News On The Horizon 4/15/2015

Horizon League passes cost-of-admission measure for men’s basketball--CollegeBasketballTalk
Ultra Early Horizon League Preview for the 2015-16 Season--The Catch and Shoot

NCAA fifth-year transfer rule needs to be fixed, quickly, say coaches--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Basketball signing day quiet at Akron, Cleveland State and Kent State: College Basketball Insider--Cleveland Plain Dealer

Six Titans Named to Horizon League Winter All-Academic Teams--detroittitans.com

Biggest names in college coaching team up for an auction to raise money for cancer--CollegeBasketballTalk
Fundraiser offers chance to hang with a top hoops coach--USA Today
OU's Greg Kampe: We want to beat cancer--The Detroit Free Press
Oakland unveils new ‘blacktop’ basketball court--The Oakland Press
Horizon League votes unanimously to approve cost-of-attendance measure--Press Row Sports
Oakland’s Greg Kampe, fellow coaches apply full-court press to cancer with fundraiser--Press Row Sports
UWGB hires Florida Southern’s Linc Darner as new men’s basketball head coach--Press Row Sports
Horizon League Board of Directors Passes Cost of Attendance--ougrizzlies.com
KAMPE INVITES ELITE COACHES TO "BEAT CANCER" EVENT--ougrizzlies.com
PETROS NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-HORIZON LEAGUE--ougrizzlies.com

Senior athletes say goodbye--Oakland Post

Basketball

Amy Carlton played on the women’s basketball team for five years. Being a student-athlete taught her time management and teamwork skills. She graduated from Oakland in 2014 and is in her first year of the DPT program. She is returning to the team to serve as a graduate assistant next season.

To my team and coaches: “Thanks for an amazing five years. You are all the reason I come into practice every day smiling. Growing up with all brothers, it’s nice to come out of college with sisters. To my coaches: Thanks for all the incredible opportunities. I have learned so much and will never forget all the experiences along the way. Looking forward to working with you all next year.”

Horizon League passes cost-of-attendance legislation--The Catch and Shoot
UIC extends offers to several 2017 guards--The Catch and Shoot

Laura Litchfield Signs NLI with UIC Women's Basketball--uicflames.com

Green Bay hires Linc Darner as new head coach--USA Today
Green Bay hires Linc Darner as next head coach--The Catch and Shoot
UWGB gets its man in Linc Darner--Green Bay Press Gazette
Darner has great resume, but is UWGB good fit?--Green Bay Press Gazette
Daeshon Francis to transfer from GB?--Phear The Phoenix
Linc Darner is Green Bay's new head coach--Phear The Phoenix
Linc Darner Named Green Bay's Men's Basketball Head Coach--GreenBayPhoenix.com

O26 NCAA Tourney Reflections: What Went Right & What Went Wrong--Rush The Court

Close… But Not Close Enough. Several O26 underdogs came oh-so-close to pulling off upsets only to come up empty against their higher-seeded counterparts. Harvard, a #13 seed, led North Carolina at the 1:15 mark before losing its edge and eventually falling by two. Wofford missed a game-winning three-point attempt in a narrow loss to #5 seed Arkansas. UC Irvine nearly toppled #4 seed Louisville – only to turn the ball over on its final possession – while fellow #14 seed Valparaiso was stifled by Maryland on its game-tying, buzzer-beating attempt. All told, seven low-seeded mid-majors lost by seven points or fewer in the round of 64, the majority of which had a chance to tie or win their games in the final minute. Unfortunately, ‘close’ isn’t close enough.

O26 Never-Too-Early Top Five (and More)--Rush The Court

Five More

After nearly toppling Maryland in March, Valpo should be even better next season. (Joe Raymond/Associated Press)
...
Valparaiso. Losing conference defensive Player of the Year Vashil Fernandez (2.9 BPG) will hurt, but nearly everyone else returns for this season’s Horizon League champions. Stretch-four Alec Peters (16.8 PPG) will likely enter 2015-16 as the preseason Player of the Year, while the Crusaders’ already-good backcourt – led by Darien Walker (10.7 PPG) and Tevonn Walker (10.3 PPG) – should be even better with the return of injured point guard Lexus Williams. To boot, Bryce Drew welcomes 7’0” freshman Derrik Smits, son of Indiana Pacers great Rik Smits, along with LSU transfer Shane Hammink (6’7”) and Portuguese import Daniel Relvao (6’9”).

Eight Crusaders Earn Winter Academic All-League Accolades--valpoathletics.com

Five Student-Athletes Named Winter HL All-Academic--wsuraiders.com

Horizon schools vote to add stipends for hoops--Youngstown Vindicator
Men's Basketball Adds Forward Matt Donlan During Late Signing Period--ysusports.com

Second WNIT Berth Highlights 2014-15 Women's Basketball Season--ysusports.com

College Basketball Coaches Team Up with American Cancer Society for "Beat Cancer"--Horizon League Network
Linc Darner Named Green Bay's Men's Basketball Head Coach--Horizon League Network