April 10, 2007

NJCU'S SCHINER RECEIVES THE MET BASKETBALL WRITERS
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

HONORED AT THE ANNUAL HAGGERTY DINNER ON APRIL 10

Larry Schiner, the Director of Athletics at New Jersey City University since 1977, was honored by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association with its 2007 Distinguished Service Award during the 74^th NIT/MBWA All-Met Haggerty Awards dinner on April 10. The 2006-07 academic year marks his 40^th year at the institution, including his 30^th year as Director of Athletics.

The Distinguished Service Awards are presented annually by the Met Basketball Writers to individuals who have made significant contributions to college basketball.
 

“Basketball has been a major part of my life, so receiving this special recognition from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers is quite an honor,” said Schiner.
 

It is the second major award Schiner has received this year for a distinguished career that has spanned five decades. On January 28, the New Jersey Sports Writers Association presented him with its Meritorious Service to New Jersey Collegiate Athletics award.
 

In 30 years as Director of Athletics at NJCU, Schiner has been the chief architect of unprecedented growth and improvement in Gothic Knight intercollegiate sports.
 

During his tenure, Schiner has spearheaded development of the John J. Moore Athletics & Fitness Center, supervised the development of the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, initiated the athletic department’s extensive community outreach projects and services program, launched the athletics Hall of Fame, and served with distinction on New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) committees.
 

Schiner was named director of athletics in 1977 after serving as head men’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director under Tom Gerrity. During his nine seasons as head basketball coach, he became the winningest coach in the program’s history with 133 wins. Two of his teams were selected to participate in the NCAA College Division Championship Tournament. Five of his Gothic Knight teams reached post-season play and the 1973 and 1974 squads claimed back-to-back New Jersey State College Athletic Conference (NJSCAC) titles. He earned NJSCAC Coach of the Year honors in 1968 and 1973, and was inducted into NJCU’s Athletic Hall of Fall as a coach in 1980. In 1982, he was presented with the Jersey City State College Honorary Alumni Award. He also served as NJCU’s men’s tennis coach for three seasons (1968-70), after being hired at the college in September 1967.
 

In October of 1995, Schiner had the double honor of being inducted into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame as a basketball player and being bestowed the Garden State Award by the Collegiate Athletic Administrators of New Jersey (CAANJ) for his substantial and enduring contributions to intercollegiate athletics in the state.
 

He was co-founder and past president of both the CAANJ and the New Jersey Collegiate Basketball Coaches Association (NJCBCA), performing a term as president of the NJCBCA in 1976-77 and of the CAANJ in 1986-87.
 

Schiner was instrumental in the formation of the New Jersey Athletic Conference and served as its first president from 1985 through 1987.  He served as president of the NJSCAC (New Jersey State College Athletic Conference), the precursor of the NJAC from 1982 until the inception of the NJAC in 1985.

Active on the national and regional levels, Schiner served on numerous NCAA and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) committees, including the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Committee (1991-97).  From 1991-97, he was chair of the Mid-Atlantic Division III Men’s Basketball Committee.