June 6, 2007

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Lafayette men's basketball head coach Fran O'Hanlon has been selected as a court coach for the 2007 USA Basketball Pan American Games Team Trials, USA Basketball announced on Wednesday.

O'Hanlon, who will begin his 13th campaign at Lafayette during the 2007-08 season, joins Kim Anderson of the University of Central Missouri and Steve Ridder of Embry-Riddle University (Fla.) The coaching staff selections were made by the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, chaired by USA Senior National Team assistant and Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.

USA Basketball will conduct trials for the 2007 USA Men's Pan Am Games Team July 12-14 at Haverford College (Pa.). Following trials, selected finalists for the USA Men's Pan Am Games Team will continue training July 15-18 at Haverford and July 19-21 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The official 12-member roster will be announced prior to the team's departure for the 2007 Pan American Games that are being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 13-29.

Villanova University head coach Jay Wright, who most recently led the U.S. to gold at the 2005 World University Games, has been selected head coach of the 2007 USA Basketball Men's Pan American Games Team, while college head coaches Mark Gottfried of the University of Alabama and James Jones of Yale University were named assistant coaches.

Including 16 athletes with prior USA Basketball experience, 30 of the nation's top collegiate basketball players have accepted invitations to participate in the USA Men's Pan American Games National Team Trials. The USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee also is charged with the player selections for the 2007 USA Pan American Games Trials and the official 12-member team as well.

Fran O'Hanlon

In 12 seasons (1995-96 to present) at Lafayette, O'Hanlon has tallied a 171-173 overall record. He has helped the Leopards reach two NCAA Tournaments and capture three regular season league titles while twice earning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors.

"I'm excited to work some of the elite from the United States and to help in any way I can," O'Hanlon said. "I have coached and played overseas for more than 12 years, so certainly I feel like the international game is an area where I can contribute a lot of knowledge and experience."

Fran O'Hanlon will begin his 13th season at Lafayette in 2007-08.

O'Hanlon inherited a program that had won just two games in the previous season when he accepted the head coaching position at Lafayette on March 13, 1995. In his first season at the helm, he improved Lafayette's record to seven wins and then to 11 games in 1996-97, reaching double-digit wins for the first time since 1990.

O'Hanlon continued to build the program, winning his first Patriot League Coach of the Year honor in 1997-98, when his squad won 19 games and captured a share of the regular season conference title.

He earned a second consecutive conference Coach of the Year title, the first Patriot League coach ever to do so, after leading his 1998-99 squad to a 22-8 record, a regular season conference title, the program's first ever conference tournament crown and a berth into the NCAA Tournament.

O'Hanlon led Lafayette to the most wins in program history, 24, in 1999-00 and captured a third straight regular season league title and a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

In 2001-02 and 2003-04, Lafayette finished third in the Patriot League and advanced to the league's tournament semifinals in 2002 and 2003. O'Hanlon recorded his 100th career win on Dec. 19, 2001, and he was awarded the Patriot League's Sportsmanship Award in 2003.

While other teams in the Patriot League have been awarding athletic scholarships since 1998, Lafayette welcomed its first class of scholarship athletes in 2006-07 after joining the Patriot League in 1990.

Prior to Lafayette, O'Hanlon was an assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania for six seasons (1989-90 to 1994-95). With his help, the Quakers earned three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths and recorded a perfect 42-0 record in Ivy League play from 1992-93 to 1994-95.

O'Hanlon also spent three seasons (1986-87 to 1988-89) as the head coach at Monsignor Bonner High School (Pa.). A two-time Catholic League Coach of the Year, he compiled an overall record of 36-23 (.610 winning percentage) and led Bonner to the Philadelphia Catholic League Tournament in each of his three seasons, winning the league title in 1988.

In 1983-84 and 1984-85, O'Hanlon served as the head men's coach for Hapoel Haifa and Maccabi Haifi in the Israel Professional League, and was twice tabbed Coach of the Year.

A 1970 graduate of Villanova University, O'Hanlon averaged 13.1 ppg. and served as team co-captain for the 1969-70 Wildcat squad that reached the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. O'Hanlon still holds the Villanova school record for assists in a game (16 vs. Toledo, 1969-70) and finished his collegiate career with 689 points. He was inducted into the Villanova Hall of Fame in 1992.

Selected in the eighth round of the 1970 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, O'Hanlon played with the Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association for one season before journeying overseas. He played for the Hageby Basketball Club in Sweden for seven seasons, while coaching its farm team.

