ATLANTA - Mark Leszcyzk, head coach at Roxbury Community College in Roxbury Crossing, Mass., is the 2011 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Junior College/Community College Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today. This marks the 29th year this award has been presented, which has been selected by the WBCA since 1983.
"Coaches receive lots of awards, but to be chosen for one by your peers has got to be the highest compliment," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "On behalf of the WBCA I congratulate Mark Leszcyzk for a job well done."
Leszcyzk, in this his fourth season at Roxbury, coached the Lady Tigers to a 29-3 record and a first-ever appearance in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament where they finished in second place, losing to top-ranked Anoka-Ramsey, 60-55, in the championship game. The NJCAA Division II Region 21 Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010, Leszcyzk's teams have won Massachusetts Community College Athletic Conference Tournament champions in each of the past three seasons.
Leszczyk is a Glocester, R.I., resident with several years of coaching experience. He took over the Roxbury program in 2007 after three years of coaching Dean College's women's basketball team, which he guided to a 55-21 overall record and back-to-back appearances in the NJCAA Division II Region 21 championship games.
Leszczyk founded Rhode Island's Ocean State Pride Amateur Athletic Union program. He is also the Region I Northeast Representative for the WBCA.
"RUSSELL ATHLETIC continues to be committed to women's sports, including a focus to develop the latest innovations for women, specifically in terms of uniforms and apparel," said Gary Barfield, Executive Vice President, RUSSELL ATHLETIC. "Through RUSSELL ATHLETIC'S dedication to women's athletics, we are proud to honor Coach Mark Leszcyzk. Coach Leszcyzk's accomplishments enable new vision for all student-athletes."
RUSSELL ATHLETIC and the WBCA annually recognize six National Coaches of the Year - one in each of the WBCA's five collegiate divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA and JC/CC) as well as high school.
Leszczyk, as well as the five other RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coach of the Year recipients, will be formally recognized during the WBCA Awards Show, which will be heldat 6 p.m. Monday, April 4, in the Indiana Convention Center's Sagamore Ballroom. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in Indianapolis.
About RUSSELL ATHLETIC:
For more than 100 years, Russell Athletic, a division of Russell Brands, LLC, has supplied America's athletes and teams with the latest innovations to help them perform at their best and is a leading supplier of team uniforms at the high school, college, and professional level. Russell Athletic activewear and college licensed products are broadly distributed and marketed through department stores, sports specialty stores, retail chains, and college bookstores. For more information, please visit www.russellathletic.com. Russell Athletic® is a trademark of Russell Brands, LLC. Russell Athletic, Proven on the Field of Play.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as a sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.
