The University of Rochester Men’s Basketball Team ranked 3rd in the NCAA Division III East Region standings posted on February 28th.
The Yellowjackets finished their season with an overall record of 20-5. Rochester met Middlebury in the Sweet 16 and lost 61-52.
The Yellowjackets’ Season
The Yellowjackets hoped to achieve their NCAA dreams this season, but an unexpected loss to Middlebury put those dreams on hold. Middlebury is known for their defense and they definitely showed Rochester what that meant.
Middlebury came into this game being ranked No. 1 in the nation in blocked shots, averaging 7.6 blocks per game, but against Rochester that doubled with their 14 rejections of Rochester’s shot attempts. The first half belonged to Rochester, while the second half belonged to Middlebury.
Middlebury made a quick run in the beginning of the second half and after that they would hold the lead. Although Rochester’s season ended early they still accomplished a lot. Not only did the Yellowjackets make it to the Sweet 16, they also posted a 20-win season and claimed the University Athletic Association title. Head Coach Luke Flockerzi leads the Yellowjackets but needs John DiBartolomeo, Nate Novosel, and Mike Labanowski to have a successful season.
About The Team
Head Coach Luke Flockerzi is in his first season with the Yellowjackets and has made it count. In his rookie season he has led the team to the NCAA Sweet 16, a 20-win season, and the University Athletic Association title. Although Flockerzi is new to being the school’s head coach, he is not new to the program. He was the assistant coach for the 2006-07 season before accepting a head coach position at Skidmore College.
Flockerzi and staff were named this season’s UAA Coaching Staff of the Year and Flockerzi was named D3Hoops.com East Region Coach of the Year.
Sophomore John DiBartolomeo was named UAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, All-UAA First Team. He averages 17.6 points per game, 48.2% from the floor, 36.5% from behind the arc, and 80.7% from the foul line.
He missed the first five games of the season due to a broken hand but has since made a full recovery. Junior Nate Novosel was also named to the All-UAA First Team. He averaged 13.7 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game and was 62.6% from the floor. Senior Mike Labanowski was named to the All-UAA Second Team. He averages 10.5 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game. Labanowski has started every game this season and was also named to the Capital One Academic All-America Second Team. Both players were also named to the NABC All-East First Team.
About The School
The University of Rochester is located in Rochester, NY. There are over 9,300 students, about half of which are women. With over 200 academic majors to choose from the University of Rochester has something for everyone. In addition to the multitude of majors, there is a low 9:1 student-faculty ratio. Rochester is one of the smallest and most collegiate among top research universities.
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