News from the 2000-01 Season

SENIOR BASKETBALL CAPTAIN ERIC STEWART RECEIVES FIRST WNEC COCA-COLA MALE
ATHLETE-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.— Senior basketball captain Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, NY — John S. Burke Catholic High School) received the first Western New England College Coca-Cola Male Athlete-of-the-Year Award at the school's Spring Sports Banquet May 5.

Stewart, a 6'4" center/forward, led the Golden Bears in scoring (15.4 avg.), rebounding (8.4), and blocked shots (37) this past season. He ended his career fourth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,594 points.

Stewart, the team MVP, was twice the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Basketball Player-of-the-Year and a two-time GNAC All-Star First Team selection. He was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III Northeast Region All-District Second Team and played in the New England Basketball Coaches Association (NEBCA) Division III Senior All-Star Classic.

A history major, Stewart was selected to the Verizon Academic All-America College Division District 1 Second Team after compiling a 3.35 cumulative grade-point-average (3.7 this past semester).

With Stewart leading the way, Western New England posted a 20-8 record this past winter for its third consecutive winning season under coach Doug Pearson. The Golden Bears finished second in conference during the regular season with a 13-3 mark. Western New EnglandÇ captured its second straight GNAC Tournament title and participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second consecutive year. This was the first time in school history that Western New England has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons.

SENIOR ERIC STEWART SELECTED GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (GNAC)
MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western New England College senior center/forward Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, NY — John S. Burke Catholic High School) has been named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Basketball Player-of-the-Year for the second straight season. He also was a repeat selection on the GNAC All-Star First Team.

Stewart, the team captain, led the Golden Bears in scoring (15.4 avg.), rebounding (8.4), and blocked shots (37). He shot 45.3% from the field and 69.9% from the foul line. The 6'4" Stewart ended his career fourth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,594 points.

A history major, Stewart also was named to the Verizon Academic All-America College Division District 1 Second Team after compiling a 3.35 cumulative grade-point-average (3.7 this past semester).

With Stewart leading the way, Western New England posted a 20-8 record for its third consecutive winning season under Coach Doug Pearson and finished second in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) during the regular season with a 13-3 mark. The Golden Bears captured their second straight GNAC Tournament title and participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second consecutive year. This was the first time in school history that Western New England has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons.

SALEM STATE SHOOTS DOWN WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, 96-71, IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

SALEM, Mass. — Freshman guard Prince Baez scored 17 points and dished out 11 assists, and No. 16 Salem State College made 12-of-20 three-pointers in a 96-71 victory Thursday (March 1) over visiting Western New England College in a first round game of the 2001 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament at the O'Keefe Center.

The Vikings (22-5) bolted to an early 30-8 lead after a three-pointer by junior forward Peter Szklarz with 11:16 remaining in the opening half. The Golden Bears roared back and dominated the rest of the half cutting the margin to eight (43-35) at intermission.

WNEC (20-8) pulled within four at 45-41 after a basket by senior forward Eric Stewart with 16:47 left in the contest. The game stayed close and the Golden Bears trailed by only six at 56-50 when junior center Andy Thornton made a pair of free throws at the 13:10 mark.

Salem State then went on an 11-0 run over the next 3:24 to break the game open.

"We got beat by a very good team on its own floor," said Western New England coach Doug Pearson. "When a team shoots the three like that, they're going to win. We fought back in the first half and stayed close in the opening minutes of the second half, but they killed us with their long-range shooting."

Salem State shot 55.4% for the game, including 67.9% in the second half (19-for-28). Besides Baez, the Vikings also received double digit scoring from junior guard Jyima Ofori-Atta who had 15 points, senior forward Eric McCoy, 14 points, Szklarz, 12 points off the bench, and senior guard Mike Kmiec, 10 points. Baez also pulled down seven rebounds.

Thornton led Western New England with 15 points while sophomore point guard Mike O'Connor contributed 14 points. Stewart had 12 points and nine rebounds in his final game. He finished his career fourth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,594 points.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MEETS
SALEM STATE COLLEGE IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — For the second straight year, Western New England College will enjoy its own special version of "March Madness" by meeting Salem State College at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (March 1) in an opening round game of the 2001 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship at the O'Keefe Sports Center in Salem, Massachusetts.

