Basic HTML Version
Page 31
Campus Review
May 7, 2013
Campus Review
May 7, 2013
Editor:
John Shiffert
Writers:
Erin Fender
Ciji Fox
Lauren Graves
Samantha Watson
Layout:
Lauren Graves
Photography: Erin Fender
Ciji Fox
Graphic Design: Erin Fender
Lauren Graves
Harrison Named New Lakers Men’s Basketball Coach
by Gid Rowell, Athletics
Azcue and Griggs Named Laker Award Winners
At 23rd Annual Clayton State Awards Night
The Clayton State Department of Athletics
and Athletic Director Carl McAloose have
announced the hir-
ing
of
Paul
Harrison as the
program’s
new
men’s basketball
coach.
Harrison, a native
of
Larchmont,
N.Y., most recent-
ly served as the
associate
head
coach at NCAA
Division
I
Wofford College and becomes the fourth
coach in the 23-year history of the Laker
men’s basketball program.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead the
men’s basketball program at Clayton State
University and would like to thank President
TimHynes, Athletic Director Carl McAloose
and the search committee for trusting me
with this task,” said Harrison. “My family
and I look forward to getting started.”
McAloose echoed Harrison’s excitement,
“We are thrilled to have Paul Harrison
emerge from an outstanding group of can-
didates to become the next head men’s
basketball coach at Clayton State. Paul
has done an incredible job of recruiting
and developing young men in the class-
room, on the court and in the community.”
For six years, Harrison has served as the
associate head coach at Wofford College
in Spartanburg, S.C., under head coach
Mike Young after coaching several years
alongside legendary former head coach
John Kresse at the College of Charleston.
“At the beginning of the search process, I
called coach Kresse and asked him who is
the next Greg Marshall (a former assistant
under Kresse and now head coach at
Wichita State) and without hesitation he
said Paul Harrison,” said McAloose.
“Paul brings to us a great deal of excite-
ment, basketball knowledge and contacts.
We both have the same vision of building
a great academic and basketball environ-
ment that will enable us to prepare our
student-athletes for graduation and com-
pete for national championships.”
Harrison served as the associate head
coach at Wofford for six years and helped
build the Terriers into a top men’s basket-
ball program in the Southern Conference.
In two short seasons, he helped lead
Wofford to its first winning season at the
NCAA Division I level and to four
straight winning seasons. From 2009 to
2011, the Terriers posted back-to-back 20
win seasons, the first time for Wofford in
over 40 years.
“Paul has done an unbelievable job at
Wofford over the last six years,” said
Terrier head coach Young. “He has been
responsible for a great deal of our success.
He is an excellent coach and recruiter and
Clayton State basketball got better today.
I’m thrilled for him and his family and
know he will do a great job.”
Wofford’s top season came in 2009-10
when the squad finished with a 26-9
With the 2012-13 academic year coming
to a close, the Clayton State Department
of Athletics recognized the accomplish-
ments of its student-athletes Friday at the
23rd Annual Clayton State Awards Night.
The highlight of the evening was the nam-
ing of the 2012-13 men’s and women’s
Laker Award winners, which are given to
the female and male student-athletes that
best exemplify the ideal Clayton State stu-
dent-athlete. The award recognizes a male
and female student-athlete, who excel
both academically and athletically and
best represent Clayton State to the
University and to the Southern Crescent
community throughout their career.
This year’s men’s Laker Award winner
was Ayrton Azcue, a four-year letterwinner
on Clayton State’s cross country and track
& field teams. He is majoring in manage-
ment and holds a 3.09 grade point average.
Azcue, who is from Zizur Mayor, Spain,
was named an All-American this year and
the Southeast Regional Track & Field
Athlete of the Year. He placed second this
season at the NCAA Division II Indoor
nationals in the 800 meter run.
On the women’s side, the Laker award
winner was senior Drameka Griggs, a
captain on Clayton State’s women’s bas-
ketball team. A criminal justice major,
Griggs led the Lakers to a 32-1 record this
year, winning the Peach Belt Conference
regular season and tournament titles along
with the NCAA Division II Southeast
Regional Championship. Clayton State
entered the 2013 NCAA Division II Elite
Eight as the only undefeated team in the
country and ranked No. 1 in the country
before falling in the quarterfinals.
Griggs, a three-year letterwinner from
Ellenwood, GA, was named the Peach
Belt Conference Most Valuable Player,
the Peach Belt Conference Tournament
Most Outstanding Player, the Southeast
Region’s Player of the Year and a NCAA
Division II All-American.
Sports
Awards, cont’d. p. 29
Harrison, cont’d. p. 30
Paul Harrison