Celebrating excellence on and off the courtThe Jesuit Basketball Spotlight (JBS) is a program developed by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) in 2008 to bring greater awareness of Jesuit education and its shared mission through the more than 80 games played by men's and women's basketball teams every season. The nation's 27 Jesuit colleges and universities are part of a global network of 188 institutions of higher learning that are rooted in the traditions of academic excellence, service, and a faith that does justice.
Today, Jesuit institutions boast over 2 million living alumni across the world, including 10% of the United States Congress and basketball legends Bob Cousy (College of the Holy Cross), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown University), Bill Russell (University of San Francisco) and John Stockton (Gonzaga University).
There are a number of ways that institutions can support and promote the JBS program, including:
- Broadcasting a game-time announcement about Jesuit higher education in the United States
- Playing the new :30 JBS video during game-breaks or half-time
- Promoting the National Jesuit Basketball Players of the Week online
- Sharing the Jesuit connection on social media using #JesuitEducated
- Getting your students involved: Add Pope Francis and St. Ignatius to their collection of "fatheads" in your student sections!
- Hosting a clothing / food drive before game-time in partnership with a local charity
- Hosting a pre-game reception with Jesuits
The possibilities are endless! Contact the AJCU office with any questions: (202) 862-9893 or jesuitbasketball@ajcunet.edu.
Committee Members: Deanna Howes Spiro, Vice President of Communications, AJCU
Joe Lunardi, Broadcaster, Saint Joseph’s University
John Burnes, President, Burnes Creative
Brian Larkin, Manager, Instructional Technology, Santa Clara University
Rory O’Neil, Director of Major Gifts, John Carroll UniversityJesuit Basketball Spotlight on Service
In January 2019, student-athletes across the country will participate in the second annual Jesuit Basketball Spotlight on Service. This initiative has been coordinated by the athletic directors at D-II, D-III and NAIA Jesuit schools. To share your schools' events, please write to jesuitbasketball@ajcunet.edu.
JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY
On Friday, December 28, the John Carroll University (JCU) women’s basketball team hosted a service event with Empower Sports, a nonprofit organization based in Cleveland that is committed to providing sports and exercise programs for children and adults with various physical and cognitive disabilities. The JCU athletes engaged in various activities with participants, including relay races, shooting free throws, and playing a large game of basketball together. On Wednesday, January 9, the JCU men’s basketball team hosted St. Martin De Porres, a Catholic coeducational high school located in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood of Cleveland, before playing Heidelberg University. St. Martin’s utilized the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center for an afternoon basketball practice, followed by a clinic with the JCU men’s team. Both teams then attended Chapel Mass together before the JCU game.
LE MOYNE COLLEGE
On Thursday, January 17, the Le Moyne College men's and women's basketball teams will host four teams of special-needs athletes from the Central NY Unified Sports Basketball League, for league games where Le Moyne athletes will serve as referees and assistant coaches, and handle scorers table assignments. The day will conclude with a pizza party for the athletes and their families. All participants will then be invited back to campus for a men's home game on Saturday, February 9, where they will be introduced at half time as special guests. The Le Moyne athletics department will show footage from the service day on their video board to help fans learn more about Unified Sports, which is an international program within the World Special Olympics that serves individuals with intellectual disabilities.
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS
The Loyola University New Orleans men's basketball team recently partnered with the local NBA team, the New Orleans Pelicans, to volunteer during a "Fan Fest." For two days, the student athletes interacted with the Pelicans’ youngest fans by playing an oversized Connect Four game, sponsoring a hair-dying station and temporary tattoo stall, and handing out giveaways as fans entered the arena.
ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY
On Tuesday, January 8, the Rockhurst University men's basketball team invited students from nearby Troost Elementary School to campus for a basketball clinic. After the clinic, the students enjoyed a pizza party while the Rockhurst team warmed up for their game that afternoon. During the game, the Troost students cheered for Rockhurst with homemade posters; afterward, they enjoyed receiving autographs and taking a team photo with the Hawks. It was a great day for students from both Rockhurst and Troost! Click here to learn more.
WHEELING JESUIT UNIVERSITY
This month, members of the Wheeling Jesuit University women's basketball team volunteered at the Laughlin Memorial Chapel's "After School Jam" to help local children with homework assignments, followed by fun spent playing games and enjoying conversation during dinner. In a press release, first-year head coach Mike Llanas said, "We pride ourselves in joining with our Jesuit basketball community to give back this week. It was a very fulfilling experience and the whole team can't wait to do it again." Click here to learn more.