Salem State, ranked 16th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III poll, has a 21-5 record after capturing the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Tournament for the eighth time in the last 10 years with a 63-57 home victory over Worcester State College on Saturday (Feb. 24). Last year the Vikings advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Division III Championship in Salem, Virginia, placing third in the tournament. Salem State is making its 16th appearance (since 1980) in the national tournament.

The Golden Bears (20-7) earned a repeat trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament (and third visit in school history) after successfully defending its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title with a heart-stopping 95-89 overtime victory over Emerson College last Saturday (Feb. 24) in Providence, Rhode Island. Last year Western New England beat Emerson, 84-74, to win the conference crown before dropping a 79-77 decision at Amherst College in the NCAA Division III Championship.

Senior captain Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, N.Y.) was named the GNAC Tournament MVP after scoring 23 points with 13 rebounds and four blocked shots against Emerson. The 6'4" forward/center also had 15 points and eight rebounds in a 94-84 win over Suffolk University in the GNAC Tournament semifinals on Friday (Feb. 23). Stewart leads the Golden Bears in scoring (15.5 avg.), rebounding (8.3), blocked shots (37), and is shooting 45.2% from the field and 69.9% from the foul line. He has moved from 10th to fourth on the school's all-time scoring list this season with 1,582 points.

Stewart was named the GNAC Player-of-the-Year for the second straight season on Tuesday (Feb. 27) and earned a repeat spot on the GNAC All-Star First Team. A history major, he was named to the Verizon College Division Academic District 1 Team after compiling a 3.35 grade-point-average (3.7 last semester) in history. Stewart plans to attend law school after graduation.

Western New England received a solid effort this season from junior forward/center Andy Thornton (Chicopee, MA) who was first on the team in field-goal percentage (51.7), and second in scoring (14.2), rebounding (7.5), and free-throw percentage (72.1) in his first year as a starter. Last winterThornton averaged 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Another player to watch is sophomore point guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) who averaged 10.1 points and a team high 4.7 assists. He scored a career high 25 points in the GNAC Tournament semifinals against Suffolk, and added 14 points, seven assists, and six rebounds against Emerson.

Sophomore forward David Jagodzinski (North Hatfield, MA) and sophomore guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) also made significant contributions this season. "Jags" averaged 10.0 points with a team-high 38 three-pointers and led the squad in free-throw percentage (77.5). Toney averaged 6.7 points and ranked among the top defensive players in the conference. Senior forward Lew Larrabee (Worcester, MA) averaged 8.9 points and 6.2 rebounds, but injured his ankle against Emerson and is doubtful for the Salem State game. Sophomore forward Bryce Hardy (Unionville, CT) and senior guard Brian Krepcio (Ellington, CT) are two of the top players off the bench.

Salem State is led by senior forward Ed Bourgogne (Dorchester, MA) who leads the Vikings in scoring (15.4) and field-goal percentage (56.2). A team tri-captain, he is second in rebounding (6.4) and third in free-throw percentage (71.2). Bourgogne also was selected the MASCAC Player-of-the-Year. Senior guard Mike Kmiec (Beverly, MA) is second in scoring (14.8) and free-throw percentage (74.8), and first in rebounding (9.1). Kmiec, a transfer from Babson College, and Bourgogne made the MASCAC All-Star First Team. Senior forward Eric McCoy (Dorchester, MA) is third in scoring (8.5) and rebounding (5.1) while senior center Gus White (Lowell, MA) is averaging 7.4 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 52.0% from the field. Freshman point guard Prince Baez (Roxbury, MA) is averaging 6.5 points an outing.

