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Mike Brey To Receive DeMatha High School's Distinguished Alumnus Award

Oct. 15, 2003

Notre Dame, Ind. – University of Notre Dame men’s basketball coach Mike Brey will receive DeMatha High School’s Distiguished Alumnus Award at the school’s annual Hall of Fame Dinner on Sunday, October 26. The award is given to one DeMatha alumnus every two years for his accomplishments since leaving the school.

Brey, who begins his fourth season on the Irish sidelines, graduated from DeMatha in 1977 and was a member of the Stags’ basketball team as its starting guard under legendary coach Morgan Wootten. In two seasons at the Hyattsville, Md., school, he helped his team compile a combined 55-9 record.

Following graduation, he played played for three years at Northwestern Lousiana State (now Northwestern State) from 1977-80, leading the team in assists and steals all three years. Brey concluded his career with 311 career assists. He played his final collegiate season at George Washington during the 1981-82 campaign and served as team captain as well as earning MVP honors in his only year of competition at the school.

Brey returned to his alma mater, DeMatha, in the fall of ’82 after receiving his bachelor’s degree in physical education from George Washington. He spent five seasons as an assistant coach at DeMatha under Wootten before taking the assistant’s post at Duke University in 1987. Brey also served as DeMatha’s head junior varsity coach. During his tenure as the assistant varsity coach, the Stags compiled a 139-22 mark while garnerning four league crowns and two city championships. The 1983-84 team earned the No. 1 ranking by USA Today in ’84.

A 16-year veteran of the collegiate ranks, Brey previously was an assistant at Duke (1987-95) and was the head coach at Delaware from 1995-2000 before being named the head coach at Notre Dame. In three seasons with the Irish he has compiled a 66-31 record (.680) and helped his teams earn three straight NCAA tournament berths. He is the only coach in school history to lead his teams to three consecutive 20-win campaigns and NCAA tournament appearances in his first three seasons. In each of his last six seasons at Notre Dame and Delaware, Brey’s teams have won 20 or more games.

Notre Dame is the only BIG EAST school that has earned an NCAA tournament bid and won 10 or more league games in ’01, ’02 and ’03. Brey’s ’02-’03 squad finished with a 24-10 record and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1987. Among the highlights of last season was a school-record five wins versus top-10 opponents, the most by any Division I team.

Brey is active in the Coaches vs. Cancer program and is a member of the CVC National Board. He was the recipient of the ’03 Coaches vs. Cancer Cancer Champion Award for his efforts in raising money for the fight against cancer.

“I’m honored and flattered to be receiving this award,” Brey says. “My experiences as a student, athlete and coach at DeMatha have prepared me and helped put me in position to be the head basketball coach at Notre Dame. I certainly have fond memories of DeMatha because it had such a great impact on my life.”