March 18, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame has received a $10,000 check for its general scholarship fund from OppenheimerFunds, as a result of Irish men`s basketball coach Mike Brey being selected as the BIG EAST Conference men’s basketball coach of the year.
OppenheimerFunds presented a symbolic check to Notre Dame senior associate athletics director Bill Scholl last week at Madison Square Garden during the BIG EAST Tournament.
Brey was selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches who could not vote for themselves. He became only the third coach in league history to win BIG EAST coach of the year honors in consecutive seasons. The others were P.J. Carlesimo of Seton Hall (1988-99) and Lou Carnesecca of St. John’s (1985-86).
Picked ninth in the BIG EAST preseason coaches poll, the Irish finished tied for second place under Brey with a 14-4 conference record. Overall, Notre Dame is 24-7. Brey is in his eighth season as the Irish head coach and owns a 166-85 record.
The 15th-ranked Irish are headed to Denver this week to play a first-round NCAA Tournament game Thursday against George Mason.
— ND —