Items of Interest:Doug Pearson has directed Western New England to a 56-24 record (70.0 winning percentage) in his three years as head coach since inheriting a 2-23 team in 1998. His first squad posted a 14-11 record in 1999 followed by a 22-6 mark in 2000. Pearson also has guided the Golden Bears to consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in school history (35 years)... Western New England has a seven-game winning streak while Salem State has won nine straight contests... This will be the ninth meeting between WNEC and Salem State with the Vikings holding a 5-3 margin in the series that started in 1968. Salem State won the last meeting, 85-83, during the 1978-79 season while the Golden Bears came away with a 92-84 decision in 1977-78... Western New England is averaging 80.6 points a game while allowing 73.6 points. The Golden Bears also are out-rebounding its opponents by a 44.9 to 37.6 margin... Salem State is averaging 78.3 points a game while allowing 67.5... The winner of the Western New England-Salem State contest visits No. 2 UMass-Dartmouth Saturday (Mar. 3) in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

GOLDEN BEARS WIN SECOND STRAIGHT
GNAC TOURNAMENT TITLE

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Tournament MVP Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, NY) and All-Tournament selection David Jagodzinski (North Hatfield, MA) combined for10 points in overtime as Western New England College won its second straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title with a heart-stopping 95-89 overtime victory over Emerson College Saturday (Feb. 24) at the Harborside Recreation Center on the Johnson & Wales University campus.

Stewart, a senior center, scored 23 points (16 after halftime) and pulled down 13 rebounds as the Golden Bears qualified for their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Emerson led 44-37 at halftime before WNEC came back to tie the contest at 56-56 on a three-point field goal by sophomore guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) with 12:02 left in the game.

The Golden Bears then outscored the Lions by a 22-10 margin over the next 6:24 to take a 78-66 lead following a field goal by Jagodzinski with 5:38 remaining.

Western New England, however, scored only four points the rest of the way (all by Stewart) and Emerson sent the game into an extra session when sophomore guard Aaron Young nailed a long three-pointer with 1.4 seconds left in regulation.

The game was tied at 89-89 with 1:03 left in overtime before four consecutive free throws by Jagodzinski and two by Stewart selaed the win for the Golden Bears.

Jagodzinski finished with 19 points and eight rebounds after replacing senior forward Lew Larrabee (Worcester, MA) who left the game with an ankle injury. Sophomore guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) added 16 points while O'Connor had 14 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Junior center Andy Thornton (Chicopee, MA) contributed 13 points and five rebounds.

GNAC Tournament (Championship Final) (Saturday, Feb. 24, 2001)
Harborside Recreation Center, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI
#2 Western New England 95, #1 Emerson 89 (ot)

GNAC Tournament (Semifinals) (Friday, Feb. 23, 2001)
(At Harborside Recreation Center, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI)
#1 Emerson 80, #4 Johnson & Wales 79
#2 Western New England 84, #3 Suffolk 74

GNAC Tournament (Quarterfinals) (Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2001)
#1 Emerson 101, #8 Southern Vermont 53
#2 Western New England 83, #7 Albertus Magnus 73
#3 Suffolk 90, #6 Norwich 81
#4 Johnson & Wales 70, #5 Rivier 67

Final GNAC Standings - Regular Season (Monday, Feb. 19, 2001)
1. Emerson 14-2 (17-7), 2. Western New England 13-3 (17-7),3. Suffolk 12-4 (16-8), 4. Johnson & Wales 11-5 (12-12), 5. Rivier 7-9 (10-14), 6. Norwich 6-10 (9-14), 7. Albertus Magnus 5-11 (8-16), 8. Southern Vermont 3-13 (3-21), 9. Daniel Webster 1-15 (1-23). (Overall record in parenthesis.)

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE BEATS
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY IN GNAC TOURNAMENT

Golden Bears meet Emerson in GNAC finals

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Western New England College is playing its basketball of the season and it couldn't have come at a better time.

With sophomore guard Mike O'Connor (Framington, CT) scoring a career high 25 points and junior forward Andy Thornton (Chicopee, MA) contributing 16 points and 12 rebounds, WNEC advanced to the finals of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament for the second straight year with a 94-84 victory over Suffolk University Friday (Feb. 23) at the Harborside Recreation Center on the campus of Johnson & Wales University.

