Metropolitan State University of Denver Athletics - MSU Denver Athletics
Metro State Roadrunners Athletics News www.GoMetroState.com For immediate release: July 5, 2011
Metropolitan State College of Denver • Department of Athletics • Fax: 303-556-2720 Mail: Campus Box 9 • P.O. Box 173362 • Denver, CO 80217 • Ship: 1201 5th St. • Denver, CO 80217 Sports Info. Director: Andy Schlichting, O: 303-556-3431, C: 612-964-1281, [email protected]
Metro State announces 2011-12 Hall of Fame class DENVER - Metro State Director of Athletics Joan McDermott announced the college’s 2011-12 Hall of Fame class on Tuesday. Four individuals and one team will make up the class that celebrates Metro State’s strong basketball tradition, including the 200102 men’s basketball team, former men’s head coach Mike Dunlap, former women’s players Stephanie Allen and Natasha Molock, and Joseph Arcese, former Metro State vice president of administration. The Hall of Fame ceremony, will take place at 5 p.m. at the Auraria Event Center on the campus of Metro State on Saturday, Aug. 13. Fans and friends of Metro State are invited to attend. Free parking is available on campus for attendees. Please visit www.GoMetroState.com to RSVP and purchase tickets to the event. Through the Metro State partnership with the Brown Palace Hotel & Spa and Comfort Inn Downtown Denver, rates at the Comfort Inn start at just $83, including free breakfast. Call 303-296-0400 and mention the Metro State rate to make reservations. “The 2011 class recognizes come of the most accomplished basketball individuals and one of the greatest teams to come through Metro State,” McDermott said. “We are excited for our inductees and look forward to bringing everyone back together on campus to see all of the exciting changes to our campus. “The 2002 men’s basketball team won our second national championship in a three year span, and these individuals have gone on to successful professional careers on and off the court. That team captured Mike Dunlap’s second national championship, and that accomplishment propelled him to national recognition as one of the elite coaches in college basketball. We are very excited to welcome him back and recognize his outstanding achievements. “Stephanie Allen and Natasha Molock were two of the greatest women’s basketball players we’ve seen come through our program. Their names fill our record books and our program would not be where it is today without the road these two women helped pave. “Joe Arcese provided the vision and leadership to propel Metro State athletics into one of the proudest and most successful NCAA Division II programs in the country. We have been waiting for the right opportunity to honor Joe, and we decided that he and Mike Dunlap had such an effective and triumphant working relationship that it would be great to honor them together.” Metro State’s Hall of Fame currently includes 41 individuals and six teams. 2001-02 Men’s Basketball Team The 2001-02 men’s basketball team won Metro State’s second national championship in a three-year span, compiling a record of 29-6, including 16-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. A relatively young team, which had a starting lineup containing just one senior, the Roadrunners entered the postseason as underdogs after finishing second in the RMAC during the regular season and being eliminated in the semifinals of the RMAC Tournament. However, Metro State caught fire at the right time, knocking off five straight nationally ranked opponents en route to the national title, topping No. 1-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan 80-72 in the national championship game behind junior Patrick Mutombo’s 29 points and senior Lee Bethea’s 19. Sophomore Lester Strong posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and junior Clayton Smith dished out 12 assists to lead the team to victory. Mutombo was named Elite Eight Most Valuable Player and went
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on to earn second team All-America honors after being chosen the RMAC Player of the Year. Head coach Mike Dunlap was named NABC National Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. Joining Mutombo on the RMAC awards list were Luke Kendall, who was a first team All-East Division selection, and Bethea, who was on the division’s second team. Kendall carried the Roadrunners through the regional tournament, winning North Central Region Tournament MVP. Strong’s .633 field goal percentage during the 2001-02 campaign remains a Metro State single season record to this day. Mike Dunlap (men’s basketball head coach 1997-2006) Mike Dunlap is one of the most decorated head coaches in Division II men’s basketball history after guiding Metro State to two national championships, four RMAC regular season championships, six RMAC Tournament championships and nine NCAA Tournament appearances in nine seasons. He posted a record of 248-50 (.832), including 142-29 (.830) in RMAC games. Both win totals and winning percentages are school records. Three times Dunlap was named national coach of the year. He led Metro State to national titles in 2000 and 2002 and North Central Region championships in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005. In 2009, Dunlap was honored as the coach of the RMAC’s all-time team. Dunlap also coached four All-Americans, including DeMarcos Anzures (2000), Lee Barlow (2000), Patrick Mutombo (2002) and Mark Worthington (2005). Worthington was also named NABC National Player of the Year in 2005. After his time at Metro State, Dunlap has had several appointments between the NBA and NCAA Division I schools. He spent two years as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets under head coach George Karl, leading the Nuggets to two NBA playoff appearances and a record of 95-69 (.579) during his stint. Dunlap returned to the college game in 2008-09 with the University of Arizona as the associate head coach, guiding the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. He also was an assistant at Oregon in 2009-10, helping the Ducks to a 16-16 record. In 2010, he joined Steve Lavin’s staff at St. John’s and took the Red Storm to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000. Stephanie Allen (women’s basketball 1996-2000) Stephanie Allen