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For Immediate Release: March 2, 2004

Contact: Chris Gondek, SUNYAC Publicist

SUNYAC Announces Men and Women's Basketball Coaches of the Year

FREDONIA, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has announced that Brockport's Nelson Whitmore and Cortland's Jeannette Yeoman were selected as the 2004 SUNYAC Men and Women's Basketball Coaches of the Year. The awards are given annually and voted on by the conference coaches. Yeoman earns the women's coaching honor for the second time (2000) in her career while Whitmore receives the men's award for the third time (2000, 2002).

This season, Yeoman led Cortland to a 24-4 overall record, including a 12-2 SUNYAC record and the women's conference title. This past Saturday, the Red Dragons defeated Oneonta 50-46 in the SUNYAC finals at the War Memorial in Utica, NY. Yeoman has coached Cortland the last six seasons, guiding the team to six consecutive conference championship games and three titles (1999, 2000, 2004). Over that time, Yeoman has compiled a tremendous record of 137-32 (.811). This year, Yeoman's Red Dragons will travel to Ithaca on Wednesday for an NCAA Tournament First Round game beginning at 7:00 p.m. This is the fourth time in Yeoman's tenure she has led her team to the NCAA Tournament.

Whitmore, in his sixth season as head coach, topped the 100-career win plateau this season while taking the Golden Eagles to a 21-7 overall record and a 15-1 mark in the conference. Whitmore's squad won 14 consecutive games this season dating back to Jan. 24. The streak was broken in the conference title game on Saturday by Potsdam 84-76. Brockport received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament thanks to their run in the latter part of the season and having one of the toughest schedules in the country. The Golden Eagles host the winner of Thursday's Lasell/Trinity game on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.

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