WNEC (19-7) will meet top-seeded Emerson College at 1 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 24) in a rematch of last year's conference finalists. Freshman guard Robert Hennigan made a three-pointer with 8.7 seconds left in the game to lift Emerson to an 80-79 win over host Johnson & Wales in the first semifinal game of the afternoon. Western New England was seeded second inthe tournament and Suffolk third.

Last year Western New England defeated Emerson, 84-74, in the GNAC Tournament championship game, which also was held at the Harborside Recreation Center. The GNAC Tournament champion advances to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Western New England started strong against Suffolk and took a 47-34 lead into halftime. The Rams (17-9) came back and pulled within five at 53-48 with 14:35 remaining in the contest before WNEC went on a 13-2 run for a 66-50 advantage after senior guard Brian Krepcio (Ellington, CT) drained a three-pointer at the 10:48 mark. O'Connor followed with another three-pointer to give the Golden Bears a 75-59 lead with 7:16 left in the game. Suffolk couldn't get any closer than eight points down the stretch.

"We played our best first half of the season and executed well," said Western New England coach Doug Pearson. "Our offense was outstanding and our defense was pretty good most of the game. Mike O'Connor played the best game of his career."

Senior center Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, NY) chipped in with 15 points while senior forward Lew Larrabee (Worcester, MA) had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Junior guard Jason Luisi led Suffolk with 25 points while freshman center Ken Kodys had 13 points and senior forward Dan Florian 10.

Western New England and Emerson split a pair of games during the regular season with each team winning on the other's home court.

SENIOR FORWARD LEW LARRABEE
NAMED WNEC ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Senior basketball player Lew Larrabee (Worcester, MA — West Boylston High School) was honored Tuesday (Feb. 13) as the Western New England College Athlete-of-the-Week.

Larrabee, a forward, averaged 16 points and 8.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week for the Golden Bears. He scored 10 points with six rebounds in a 61-57 win at Norwich University on February 8 and compiled season highs of 22 points and 11 rebounds in a 70-66 loss against Suffolk University on February 10.

A sport management major, Larrabee is averaging 8.1 points and 6.1 points for the Golden Bears. Western New England (14-7, 10-3 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) visits Emerson College at 8 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 15).

MEN'S BASKETBALL GAME
VS. DANIEL WEBSTER POSTPONED

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Feb. 6, 2001) — Western New England College's home men's basketball game with Daniel Webster College scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 6, has been postponed because of the blizzard that hit the area on Monday night. The game will be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday, February 18 in the Alumni Healthful Living Center.

ERIC STEWART SELECTED GNAC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.— Western New England College senior forward Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, NY - John S. Burke Catholic High School) was selected Monday (Jan. 29) as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Basketball Player-of-the-Week.

Stewart, the 2000 GNAC Player-of-the-Year, averaged 17.7 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field (16-for-32) in three victories last week. His best outing was a 21-point, 15-rebound performance at Rivier College last Saturday. Stewart has scored in double figures in 11 consecutive contests.

Stewart leads the Golden Bears in scoring (15.9 avg.), rebounding (7.7), and blocked shots (17). He has moved from 10th to fifth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,402 points entering Tuesday's game against Albertus Magnus College.

A team co-captain, Stewart also excels in the classroom with a 3.35 cumulative grade-point-average (3.7 this past semester) in history. He is a candidate for the Verizon Academic All-America Team.

Also playing well for the Golden Bears are junior center Andy Thornton (Chicopee, MA Ð Chicopee High School), sophomore forward David Jagodzinski (North Hatfield, MA Ð Smith Academy), and sophomore guard Mike OÕConnor (Farmington, CT Ð Farmington High School).

Thornton is second on the team in scoring (14.3 avg.) and rebounding (6.5), and first in both field-goal percentage (50.4) and free-throw percentage (77.1). He was the GNAC Player-of-the-Week on January 22. "Jags" is averaging 11.9 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 44.4% from the field with a team-high 25 three pointers. O'Connor is averaging 10.1 points with a team best 71 assists that ranks third in the conference.

WNEC plays a pair of tough conference road games against Johnson & Wales University on Thursday (Feb. 1) and Suffolk University on Saturday (Feb. 3). Western New England pulled out a one-point victory over Johnson & Wales (68-67) on January 13. Johnson & Wales handed Suffolk its only conference loss (84-73) on January 25.