Following his time in Sweden, O'Hanlon took over coaching duties for Panteras De Lara in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, in 1982, where his squad captured the Division I league title.

Kim Anderson

The only coach in school history to win at least 24 games in three consecutive years, Anderson has tallied a 110-44 overall record (.714 winning percentage) in five seasons (2002-03 to present) at the University of Central Missouri.

"I feel very honored to be selected to help with the USA Pan American games team during trials," Anderson said. "I am looking forward to working with coach Wright and his staff, as well as some of the top players in the country. This is a great opportunity for me to learn more about the game of basketball and especially the international game, and being a Division II coach, I appreciate the opportunity for someone from our level to work in this environment."

Most recently in 2006-07, Anderson led the Mules to a 31-4 mark, setting the school record for wins and advancing to the NCAA Division II Final Four for just the second time in program history. Central Missouri also captured the MIAA regular season and tournament titles and hosted the Division II South Central Regional Championship. More than 6,300 fans watched Anderson and his squad cut down the nets as regional champions for the first time since 1995.

The Mules are 44-3 at home the last three seasons, including a perfect 18-0 mark in 2006-07.

Anderson led his 2005-06 squad to a 24-8 tally, a second place finish in the MIAA (11-5) and the program's first NCAA Division II Tournament win since 1996.

The 2005 Wilson/MIAA Coach of the Year, Anderson helped the 2004-05 Mules to a 24-7 record, a share of the program's first regular season conference title since 1985 and the first conference tournament crown since 1984.

Prior to UCM, Anderson was assistant commissioner of the Big 12 Conference for two seasons. He was originally hired by the Big 12 in July of 1999 and served as the Director of Basketball Operations.

Anderson also served as an assistant coach (1991 to 1999) and graduate assistant (1982 to 1985) at his alma mater, the University of Missouri. During his tenures there, he helped the program capture two Big Eight Conference regular season titles (1983 and 1994), a Big 8 Tournament title (1993) and six trips to the NCAA Tournament, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1994.

Anderson spent six seasons (1985-1991) as an assistant on the Baylor University (Texas) sideline, helping the 1988 squad to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 38 years.

Anderson was a two-time all-state selection at Smith-Cotton High School (Mo.), and he went on to play four seasons (1973-74 to 1976-77) of college basketball at Missouri. The Big 8 Player of the Year and the league's leading scorer in 1977, Anderson helped Missouri capture a conference title in 1976. He was named to the Academic All-Big 8 team in 1975 and 1977 and was a three-time George Edwards Award winner. With 1,289 career points, he ranks among Missouri's top-20 all-time scorers.

Anderson was a second round selection of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Draft. He played for the Trail Blazers during the 1978-79 season and also played professionally in Italy and France for three seasons.

Anderson has been inducted into the University of Missouri Athletic Department Hall of Fame and the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame (which now is the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame), and his high school basketball jersey was retired at Smith-Cotton.

Anderson received his bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Missouri in 1979 and 1981, respectively.

Steve Ridder

A USA Basketball newcomer, Ridder has tallied an overall record of 427-173 (.712 winning percentage) in 18 seasons (1989-90 to present) at Embry-Riddle.

"I'm thrilled to have an opportunity like this," Ridder said. "This is the kind of opportunity you work your whole life toward-to have a chance to represent your country in some capacity or another. I have so much respect for USA Basketball as an organization. And when you look at the Pan Am coaching staff and the quality of athletes invited to attend trials, this is just going to be an absolutely special experience, and I am extremely honored and thankful for the opportunity."

Under Ridder's reign, the Eagles have captured one NAIA national championship, competed in nine NAIA Tournaments, including consecutive appearances from 1996 through 2001, and secured seven Florida Sun Conference (FSC) regular season titles and seven league tournament crowns.

In 2006-07, Ridder led the Eagles to a 24-9 record and the title game of the FSC tournament. Following a first season that included just four victories in 1989-90, Ridder orchestrated the biggest turnaround in NAIA men's basketball history winning 22 games in 1990-91. Since then, he has posted 14 20-win seasons and three 30-win campaigns (2000, 2001 and 2006).

In 1999-00, the Eagles claimed the program's first ever NAIA national championship, earning Ridder NAIA National Coach of the Year honors. The following season, 2000-01, the Eagles secured the most wins in program history with a 32-4 record, ranking No. 1 in the NAIA national poll the entire season.

In 2005-06, Ridder guided the Eagles back to the NAIA Tournament for a second consecutive year posting the best winning percentage in Eagle history at 91.1 (31-3), and the Eagles maintained the No. 1 ranking in the NAIA national poll for the final eight weeks of the season.

