It’s no secret. Albertus is a destination for DIII athletes. Our men’s basketball team, in particular, has earned many accolades this season.
After winning 27-straight games, the #7 Albertus Magnus men’s basketball team fell to #10 Dickinson College at the buzzer as the Falcons ended their season with a heartbreaking 74-72 loss in the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament Second Round. They end the year with an impressive 28-2 overall record. The Falcons’ 28, win tally is also a single-season record for the program, having reached that number in two previous seasons (2013-14 and 2011-12).
Victor Ljuljdjuraj (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) of was named both the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Ljuljdjuraj was also named to the GNAC All-Conference First-Team. In addition, he was named the GNAC Tournament Most Valuable Player after the Falcons defeated Johnson & Wales (R.I.) in the GNAC Championship game. On the year, the senior averages 19.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and a nation-best 4.28 blocks per game. In fact, his 4.28 blocks per game tally is the best among all men’s basketball divisions (I, II and III). He also became the Falcons 14th all-time player to reach the 1,000-point milestone and did so in 58 games. Teammate Tavon Sledge (Spring Valley, N.Y.) joins Ljuljdjuraj on the First Team, while Eian Davis (Brooklyn, Conn.) and Lemar Larsen (Waterbury, Conn.) earned Second Team honors. Davis, who earned First Team honors last season, is ranked in the top-10 of the nation in assists per game. In addition, freshman Med Fofana earned a spot on the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.
This year marked the sixth time that a Falcon has received GNAC Player of the Year recognition, while it is also the third time an Albertus men’s basketball player has earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. With the win, the Falcons earned their fourth-straight GNAC Tournament title, the Falcons’ fifth championship in the last six seasons. The Falcons’ impressive home court winning streak is 57 games and the longest active home court winning streak in NCAA men’s basketball (all levels).
The excitement on campus is palpable, athletics are adding to an incredible school spirit and the College is committed to enhancing this important aspect of student life. Throughout the month of March we have asked our alumni and friends to show their Falcon pride by giving to the Mary Benevento Fund for Athletics. Through different challenges initiated on facebook, alumni have risen to the challenge making gifts of all sizes. The Mary Benevento Fund for Athletics was created in 2012 to support the growth of Albertus Athletics. The interest earned from the endowed fund will be used to support special projects in our Athletics program. This year, the Fund helped make a student-athlete weight room a reality (pictured). We hope to be able to report exciting developments like this weight room annually, but it starts with you. Please consider a gift in honor of Albertus student-athletes from yesterday, today and tomorrow! Click here to show your Falcon pride.