Western New England College (10-5) and Suffolk University (10-5) are tied for second in the GNAC with 6-1 marks. Emerson College (12-5) leads the conference with a 9-0 record.

ANDY THORNTON NAMED GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

By TOM EMBERLEY '01

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Junior center Andy Thornton of Chicopee, Massachusetts was honored Monday (Jan. 22) as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Week for his efforts in two Western New England College victories.

A business management major, Thornton averaged 23.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in victories over Elms College (87-69) on January 16, and GNAC opponent Rivier College (73-66) on January 20. He also shot 60.9 (14-for-23) from the field and 82.6 (19-for-23) from the foul line.

Thornton poured in both a game- and career-high 27 points (10-for-12 from the field, 7-for-7 from the free-throw line) in 26 minutes against Elms. He also collected nine rebounds to aid the Golden Bears cause.

Thornton's efforts against Rivier helped WNEC to its third-straight victory (second-straight in the GNAC). After the Raiders cut the Golden Bears lead to 65-64 with under two minutes left, his clutch three-point play with 1:16 remaining made sure that the visitors from Nashua, New Hampshire would get no closer. Thornton finished the afternoon with 20 points (12-for-16 at the charity stripe), and a career-high 14 rebounds.

Thornton, a 1998 Chicopee High School graduate, leads the Golden Bears with both a 53.6 field goal percentage and a 76.9 free throw percentage. Thornton is also second on the team with both 13.7 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Western New England (7-5, 3-1 GNAC) plays three conference games this week, beginning on Tuesday, hosting Norwich University at 7 p.m. The Golden Bears then hit the road, traveling to Southern Vermont and Rivier on Thursday (Jan. 25) and Saturday (Jan. 27), respectively.

(Tom Emberley is a student assistant in the athletic communications office at Western New England College. A native of Fitchburg, he is a senior sport management major.)

ALUMNI GAME SET FOR JAN. 20

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Western New England College will host its annual men's basketball Alumni Game at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 20, in the Alumni Healthful Living Center.

There will be a luncheon for all players starting at 11:30 a.m. in the Downes Athletic Hall of Fame Room.

The following alumni are expected to attend: Leinard Gineitas '69, William Paramee '69, WNEC Athletic Hall of Famer Rodney Butler '71, Matthew Halpin '74, Thomas Wiggerton '74, Walter Bush '77, Rory Walsh '78, Peter Harris '79, John Steurer '84, Kevin Hamel '85, Tim Hamel '87, Carlo Pellegrini '87, John Drost '88, and Keith Kinsella '88.

Also, Brian Jankins '90, Anthony Evans '97, Michael Carbonneau '99, Ryan Abraham '00, Corey Debbold '00, Tom Keane '00, Nels Larson '00, Ryan Manning '00, and Kevin McKee '00.

Western New England will host Rivier College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference game at 3 p.m. following the alumni contest.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE SITE OF INAUGURAL PIONEER VALLEY CLASSIC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western New England College will host the inaugural Pioneer Valley Classic men's basketball tournament on Friday and Saturday, December 7-8, 2001, in the Almuni Healthful Living Center.

The announcement was made Wednesday (January 17) at a press conference at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.

Western New England will play Amherst College in the first game of the doubleheader on December 7 followed by a meeting between Springfield College and Westfield State College. On December 8, Western New England will battle Springfield in the first contest with Amherst playing Westfield State in the other matchup.There will be no tournament champion at least for the first year.

Game times will be announced at a later date.

"One of the main reasons for having this Classic is that these schools are located in close proximity to one another and all have strong basketball programs," said Western New England College athletics director Mike Theulen, who noted that Amherst, Springfield, and Western New England all participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament last season. The four teams also combined for a 71-39 record (64.5 winning percentage) in 2000.

"In addition, all of schools will now enjoy a meaningful partnership with the Basketball Hall of Fame and become more active in the community. The possibilities of our combined outreach in the form of clinics and community partnerships are endless. All of the schools are now involved with several community projects and we expect to do more in the future," stated Theulen.