Ridder also has served as the Director of Athletics at Embry-Riddle since 1993-94. He received the highest honor of NAIA Athletics Director of the Year in 2005-06 and was recognized at the NAIA Convention. In addition, he was named the NACDA-NAIA Southeast Region Athletic Director of the Year in 1995 and 2003.

In 2004-05, Steve and his wife, Vicky, were honored with the establishment of the Steve and Vicky Ridder Endowed Scholarship, awarded annually to a student-athlete who best represents Ridder's philosophy of "The Total Package: Student, Person, Player."

Prior to Embry-Riddle, Ridder was an athlete and assistant coach at Berea College (Ky.). He spent four years (1977-78 to 1980-81) on the roster and eight (1981-82 to 1988-89) on the sidelines. In 1996, he returned to his alma mater to receive the Berea College "Distinguished Young Alumnus Award."

Ridder earned his master's degree from Eastern Kentucky University and his bachelor's degree from Berea. For four years he served on the NAIA Division II Basketball National Tournament Committee, and he currently serves as the president of the FSC.

In 1994 Ridder traveled to Belgium and in 1997 to Switzerland to conduct basketball clinics and assist with the World Challenge Basketball program. He also conducts the Embry-Riddle/Steve Ridder Basketball Camps.

Ridder was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Bellevue High School Hall of Fame in 2005.

Pan American Games

The Pan American Games, held every four years in the year preceding the Olympics, are scheduled in 2007 for July 13-30 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The men's eight-nation basketball competition is slated for July 25-29 and includes national teams form Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Panama, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The United States has been placed in preliminary round Group A with Argentina, Panama and Uruguay. Group B consists of Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. opens preliminary play July 25 facing Uruguay, then meets Panama on July 26 and will finish off preliminary action against Argentina on July 27. Semifinals will be held on July 28, and the finals will be played July 29.

The Pan American Games, organized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), are a multi-sport competition open to men and women representing countries from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.

At the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the USA men, featuring a team comprised of college players, suffered three narrow defeats in five games to place fourth. The USA men have earned medals in 12 of their 14 Pan Am Games appearances, including a record eight golds, as well as three silvers and one bronze. The U.S. men currently own an 81-11 (.880 winning percentage) all-time mark at the Pan Am Games.

Held since 1951, the USA dominated the first five Pan Am Games, earning five consecutive golds. At the 1971 Pan Am's, despite a record of 2-1 in the preliminary round, the USA did not advance to the medal round and for the first time in Pan American history did not win the gold medal. However, the United States rebounded for a 26-0 record over the next three Pan Am Games and captured its last Pan Am gold in 1983. While the gold has eluded the U.S. in the past five Games, with the Americans earning three silvers and a bronze medal, the United States is aiming high for 2007.

Many USA Basketball athletes who have been selected to a Pan American Games team have gone on to compete for the U.S. in the Olympic Games, while many others enjoyed stellar professional careers. In all, 34 USA Pan Am basketball players have been a member of a U.S. Olympic squad, including Ernie Grunfeld, Grant Hill, Luscious Jackson, Michael Jordan, Christian Laettner, Danny Manning, Chris Mullin, Emeka Okafor, Sam Perkins, Oscar Robertson, David Robinson, Isiah Thomas, Jerry West and Jo Jo White.

While the list of former Pan American Games players is impressive, so is the ledger of past head coaches, which includes: Tom Izzo (2003); McHone (1999); Mike Thibault (1995); Gene Keady (1991); Denny Crum (1987); Jack Hartman (1983); Bob Knight (1979); Marv Harshman (1975); Jim Gudger (1971); Hal Fischer (1967); Garland Pinholster (1963); Fred Schaus (1959); Lt. Norman Pilgrim (1955); and Hal Fischer and John Longfellow (1951).

USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee

The USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, in addition to chair Boeheim, consists of: NCAA appointees Fran Dunphy (head coach, Temple University, Pa.); Tom Izzo (head coach, Michigan State University); Ernie Kent (head coach, University of Oregon) and Tubby Smith (head coach, University of Minnesota); NABC appointee Bill Self (head coach, University of Kansas); NAIA appointee Bob Burchard (head coach, Columbia College, Mo.); NJCAA appointee Scott Schumacher (head coach, Kilgore C.C., Texas), and athlete representatives Steve Wojciechowski (1995 Junior World Championship team / assistant coach, Duke University, N.C.) and A.J. Wynder (1995 Pan American Games team / head coach, Nassau Community College, N.Y.).