BIG EAST Freshmen at Madison Square Garden
BIG EAST Freshmen Learn Fundamentals From Experts
NEW YORK – “We think you’ll be able to take a few things from this weekend to help you carve out your path for the next four years,” said Stu Jackson, BIG EAST Senior Commissioner for Men’s Basketball, to a group of 30 BIG EAST freshman basketball student-athletes from all 10 BIG EAST institutions.
The BIG EAST Conference hosted its fifth annual Freshmen Fundamentals in New York City on Sept. 14-15. Freshmen Fundamentals is a program designed to educate and assist men’s basketball student-athletes in the transition from high school to the elite level of BIG EAST basketball on and off the court.
“We want to help you be the best you can be in the BIG EAST,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman, who addressed the freshmen before the formal presentations began. “We have a great history in our conference and all of our schools make it great.” Ackerman added that the Freshmen Fundamentals weekend is designed to help student-athletes think about what she called “Plan B,” when basketball careers are over.
The formal sessions began with Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble, who conducted a mental health awareness discussion. An expert in teen, young adult and family mental health, Dr. Alfiee, as she is known, reminded the freshmen, “To be mindful of your mind.” She stressed that there is still a stigma attached to people admitting they have mental health issues even though mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, impact many young people. She also gave suggestions for the players to offer help to friends or teammates should they come forward to them with mental health issues.
A former player panel featured Villanova’s Ryan Arcidiacono, Seton Hall’s Michael Nzei and Connecticut’s Donny Marshall. Former St. John’s standout Tarik Turner again moderated the panel. Turner and Marshall currently serve as television analysts for FOX Sports.
The players shared many valuable thoughts. Arcidiacono, the Most Outstanding Player in the 2016 NCAA Final Four when the Wildcats won a national championship, advised the freshmen to put an emphasis on prioritizing their time in their daily schedules. Nzei, who helped Seton Hall to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and was named winner of the 2018-19 Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete award, encouraged the freshmen to get to know their teachers and classmates. Marshall, who played at UConn from 1992-95, said to aim for balance in everything you do. He advised the players to bring humility as they start their college careers.
Turner and the panelists encouraged the freshmen to enjoy their moments as basketball players and don’t look too far ahead. All said the mental approach is important in dealing with the pressures of being a high-level Division I student-athlete, but Marshall added that his mother would remind him that, “Pressure is a privilege.” He said playing in the BIG EAST is a tremendous honor.
The players also heard a talk on Relationship Management and Safety from Kalimah Johnson, founder and executive director of SASHA (Sexual Assault Services for Holistic and Awareness) Center in Detroit, Mich. Johnson and student-athletes had an interactive discussion on personal relationships and safety.
The players also heard from Dell Demps, the former general manager of the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, who talked to the freshmen about careers in professional basketball. He explained how NBA teams evaluate college players, noting a player’s character can be as critical as his basketball skills. Demps said the freshmen need to find a way to stay focused and manage the “outside noise” that will sometimes surround them. He noted how a player’s production to help his team win games is an important factor. Demps added that he thought the players who have enjoyed long careers understand the plusses and minuses of their own games and have a good understanding how they can help their teams win.
On Sunday morning, the players heard a media training session from Dave Popkin, a versatile broadcaster who has been a Seton Hall radio commentator and a CBS Sports Network basketball play-by-play broadcaster among other assignments. He stressed for the players to take advantage of interview situations and use them as an opportunities to sell themselves and support their teams with their comments. Popkin suggested the players think about general talking points they would like to make before doing an interview and ask the team’s media relations professional for any help they might need.
The players were taken on a tour of Madison Square Garden, the home of the BIG EAST Tournament. Joel Fisher, MSG’s Executive Vice President of Marquee Events and Operations, welcomed the players, relayed some of the storied history of the tournament and told them there is nothing quite like playing in front of a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden. Fisher told the players, “Cherish the times with your teams and enjoy every moment playing at the Garden.”
About the BIG EAST
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of ten nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments. The athletic programs of BIG EAST institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 3,727 student-athletes on over 180 men’s and women’s teams in 22 sports. Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in seven of the country’s top 35 largest media markets and include Butler University, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University. For more information, visit
www.bigeast.com.