Amherst will host the tournament in 2002 in LeFrak Gymnasium, Springfield in 2003 at Blake Arena, and Westfield State in 2004 in a new facility.

Head coaches Doug Pearson (Western New England), Dave Hixon (Amherst), Charlie Brock (Springfield), and Rich Sutter (Westfield State) were present at the announcement along with John Doleva, president and chief executive officer of the Basketball Hall of Fame, and Dave Elkins, manager of events and group programs at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

"Having the tournament the first week of December should generate a lot of interest from the students and the community," said Pearson.

School officials also will be discussing plans for a women's tournament, perhaps as early as 2002.

ANDY THORNTON NAMED WNEC
MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.— Western New England College junior centerAndy Thornton (Chicopee, MA — Chicopee High School) was honored Tuesday (Jan. 16, 2001) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Thornton, a business management major, averaged 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 60% from the field (18-for-30) in a 2-1 week. He had 22 points and 12 rebounds in a loss against Emerson College (79-74) and compiled 15 points (6-for-6 from the field) with six rebounds in a win over Johnson & Wales (68-67).

Thornton is averaging 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting a team high 55.8% from the field.

FOUR PLAYERS VISIT MILE TREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Four members of the Western New England College men's basketball team visited the Mile Tree Elementary School in Wilbraham on January 9 to teach basketball to three classes of first graders.

Junior forward Jeff Schrandt (Avon, CT), sophomore forward Bryce Hardy (Unionville, CT), sophomore guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT), and freshman guard Chris Conley (South Portland, ME) spent two hours in the morning giving demonstrations on dribbling, passing, and shooting.

The players were invited to the school by teacher Pam Pearson who is the wife of WNEC men's coach Doug Pearson.

ERIC STEWART NAMED WNEC
MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Basketball standout Eric Stewart (Fort Montgomery, NY – Burke Catholic High School) was honored Tuesday (Dec. 12) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Stewart, a senior center, averaged 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 58% from the field (15-for-25) in a 1-1 week. He had a season high 24 points with seven rebounds along with three steals in a 90-78 loss at Springfield College on December 5 and contributed 14 points with seven rebounds in 17 minutes in a 94-48 victory over WPI on December 9.

Stewart also was named to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) weekly honor roll. Stewart leads the Golden Bears in scoring (13.5 average) and field goal percentage (46.0), and is second in rebounding with a 7.0 mark. He serves as a team co-captain with senior guard Rob Nieves. Stewart is a history major at Western New England College.

Western New England has a 3-3 record at the holiday break. The Golden Bears return to action with an away game starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, against Amherst College.

MIKE O'CONNOR SELECTED WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.– Sophomore basketball standout Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT – Farmington High School) was honored Tuesday (Dec. 5) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

O'Connor, a guard, scored a season high 22 points with four assists and four rebounds in a 77-71 home victory over Fitchburg State College on November 30. He was 6-of-11 from the field with a three-pointer and 9-of-11 from the foul line.

O'Connor leads the Golden Bears in scoring (16.0 avg.), assists (5.5), field-goal percentage (50.0), and is second in free-throw percentage (79.5).

Last month O'Connor was named to the Wesleyan Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament Team after Western New England finished second in the four-team field. He is a Dean's List student majoring in sport management major at Western New England.

WNEC (2-2) visits city rival Springfield College (2-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday (December 5) at Blake Arena.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE LOOKS FOR RETURN TRIP TO NCAA DIVISION III TOURNAMENT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Oct. 16,2000) – With three returning starters, Western New England College's men's basketball team hopes to defend its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title and earn a repeat trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Western New England, under the direction of coach Doug Pearson, posted a 22-6 record last season that was the second highest win total in the school's 34-year history. The Golden Bears also placed first in the GNAC during the regular season with a 14-2 mark and captured its first GNAC Tournament crown with an 84-74 victory over Emerson College.

WNEC advanced to only its second NCAA Division III Tournament in school history, losing a heart-breaking 79-77 decision to host Amherst College.