still holds several school records after finishing her four years with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. The school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,732 points, she also holds career records for field goals made (553), field goals attempted (1,453), 3-point field goals made (248), 3-point field goals attempted (674) and assists (393). Allen was selected to the RMAC All-East Division team all four years, including first team honors in 1998 and 1999. She was also selected first team All-RMAC in 1998. Her 41 points against Western State on Jan. 3, 1998, remains the Metro State single game record today. That game was a part of one of the best seasons in Metro State history as the Roadrunners went 25-5 and were crowned RMAC regular season cochampions and RMAC Tournament champions, while reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Natasha Molock (women’s basketball 2001-05) Natasha Molock solidified herself as one of the best women’s basketball players in school history, ranking at or near the top of several career records at Metro State. No player has come close to her record of 455 steals, over 200 more than the second place total. Molock also ranks second in assists with 367 and third in points with 1,301. The steal totals from her sophomore, junior and senior seasons rank as the top three single season totals at Metro State. Molock was a first team All-RMAC selection in her 2005 senior season and was three-time All-East Division pick. She was also selected to the 2005 RMAC Shootout All-Tournament team, helping the Roadrunners to the conference tournament championship and the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. As a senior, she averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 steals. Joseph Arcese (vice president of administration 1993-2002) Joseph Arcese, working together with his athletic directors, was instrumental in transforming Metro State athletics into an
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NCAA Division II powerhouse. Arcese worked collaboratively to orchestrate the hiring of championship caliber coaches during his tenure, providing the impetus for Metro State to become a national contender on an annual basis in several sports. He also secured scholarships for all sports in the mid-1990s, helped improve athletic facilities and instituted the early class scheduling and fifth-year scholarship for athletes. In 1999, Joan McDermott and the athletic department honored Arcese by establishing the Joseph F. Arcese Award to annually recognize a Metro State faculty, staff or administrator for their outstanding contributions to Roadrunner athletics. Arcese and his wife Sue created the Joseph F. and Susan J. Arcese Endowed Athletic Scholarship to provide financial support for Roadrunner athletes. Arcese retired as vice president of administration in 2002. Besides athletics, Arcese was responsible for the departments of budgeting, accounting, information technology, human resources and institutional research. Arcese was a member of the USA Para-Olympic wheelchair basketball teams that won a gold medal in 1976 and a silver medal in the 1968 Olympics.
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Metropolitan State College of Denver • Department of Athletics • Fax: 303-556-2720 Mail: Campus Box 9 • P.O. Box 173362 • Denver, CO 80217 • Ship: 1201 5th St. • Denver, CO 80217 Sports Info. Director: Andy Schlichting, O: 303-556-3431, C: 612-964-1281, [email protected]
Metro State announces 2011-12 Hall of Fame class DENVER - Metro State Director of Athletics Joan McDermott announced the college’s 2011-12 Hall of Fame class on Tuesday. Four individuals and one team will make up the class that celebrates Metro State’s strong basketball tradition, including the 200102 men’s basketball team, former men’s head coach Mike Dunlap, former women’s players Stephanie Allen and Natasha Molock, and Joseph Arcese, former Metro State vice president of administration. The Hall of Fame ceremony, will take place at 5 p.m. at the Auraria Event Center on the campus of Metro State on Saturday, Aug. 13. Fans and friends of Metro State are invited to attend. Free parking is available on campus for attendees. Please visit www.GoMetroState.com to RSVP and purchase tickets to the event. Through the Metro State partnership with the Brown Palace Hotel & Spa and Comfort Inn Downtown Denver, rates at the Comfort Inn start at just $83, including free breakfast. Call 303-296-0400 and mention the Metro State rate to make reservations. “The 2011 class recognizes come of the most accomplished basketball individuals and one of the greatest teams to come through Metro State,” McDermott said. “We are excited for our inductees and look forward to bringing everyone back together on campus to see all of the exciting changes to our campus. “The 2002 men’s basketball team won our second national championship in a three year span, and these individuals have gone on to successful professional careers on and off the court. That team captured Mike Dunlap’s second national championship, and that accomplishment propelled him to national recognition as one of the elite coaches in college basketball. We are very excited to welcome him back and recognize his outstanding achievements. “Stephanie Allen and Natasha Molock were two of the greatest women’s basketball players we’ve seen come through our program. Their names fill our record books and our program would not be where it is today without the road these two women helped pave. “Joe Arcese provided the vision and leadership to propel Metro State athletics into one of the proudest and most successful NCAA Division II programs in the country. We have been waiting for the right opportunity to honor Joe, and we decided that he and Mike Dunlap had such an effective and triumphant working relationship that it would be great to honor them together.” Metro State’s Hall of Fame currently includes 41 individuals and six teams. 2001-02 Men’s Basketball Team The 2001-02 men’s basketball team won Metro State’s second national championship in a three-year span, compiling a record of 29-6, including 16-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. A relatively young team, which had a starting lineup containing just one senior, the Roadrunners entered the postseason as underdogs after finishing second in the RMAC during the regular season and being eliminated in the semifinals of the RMAC Tournament. However, Metro State caught fire at the right time, knocking off five straight nationally ranked opponents en route to the national title, topping No. 1-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan 80-72 in the national championship game behind junior Patrick Mutombo’s 29 points and senior Lee Bethea’s 19. Sophomore Lester Strong posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and junior Clayton Smith dished out 12 assists to lead the team to victory. Mutombo was named Elite Eight Most Valuable Player and went
