Presidents, an advisory group of college and university chief executives who provide guidance to the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges on issues of governance in higher education. She is also a member of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Board of Directors. Dr. Davis serves on the Board of Directors of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and is an honorary member of the Board of Governors of the Commerce Club. She is a member of the Greenville Rotary Club,
American Council on Education’s Women’s Network Executive Committee, and the South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission. She has been recognized by Greenville Business Magazine as one of Greenville’s “50 Most Influential People.” Dr. Davis has addressed numerous organizations in the Upstate since arriving at Furman, and she has also spoken throughout the U.S. on issues involving higher education, university leadership and financial management. She has been quoted in national media, written op-eds for The Greenville News, University Business and other publications, and done many interviews on radio and television on the subject of higher education. Before coming to Furman, Dr. Davis spent 22 years at Baylor University in Texas, where she most recently held the position of Executive Vice President and Provost. In addition to being a member of the accounting faculty at Baylor, she also served as Vice Provost for Financial and Academic Administration, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Business Programs, and Acting Chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law. Before beginning her higher education career, she spent three years at Arthur Andersen & Co. in New Orleans. Dr. Davis received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baylor in 1984 and earned her Ph.D. from Duke University in 1992. She and her husband, Charles, have two children, Chad and Claire.
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
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PALADINS IN THE PROS
Dakota Dozier ’14, Minnesota Vikings
Stephen Croone ’16 Yambol (Bulgaria, NBL)
M E N ’ S BAS K E T BA L L Maleye N’Doye ’04
F
BBC Nyon (Switzerland, SBL)
George Brozos ’08
F
Gefyra (Greece, B)
Amu Saaka ’11
F
Somouha (Egypt, Superleague)
Brandon Sebirumbi ’12
F
Moron (Spain, LEB Silver)
Stephen Croone ’16
F
Yambol (Bulgaria, NBL)
Kris Acox ’17
F
KR (Iceland, Dominos League)
Devin Sibley ’17
G
Island Storm (Canada, NBL)
Jordan Lyons ’20
G
BK Ogre (Latvia, LBL)
Clay Mounce ’21
F
Heroes Den Bosch (The Netherlands, BNXT)
W O M E N ’ S BAS K E T BA L L
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Brittany Hodges ’15
F
Olivais/ UrgiCentro-SAN Combra (Portugal)
Holli Wilkins ’16
F
Alba Iulia (Romania)
Le’Jzae Davidson ’20
G
KBF Bashkimi (Serbia)
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M
MEN’S SOCCER Shea Salinas ’08
MF
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Alec Kann ’11
GK
Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Walker Zimmerman ’13
D
LAFC (MLS)
Kyle McLagan ’18
D
Fram Reykjavik (Iceland, Lengjudeild)
Laurence Wyke ’18
MF
Atlanta United (MLS)
F O O T BA L L Philip Kreidler ’87
Scout
Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL)
Kavis Reed ’95
General Manager/Interim Head Coach
Montreal Alouettes (CFL)
Dakota Dozier ’14
OG
Minnesota Vikings (NFL)
MEN’S GOLF Brad Faxon ’83
Champions Tour
WOMEN’S GOLF Betsy King ’77
LPGA Tour (Hall of Fame)
Beth Daniel ’78
LPGA Tour (Hall of Fame)
Laura Wearn ’13
Futures Tour
Taylor Totland ’17
Futures Tour
Haylee Harford ’19
Futures Tour
Natalie Srinivasan ’20
Futures Tour
Laura Wearn ’13
WOMEN’S TENNIS Katarina Kozarov ’21
Serbia
Kris Acox ’17 KR (Iceland, Dominos League)
Katarina Kozarov
2021-22 BASKETBALL YEARBOOK
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TIMMONS ARENA
F
urman University and its basketball programs entered a new era in 1998 with the opening of Timmons Arena, the school’s on-campus, multi-purpose facility. The 100,000 square-foot arena, which seats just over 2,500 people for basketball and 6,000 for concerts and other school and community activities, currently serves as the home of the university’s men’s and women’s basketball programs and women's lacrosse program. The 100,000 square-foot arena, which seats just over 2,500 people for basketball and 6,000 for concerts and other school and community activities, currently serves as the home of the university’s men’s and women’s basketball programs and women's lacrosse program. In addition to featuring two regulation-size basketball courts, the facility includes offices, recently renovated locker room facilities, offices for sports information, a complete sports medicine facility, and a 7,000 square-foot strength and conditioning center that serves the university’s entire 20-sport intercollegiate athletics program. Arena seating is chair-back style and is collapsible to allow the available floor space to be used for a variety of activities. The facility also boasts two new state-of-the-art 26' x 10' videoboards, which were dedicated in honor of former Paladin great Frank Selvy prior to the 2018-19 season. The lead gift of $4 million for the facility was provided by longtime Furman supporters William
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R. Timmons, Jr. ‘49, Jean Timmons Pelham ‘42, and Charlie and Kitty Wells ‘48 Timmons. Bill, Jean, and Charlie are children of the late William R. Timmons ‘14. At the time of facility dedication, Bill Timmons, chairman of Greenville’s Canal Insurance Company, longtime university trustee, and recipient of an honorary degree from Furman, recalled that his family’s association with the university dated back from his father’s enrollment in 1910. His father’s brother, Charles Edward Timmons, Jr., also attended Furman before volunteering for World War I, during which he was killed in action. The construction of Timmons Arena eased overcrowding in Alley Gymnasium and in the Herman W. Lay Physical Activities Center (PAC), which currently serves as the home of the department of health and exercise science, student recreational and intramural sports, and fitness center. The decision to move forward with the arena was driven by the closing of Memorial Auditorium, the downtown Greenville facility that served as Furman’s basketball home for 38 years. Located just southeast of the home stands at Paladin Stadium, Timmons Arena features a main entrance and wings made of brick, with the rear constructed of split face block and insulated metal panels. Stanmar Inc. of Stanbury, Mass., which specializes in constructing athletic facilities, was the designer and builder at a cost of $10.9 million.
F U R M A N PA L A D I N S . C O M