Heading the list of returnees are 6'5" senior center/forward Eric Stewart (Fort Montgomery, NY); 6'5" sophomore forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA), and 5'10" sophomore point guard Mike OÕConnor (Farmington, CT).

Stewart, the team captain, averaged 14.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and shot 53.1% from the field last year in earning GNAC Player-of-the-Year honors. He also was among three Golden Bears' players who passed the 1,000-point mark in career scoring. Hebert averaged 10.8 points in 12 games (7 starts) before a knee injury sidelined him for the season. OÕConnor was selected the GNAC Rookie-of-the-Year after averaging 7.0 points and 5.0 assists.

WNEC also welcomes back 6'7" senior forward Lew Larrabee (Worcester, MA) who averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23 games (12 starts); 6'5" junior center Andy Thornton (Chicopee, MA) who averaged 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds in 28 games (1 start), and 6'3" sophomore forward Dave Jagodzinski (North Hatfield, MA) who averaged 4.5 points in 26 contests (5 starts). Larrabee will be counted on to fill the void created by the loss of Abraham.

"We are coming off a championship season and a NCAA bid, and we hope to achieve those goals again this year," said Pearson who is in his third season. "We lost the leadership of forward Ryan Abraham and guard Tom Keane, two of the finest players ever to play here, and both 1,000-point scorers. We should be able to make-up for the loss of production, but the leadership void will be more difficult to fill."

Also returning are 6'2" senior guard Brian Krepcio (Ellington, CT), 5'10" senior guard Rob Nieves (Ravena, NY), and 6'5" sophomore forward Bryce Hardy (Farmington, CT). Krepcio is the leading candidate to start at the shooting guard position. He averaged 3.1 points in 27 games off the bench last winter.

Joining the Golden Bears lineup are 6'5" junior forward Jeff Schrandt (Avon, CT) who is a transfer from Western Connecticut, 5'9" sophomore guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT), 6'1" freshman guard Chris Conley (South Portland, ME), and 6'4" freshmen forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT).

"Our seniors will have to step forward if we are going to have a chance to repeat as conference champion this year. I think we have the talent, but we have a lot of new faces and young players that must improve if we are to do it," noted Pearson who has a 36-17 record (67.9%).

Western New England opens its season at 6 p.m. Friday, November 17 against Bridgewater State College in the opening round game of the Wesleyan Tip-Off Classic in Middletown, Connecticut. Rhode Island College meets Wesleyan in the other contest.

After a road contest against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Tuesday, November 21, the Golden Bears open their home season at 8 p.m. Thursday, November 30 against Fitchburg State College.

MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM PARTICIPATES
IN NABC DREAM TO READ PROGRAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.Ð Twelve members of the Western New England College men's basketball team will visit the Margaret Ells Elementary School in the city of Springfield on Thursday, October 19, as part of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) "Dream to Read Program."

The Golden Bears, under the direction of coach Doug Pearson, will split into two six-person groups and spend part of the afternoon reading to second, third, and fourth graders beginning at 1 p.m.

The list of players: senior forward and team captain Eric Stewart (Fort Montgomery, NY), senior guard Brian Krepcio (Ellington, CT), senior forward Lew Larrabee (Worcester, MA), senior guard Rob Nieves (Ravena, NY), junior guard Mike Crompton (Stafford Springs, CT), junior forward Andrew Thornton (Chicopee, MA), sophomore guard Ross Evans (Northfield, VT), sophomore forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA), sophomore forward Dave Jagodzinski (North Hatfield, MA), sophomore guard Mike OÕConnor (Farmington, CT), sophomore guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT), and freshman forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT).

This is the second year that the Golden Bears have participated in the NABC Dream to Read Program. Last year team members visited the Stony Hill School in Wilbraham.

WNEC posted a 22-6 record last year, captured the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title, and participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Golden Bears open their season against Bridgewater State at 6 p.m. Friday, November 17, in the opening round game of the Wesleyan Invitational in Middletown, Connecticut.

