In Case You Missed It: 2011 NBA Draft

Check out the press conference welcoming Justin Harper to the Orlando Magic:

NEWARK, N.J. - For the second time in three years, two student-athletes from the Atlantic 10 Conference were selected in the NBA Draft. On Thursday night, Richmond's Justin Harper and Temple's Lavoy Allen were both drafted in the second round.

Harper was selected as the 32nd pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic traded for the 6-foot-10, 225-pound Richmond native later Thursday evening. Allen was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 50th pick.

Orlando only had one of the 60 picks in the 2011 NBA Draft and that selection was not coming until 53, but the Magic clearly made Harper there man by offering Cleveland two future picks for his rights.

"You don't do a trade unless the guy you like (is there)," President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Otis Smith said. "There were two guys we liked and the guy (Harper) happened to be the top of the two, so it's a good value pick."

Harper averaged 17.9 points and 6.9 rebounds as a senior in leading the Spiders to a school-record 29 wins, the Atlantic 10 Championship and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance.

"This is probably the best feeling I've felt to this point, besides graduating from college," Harper said. "This is like your dream coming true right in front of your face."

Harper was the second highest player selected in school history, behind Johnny Newman who was the 29th pick in the 1986 NBA Draft. Newman played 17 seasons in the NBA.

Allen is the 32nd Temple player selected in the NBA Draft and the first since Mardy Collins was taken with the 29th pick (first round) of the 2006 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks.

"I am excited to be selected and it is even more special that it is by the 76ers, where my family and friends are able to support me," said Allen. "I can't wait to get started with my professional career."

"I am very happy for him," said Temple head coach Fran Dunphy. "He accomplished so much as a college basketball player. It is a great reward to be drafted and to go to the Sixers is icing on the cake."

Allen, the 2011 Philadelphia Big 5 Most Outstanding Player, ended his career as Temple's all-time rebound leader (1,147) and 24th on the all-time scoring list with 1,421 points. He also moved into third place on the all-time blocked shots list with 213 and his 98 career wins in a Cherry and White uniform place him eighth in program history.

A two-time first team All-Atlantic 10 selection and three-time all-defensive team honoree, the Morrisville, Pa. native (Pennsbury High) led Temple and ranked second in the A10 in rebounding (8.6 ppg.) while placing third on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg.). He also led the Owls in blocked shots with a career best 61 and compiled 41 career double-doubles, including eight in his last nine games.

The footage of Harper's name being called: (turn your volume up!)

Former Flyer To Bike 4,000 Miles Across the Country

Louis Suttman, a three-year manager of the Dayton Flyers women’s basketball team and 2009 UD graduate, has challenged himself to bicycle over 4,000 miles from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean in order to raise heart health awareness.

Suttman has been personally affected in many ways by various heart ailments within his close circle of family and friends.

In 1972 his grandfather and namesake, Louis “Frosty” Suttman (UD Class of 1951), was one of the first recipients of an artificial aorta valve due to a heart birth defect. As this was new technology at the time, the valve sadly only lasted six years and Frosty passed away in 1978.

During Suttman’s freshman year at the University of Dayton, the wear and tear of cancer treatment surfaced in his uncle Eric Suttman’s heart. The Dayton graduate - and current faculty member at the University -successfully underwent a quadruple bypass surgery while also receiving an artificial aorta valve.

During that same year, Louis Suttman became an official member of the University of Dayton women’s basketball team. It was then that he first met his mentor, Head Coach Jim Jabir. Suttman admired Coach Jabir’s intensity, dedication, and more importantly, the gigantic heart with which Coach ran his program. Suttman was shocked to find out halfway through his first year with the team that the same wonderful heart that he admired so much, had nearly taken Jabir’s life in 2004. It was then, while coaching his team, that Jabir was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia; a condition through which he has preserved and continues to coach with today.

“Throughout my time with the team, Coach Jabir and I grew especially close and developed a bond that will last a lifetime,” said Suttman.

Read the rest of Suttman's story on daytonflyers.com

Support his journey here on the BIKE ACROSS THE HEART OF AMERICA - LOUIS SUTTMAN WEB PAGE

Temple Softball Team Welcomes A New Member

The A-10 prides itself on student-athletes that do well on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The Temple Women’s Softball team is no exception with their recent “adoption” of six-year old Vanessa Moressi through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.

