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More than 300 Basketball fans gathered in Felician College’s Job Gym late Saturday night (October 14) to celebrate the official start of the 2000-01 college basketball season. Cheers reverberated off the gymnasium walls as Felician College’s men’s and women’s NCAA Division II basketball teams walked onto the court preceded by performances by the Golden Falcon cheerleaders, dance team, and mascot. Spirits were high and moods light as fans participated in three-point-, foul- and half-court shot competitions for prizes. Each spectator was given a raffle ticket at the door for a chance to win giveaways such as New Jersey Nets tickets and dinner certificates for the ESPN Zone in Madison Square Garden.

Wrapped up in the fun of the start of the basketball season are serious goals for the Golden Falcons. With a new head coach and two new assistant coaches come new expectations for the men’s basketball team which at the start of its fifth year of play has yet to see a winning season. “Our goal is to be competitive, gain respectability, and establish a standard on which this program will thrive,” said Head Coach Darryl Jacobs. Five new players will complement the strengths of eight returning and two walk-on players. New to the line-up are Anthony Carey and Brian Dixon, Junior College All-Americans from Monroe Junior College in New York; Sean Crosbie, a Division I transfer from St. Francis College in Pennsylvania; Alfred Fitzgerald, a Divison I transfer from Southwest Texas A&M; and Ron Bethea, a freshman from St. Benedicts Prep School in New Jersey who originally signed to play Division I Navy but chose to play for Felician College. “We’re very fortunate to have these guys and look forward to a strong season of play,” said Jacobs who comes to Felician College off two Hudson Valley Athletic Conference Championships at Lehman College in the Bronx. Coach Jacobs has played and coached locally, nationally and internationally. He was a Juco Honorable Mention All-American at Passaic County College, All Conference at Division II William Penn of Iowa, and he played professionally in Peru and in the United States Basketball League. Jacobs formerly served as head coach at Montclair State University as well as Lehman College. Those players returning to the court include team captains Gary Dunbar and Brian Myers, Mike Chiera, Laimaine Fall, Jason Gibson, Jerrell Jeffries, and Spriodon Kitisu. Assistant coaches for the men’s team include two newcomers—Arthur Redmond and Xavier Fitzgerald—and Dr. Russel Weibe.

Coming off a respectable 1999/00 season with a 14:17 record, Felician College’s women’s basketball team is stronger than ever. “This team has by far the most depth ever,” said Head Coach Ben “J.R.” DiNallo. In a season of competitive play, the women made it to the semi-final round of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament, and lost to Dominican College. During DiNallo’s two-year stance as head coach, the Golden Falcons have achieved a record of 33 wins and 29 losses. This year DiNallo hopes to build upon that record and take it a step further. “With a nucleus of nine returning players and four new individuals, we can definitely make a run for the conference title,” he said. New to the team are Pam Barcia from Ossining, NY; Nicole Doran, a two-time First Team All-Bergen County Selection; Dana Giamo from Toms River, NJ; and Naima Tryman, a transfer student from NJIT. Returning players include Caran Godwin, Patricia Dennis, Sandi King, Kelly Williams, Zakiyyah Woods, Audrey Lundy, and team captains Melissa Orrico, Jackie Schalk, and Dawn Vida. Two new assistant coaches—Mike Findling and Eric James, a Felician College basketball alumnus—and Mike Mueller comprise DiNallo’s coaching staff.

Game openers for the men’s and women’s teams are November 18 for the men—a home game against Kultztowns University; and November 17 for the women—a two-day, two-game tournament at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.