Benet Academy Alumni Basketball Night

On Friday, January 27^th, Benet Academy will honor the contributions of basketball alumni from the past 6 decades with an Alumni Basketball Night.   The Alumni Night coincides with Friday’s pivotal East Suburban Catholic Conference game between Benet Academy (13-4) and Notre Dame College Prep (15-5) with tipoff set for 7:30 PM in Benet’s St. Ronald Gymnasium.

The Alumni Night will honor Benet alums that have contributed to the illustrious history of the Redwing Basketball Program.  That history includes 3 trips to the Illinois State Finals (1979, 1982 and 1983) and a state-record 102 game home winning streak from 1975-1987.  More recently, under the leadership of Head Coach Gene Heidkamp, the program has seen a resurgence that has included an Elite Eight finish in 2010, as well as a #1 state ranking and #6 national ranking during the 2010-11 season.  Coach Heidkamp is excited to have the alumni returning to campus and says, “Friday will be a great night for our program. The history and tradition of Benet basketball is something both our players and coaches hold in very high regard. Having all of these players back will be special!”

The Alumni Night festivities will begin at 6:00 PM with an alumni basketball game in Benet’s historic Alumni Gym.  After being honored at halftime of the varsity game, the more than 75 basketball alums scheduled to attend will gather to share memories and laughs during a postgame reception in the school’s Cafeteria.

Expected Benet alumni attendees include:

• Bobby Conrad ‘76 (4-year letter winner at Clemson from 1976-80.  One of 25 players named to Clemson’s All-Time Men’s Basketball Team). 

• Kevin Conrad ’79 (4-year letter winner at Dayton from 1979-83.  Inducted into the Flyers’ Hall of Fame in 2009).

• Mike Lang ’79 (4-year letter winner at Penn State from 1979-83).

•  John Bajusz ’83 (4-year letter winner at Cornell from 1983-87.  Big Red’s 2^nd all time career scorer)
  

• Dave Sobolewski ’11 (Freshman at Northwestern – currently starting point guard for the Wildcats).

Patrick Collins, a 1982 Benet graduate and starting point guard on the ‘82 State Finals’ Redwings squad, has helped lead the efforts to organize the Alumni Night.   He comments, “I feel forever indebted to the Benet basketball program.  Playing for Benet allowed me to forge important relationships with teammates, learn many of life’s important lessons, and develop memories that will have lasted a lifetime.  We look forward to gathering to honor the past and celebrate the present and future success of Benet basketball under Coach Heidkamp. “