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on to earn second team All-America honors after being chosen the RMAC Player of the Year. Head coach Mike Dunlap was named NABC National Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. Joining Mutombo on the RMAC awards list were Luke Kendall, who was a first team All-East Division selection, and Bethea, who was on the division’s second team. Kendall carried the Roadrunners through the regional tournament, winning North Central Region Tournament MVP. Strong’s .633 field goal percentage during the 2001-02 campaign remains a Metro State single season record to this day. Mike Dunlap (men’s basketball head coach 1997-2006) Mike Dunlap is one of the most decorated head coaches in Division II men’s basketball history after guiding Metro State to two national championships, four RMAC regular season championships, six RMAC Tournament championships and nine NCAA Tournament appearances in nine seasons. He posted a record of 248-50 (.832), including 142-29 (.830) in RMAC games. Both win totals and winning percentages are school records. Three times Dunlap was named national coach of the year. He led Metro State to national titles in 2000 and 2002 and North Central Region championships in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005. In 2009, Dunlap was honored as the coach of the RMAC’s all-time team. Dunlap also coached four All-Americans, including DeMarcos Anzures (2000), Lee Barlow (2000), Patrick Mutombo (2002) and Mark Worthington (2005). Worthington was also named NABC National Player of the Year in 2005. After his time at Metro State, Dunlap has had several appointments between the NBA and NCAA Division I schools. He spent two years as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets under head coach George Karl, leading the Nuggets to two NBA playoff appearances and a record of 95-69 (.579) during his stint. Dunlap returned to the college game in 2008-09 with the University of Arizona as the associate head coach, guiding the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. He also was an assistant at Oregon in 2009-10, helping the Ducks to a 16-16 record. In 2010, he joined Steve Lavin’s staff at St. John’s and took the Red Storm to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000. Stephanie Allen (women’s basketball 1996-2000) Stephanie Allen still holds several school records after finishing her four years with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. The school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,732 points, she also holds career records for field goals made (553), field goals attempted (1,453), 3-point field goals made (248), 3-point field goals attempted (674) and assists (393). Allen was selected to the RMAC All-East Division team all four years, including first team honors in 1998 and 1999. She was also selected first team All-RMAC in 1998. Her 41 points against Western State on Jan. 3, 1998, remains the Metro State single game record today. That game was a part of one of the best seasons in Metro State history as the Roadrunners went 25-5 and were crowned RMAC regular season cochampions and RMAC Tournament champions, while reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Natasha Molock (women’s basketball 2001-05) Natasha Molock solidified herself as one of the best women’s basketball players in school history, ranking at or near the top of several career records at Metro State. No player has come close to her record of 455 steals, over 200 more than the second place total. Molock also ranks second in assists with 367 and third in points with 1,301. The steal totals from her sophomore, junior and senior seasons rank as the top three single season totals at Metro State. Molock was a first team All-RMAC selection in her 2005 senior season and was three-time All-East Division pick. She was also selected to the 2005 RMAC Shootout All-Tournament team, helping the Roadrunners to the conference tournament championship and the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. As a senior, she averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 steals. Joseph Arcese (vice president of administration 1993-2002) Joseph Arcese, working together with his athletic directors, was instrumental in transforming Metro State athletics into an
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NCAA Division II powerhouse. Arcese worked collaboratively to orchestrate the hiring of championship caliber coaches during his tenure, providing the impetus for Metro State to become a national contender on an annual basis in several sports. He also secured scholarships for all sports in the mid-1990s, helped improve athletic facilities and instituted the early class scheduling and fifth-year scholarship for athletes. In 1999, Joan McDermott and the athletic department honored Arcese by establishing the Joseph F. Arcese Award to annually recognize a Metro State faculty, staff or administrator for their outstanding contributions to Roadrunner athletics. Arcese and his wife Sue created the Joseph F. and Susan J. Arcese Endowed Athletic Scholarship to provide financial support for Roadrunner athletes. Arcese retired as vice president of administration in 2002. Besides athletics, Arcese was responsible for the departments of budgeting, accounting, information technology, human resources and institutional research. Arcese was a member of the USA Para-Olympic wheelchair basketball teams that won a gold medal in 1976 and a silver medal in the 1968 Olympics.
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