GOLDEN BEARS HOST EASTERN CONNECTICUT IN SCRIMMAGE ON NOVEMBER 11

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.– Western New England College's men's basketball team will host Eastern Connecticut State University in a scrimmage at 2 p.m. Saturday, November 11, at the Alumni Healthful Living Center. Admission is free.

MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ASSISTS GREATER SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.– Western New England College's men's basketball team participated in a community outreach program on Saturday, September 9, in nearby Monson in conjunction with the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.

Team members and coaches planted approximately 400 bushes on a lot where three houses will be built as part of the Habitat for Humanity's ambitious efforts to build several homes in the Springfield area in the next few years.

"The players had a wonderful time and felt great about having the opportunity to serve the community," said Golden Bears coach Doug Pearson. "We are delighted to play a small part in providing a home for a needy family in this area."

York Mayo, Executive Director of the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, says the new homes will provide area families who now live in sub-standard housing with hope, opportunity, and positive self-image. Mayo was extremely happy to have Western New England College help out with this project.

"There is a tremendous opportunity here for these students to give back to the community," said Mayo. "By the students working hard, families have an chance to move into their own homes."

Serving as volunteers were seniors Lew Larrabee (Worcester, MA), Brian Krepcio (Ellington, CT), Eric Stewart (Fort Montgomery, NY), junior Jeff Schrandt (Avon, CT), sophomores Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA), Dave Jagodzinski (North Hatfield, MA), Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT), Dave Sieminski (Easthampton, MA), Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT), Greg Weber (Roslyn Heights, NY), and freshmen Chris Conley (South Portland, ME) and Tyler Morissette (Vernon, CT).

GOLDEN BEARS CLAIM CONFERENCE
HONORS IN 1999-2000

Despite losing a tough 79-77 decision to Amherst College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, the Western New England College men's basketball team came full circle during the 1999-2000. Winning just two games two years ago, the Golden Bears roared to a 22-6 record this season and won the championship in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

The Golden Bears also ran away with all the post-season honors in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Head coach Doug Pearson was named Coach of the Year, freshman Mike OÕConnor (Farmington, CT) was named Rookie of the Year, and junior Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, NY) was named Player of the Year.

Seniors Ryan Abraham (Newington, CT) and Tom Keane (Yonkers, NY) were named to the All-Conference Team. Abraham was also selected by the New England College Basketball Coaches Association to play in the senior All-Star Classic on the Division III team.

WNEC LOSES TO AMHERST COLLEGE IN NCAA DIVISION III TOURNAMENT

AMHERST, MA (March 3, 2000) Ð Despite losing a tough 79-77 decision to Amherst College, the Western New England College men's basketball team came full circle this season. Winning just two games two years ago, the Golden Bears roared to a 22-6 record this season and won the championship in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

Thursday night the Lord Jeffs of Amherst hit seven of their first nine shots and jumped out to a quick 29-14 lead on the Golden Bears. WNEC began to chip away and trailed by just three at the intermission, 42-39.

After a quick 6-0 run by Amherst to start the second half, WNEC battled back to eventually tie the game at 61-61 on a pair of free throws by sophomore center Andy Thornton (Chicopee, MA).

WNEC took its first lead of the game at 72-71 with two free throws by junior Eric Stewart (Ft. Montgomery, NY) with 4:45 to play. A minute later Hugh Quattlebaum banked in a layup to give Amherst a 75-74 lead and the Lord Jeffs would not trail the rest of the way.

The Golden Bears had two chances to win the game in the closing seconds. Trailing by two with :12 left, the Golden Bears turned the ball over and were forced to foul Amherst's Steve Zieja when he picked up the loose ball. WNEC would have one more opportunity when Zieja missed both free throws with :04 left. Freshman guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) ripped down the rebound and dribbled the to the length of the floor. He kicked the ball to senior Tom Keane (Yonkers, NY) on the wing, but he was unable to get the shot off before the buzzer went off.

WNEC was led by junior Lew Larabee (Worcester, MA) with 17 points. Stewart finished with 16 and a game-high 10 rebounds, while senior Ryan Abraham (Newington, CT) had 14 points and seven boards.

The win propels Amherst to the sectional semi-finals against Salem State College.

News from the 2003 Season

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