The Lady Owls adopted Vanessa after they were inspired by the Temple women's lacrosse program who also participates in the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation with their second adoptee, Lily Adkins.

Along with Temple, five other A-10 schools participate in the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation: the Duquesne Dukes, La Salle Explorers, Saint Joseph’s Hawks, the Massachusetts Minutemen and the Richmond Spiders.

Click Here for Temple's Story

Gearing Up for A-10 Baseball Tourney

In honor of the last week of Atlantic 10 Baseball Conference play, and being a week out from the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship, we thought A-10 Nation would enjoy this video of the Atlantic 10's own Director of Communications, Jason Leturmy, throwing out the first pitch at the Rivershark's game at Campbell's field a week ago.

He claims it was a strike, what do you think?

Charlotte's Loftsson Sinks Hole-In-One At A-10 Tourney

Charlotte's Olafur Loftsson sunk the first hole-in-one of his career on arguably, the biggest stage: the 15th hole of the first day of the 2011 Atlantic 10 Golf Championship. 

Check out the amazing shot and Loftsson's reaction here:




Loftsson found the bottom of the cup with a pitching wedge from 146 yards out.  Never a dull moment at an A-10 Championship!

The 49ers went on to capture their league-record 6th A-10 title.

Saint Joseph's Wins First-Ever A-10 Rowing Title

Saint Joseph's claimed its first Atlantic 10 Rowing Championship Saturday morning at the Cooper River posting top three finishes in the Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8 and Varsity 4 to finish the regatta with 45 points.

In celebration of the title, watch these before and after videos:
Three schools finished in a three-way tie for first place as Massachusetts and Rhode Island joined Saint Joseph's with 45 points. The Hawks owned the tiebreaker between the tied teams which reverted back to the overall finish in the Varsity 8 competition. Saint Joseph's finished second in the Varsity 8 (8:04.45) followed by Massachusetts in third (8:07.95) and Rhode Island in fourth (8:09.26).





Congrats to all the A-10 Student-Athletes that participated!

NCAA Article on URI Football Standout Greenhalgh

Article courtesy of NCAA.org and can be found HERE

Rhode Island football player becomes a marrow donor

By Tom Symonds
For NCAA.org
University of Rhode Island junior offensive lineman Matt Greenhalgh became the latest college football hero when he completed a bone marrow donation Monday morning at the Rhode Island Blood Center in Providence.

Greenhalgh’s bone marrow donation may well help save a leukemia patient’s life.

Rhode Island’s Matt Greenhalgh completed a bone marrow donation on Monday.

The Chepachet, R.I. native joins several football student-athletes who recently have used national donor programs to affect lives. Rowan senior defensive lineman Matt Hoffman donated blood stem cells and missed the final game of his junior season in 2009 but was rewarded when he met the man who received them at the Stagg Bowl this past season. Villanova all-purpose back Matt Szczur donated bone marrow to a 19-month-old leukemia patient last year.

Rhode Island’s Matt began treatment to extract his bone marrow April 7.

“This has been the most gratifying thing I have ever done,” Greenhalgh said. “It just makes me feel so great to know that I have been able to help save someone’s life.”

Since head coach Joe Trainer’s arrival at Rhode Island in 2009, the Rams have hosted an annual bone marrow drive in support of the National Marrow Donor Program. Greenhalgh became a donor through this program two years ago.

On March 17, he was notified of his status as a perfect match to make a donation.
“I really just wanted to be a part of the registry and do my best to get people involved,” Greenhalgh said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be selected as a perfect match, but I am so glad to help.”

Greenhalgh with Rams coach Joe Trainer.

Through the marrow program’s privacy policy, Greenhalgh, who is a two-time all-Colonial Athletic Association academic selection, is only able to have anonymous written contact with his marrow recipient within the first year of making his donation.

“After a year, when I am no longer restricted to anonymous communication, I would certainly love the opportunity to meet him in person,” Greenhalgh said.

“It is truly amazing that Matt has been able to assist in such a worthwhile cause,” Trainer said. “Saving a life like Matt is doing is something he will remember forever. We could not be more proud of him.”

The Rhode Island football team will host its third annual Bone Marrow Drive on April 28.

Tom Symonds is a coordinator on the Rhode Island athletics communications staff.