Army West Point Athletics
Coach K Earns Hall of Fame Induction
September 01, 2009 | General
Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a series of stories profiling the Kenna Hall of Army Sports inductees, Class of 2009. GoARMYsports.com will take a look at these outstanding athletes and their accomplishments, leading into the induction on Sept. 11.
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Three-time letterwinner at Army; five-year head coach of the Black Knights; head coach of the U.S. Olympic team; three-time national champion coach and best-selling author.
It all adds up for a Hall of Fame honor for basketball legend Mike Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski, who led Army to the National Invitational Tournament as a player and coach and later served as chairman of West Point's Distinguished Leader Series, gained the latest in a long list of honors when he was selected for the Army Sports Hall of Fame.
“Coach K” is one of eight who will be inducted this year. The Class of 2009 also includes Bill Carpenter (football and lacrosse), Ralph Chesnauskas (football and hockey), Tracy Hanlon (track and field and women’s basketball), Ray Murphy (Athletic Director and football, basketball and lacrosse player), Nicki Robbins (softball), Jack Rust (lacrosse) and Thomas Truxtun (lacrosse and men’s soccer).
The eight honorees will officially be inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 11. A special afternoon plaque unveiling ceremony will be held in the Kenna Hall of Army Sports inside Kimsey Center, with the formal black-tie banquet presented by Lockheed Martin set for Eisenhower Hall later that evening. The group will also be recognized during Army’s football game against Duke the next day at Michie Stadium with a special photograph and autograph session planned in Black Knights Alley prior to the contest.
The Army Sports Hall of Fame is a subset of the Kenna Hall of Army Sports, a comprehensive museum displaying Army’s rich and proud intercollegiate athletic program. It is located on the third floor of the Kimsey Athletic Center, Army’s massive football training facility.
A 1969 graduate, Krzyzewski was the team captain his senior season and earned three letters while helping the squad to two trips to the National Invitational Tournament under Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight.
Krzyzewski later took over as head coach in 1975 and posted a 73-59 mark during his five-year tenure. Among the highlights of his time on the West Point sidelines was a trip to the NIT in 1978, Army’s most recent berth in that prestigious tournament.
In 1980, Krzyzewski departed Army for the head coaching position at Duke. He won three national championships (1991, 1992 and 2001) and was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame after winning his third title for the Blue Devils. He recently won his 800th career game and also led the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Reaction When Received Letter You Were Chosen: “(Superintendent) Gen. (Franklin) Hagenbeck has become a good friend and I was participating in the leadership program at West Point and he told me privately, face-to-face. Then I got the call from Mr. Anderson who has also become a friend. It’s quite an honor. I am very fortunate. I played for a lot of good coaches and have coached a lot of good players and they call carried me on their backs.”
Favorite Athletic Memory: “Making the NIT for two of my three years playing varsity was certainly a highlight. I also remember beating South Carolina in the NIT. They were the ACC champions and my job was to guard thir leading scorer. Well, we held them to 45 points and beat them in Madison Square Garden (59-45).
Favorite West Point Memory: “It’s spending time with my buddies. We had a lot of fun while we were cadets, whether it was playing cards or dancing or whatever. We formed a brotherhood as a result of those situations.”
What’s The Biggest Difference At West Point Since You Were A Cadet: “One of the biggest differences is the variety of courses that are being offered. There are still amazing cadets attending a great institution but they have more choices. It seems the same with outside activities. There also seems to be a greater esprit de corps and everyone is proud of West Point.”
Tickets for the event are available to the public and can be purchased by calling Army's External Operations Office at 845-938-2322. Proceeds will be directed to a fund that supports the daily care, maintenance and growth of the Kenna Hall of Army Sports and Army Sports Hall of Fame.
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Three-time letterwinner at Army; five-year head coach of the Black Knights; head coach of the U.S. Olympic team; three-time national champion coach and best-selling author.
It all adds up for a Hall of Fame honor for basketball legend Mike Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski, who led Army to the National Invitational Tournament as a player and coach and later served as chairman of West Point's Distinguished Leader Series, gained the latest in a long list of honors when he was selected for the Army Sports Hall of Fame.
“Coach K” is one of eight who will be inducted this year. The Class of 2009 also includes Bill Carpenter (football and lacrosse), Ralph Chesnauskas (football and hockey), Tracy Hanlon (track and field and women’s basketball), Ray Murphy (Athletic Director and football, basketball and lacrosse player), Nicki Robbins (softball), Jack Rust (lacrosse) and Thomas Truxtun (lacrosse and men’s soccer).
The eight honorees will officially be inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 11. A special afternoon plaque unveiling ceremony will be held in the Kenna Hall of Army Sports inside Kimsey Center, with the formal black-tie banquet presented by Lockheed Martin set for Eisenhower Hall later that evening. The group will also be recognized during Army’s football game against Duke the next day at Michie Stadium with a special photograph and autograph session planned in Black Knights Alley prior to the contest.
The Army Sports Hall of Fame is a subset of the Kenna Hall of Army Sports, a comprehensive museum displaying Army’s rich and proud intercollegiate athletic program. It is located on the third floor of the Kimsey Athletic Center, Army’s massive football training facility.
A 1969 graduate, Krzyzewski was the team captain his senior season and earned three letters while helping the squad to two trips to the National Invitational Tournament under Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight.
Krzyzewski later took over as head coach in 1975 and posted a 73-59 mark during his five-year tenure. Among the highlights of his time on the West Point sidelines was a trip to the NIT in 1978, Army’s most recent berth in that prestigious tournament.
In 1980, Krzyzewski departed Army for the head coaching position at Duke. He won three national championships (1991, 1992 and 2001) and was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame after winning his third title for the Blue Devils. He recently won his 800th career game and also led the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Reaction When Received Letter You Were Chosen: “(Superintendent) Gen. (Franklin) Hagenbeck has become a good friend and I was participating in the leadership program at West Point and he told me privately, face-to-face. Then I got the call from Mr. Anderson who has also become a friend. It’s quite an honor. I am very fortunate. I played for a lot of good coaches and have coached a lot of good players and they call carried me on their backs.”
Favorite Athletic Memory: “Making the NIT for two of my three years playing varsity was certainly a highlight. I also remember beating South Carolina in the NIT. They were the ACC champions and my job was to guard thir leading scorer. Well, we held them to 45 points and beat them in Madison Square Garden (59-45).
Favorite West Point Memory: “It’s spending time with my buddies. We had a lot of fun while we were cadets, whether it was playing cards or dancing or whatever. We formed a brotherhood as a result of those situations.”
What’s The Biggest Difference At West Point Since You Were A Cadet: “One of the biggest differences is the variety of courses that are being offered. There are still amazing cadets attending a great institution but they have more choices. It seems the same with outside activities. There also seems to be a greater esprit de corps and everyone is proud of West Point.”
Tickets for the event are available to the public and can be purchased by calling Army's External Operations Office at 845-938-2322. Proceeds will be directed to a fund that supports the daily care, maintenance and growth of the Kenna Hall of Army Sports and Army Sports Hall of Fame.
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