Courtesy of GoBonnies.com
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Two of the most acclaimed players in school history, Sam Stith and Sue Shay Danielewicz, are St. Bonaventure’s members of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Conference Legends class, the A-10 announced.
A two‐year co‐captain, Shay Danielewicz led the Bonnies in scoring twice and in rebounding all four years. A member of the Atlantic 10 All‐Rookie team in 1988‐89 after setting the program’s single‐season scoring record with 590 points (21.1 ppg), she was named All‐Atlantic 10 following her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
Shay Danielewicz graduated with 13 school records including career points (1,874), career rebounds (952) and career free throws. Her total of 1,874 points still stands third in the Bonnies’ all‐time record book. She also set the program record for points in a game, scoring 40 vs. Saint Joseph’s in 1989 – a mark that still stands. Her 952 rebounds remain nearly 100 more than any other player in program history. The heart and soul of her Bonnies teams and a force in the paint, she averaged 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds during her career in Brown and White. Shay Danielewicz was inducted into the St. Bonaventure Hall of Fame in 2002.
One of the iconic names in St. Bonaventure basketball history, Stith was the catalyst of his teams’ “nervous defense.” A savvy point guard, his strategy and skill led to the development of the zone press and led the Bonnies to national prominence. Over his career, which spanned three seasons, Stith scored 1,112 points and grabbed 620 rebounds. Along with his younger brother Tom, who was an All-American for the Bonnies, Sam led St. Bonaventure to three straight NIT appearances from 1958-60. As a senior in 1959-60, he helped lead Bona to a 21-5 record, including 18 straight wins and a fourth-place NIT finish, averaging 20.5 points per game.
Following graduation, Sam was selected by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1960 NBA Draft. He played for the Royals and then his hometown New York Knicks. Sam was inducted into St. Bonaventure’s Athletics inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1969, and his number 22 is retired at St. Bonaventure.
The Legends program was established in 2013 to recognize men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes and coaches who have made a lasting impact on their respective basketball programs and institutions. This year marks the fourth class the Atlantic 10 has inducted. Each year, A-10 member institutions select their two Legends. Previous honorees have included Basketball Hall of Fame members, national champions, Olympians, and professional players.
“It is an honor for the Atlantic 10 to recognize the accomplishments of the 2016 Legends Class,” stated A-10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. “Their significant contributions to their institution, teams and to college basketball have made a lasting impression. A well-deserved congratulation is in order for this outstanding group of individuals.”
The Women’s Basketball Legends will be saluted with a breakfast on Friday, March 4 prior to the 2016 A-10 Women’s Basketball Championship quarterfinals. The event will take place at the Richmond Marriott beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Stith and the rest of the A-10 Men’s Basketball Legends will be honored on Saturday, March 12 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., prior to the 2016 Men’s Basketball Championship semifinals. The celebration awards brunch will be in the 40/40 Club beginning at 11:00 a.m.
A limited number of brunch tickets are available to the general public. For more information, please contact the Atlantic 10 Conference at 757-706-3052.
For a rundown of the entire Legends Class of 2016, click here.
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