Staff Report

 

RIO GRANDE — Small College Basketball is pleased to announce that on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. EST, Small College Basketball Founder John McCarthy will announce the inaugural Bevo Francis Award.

The press conference to announce the award will take place in the Ron Glover Booster Room at the Lyne Center on the University of Rio Grande campus in Rio Grande, Ohio.

The Bevo Francis Award, which is named in honor of NAIA Hall of Famer and former Rio Grande College standout Clarence “Bevo” Francis, whose single-game scoring record of 113 points stood for nearly six decades, will be presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball at the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, NCCAA and USCAA levels.

“Bevo Francis stands out as a phenomenal athlete by any standard, in any age. His legacy for the University of Rio Grande equally stands out as a testament to work ethic, team work, and determination,” said University of Rio Grande President Dr. Michelle Johnston.

“Rio Grande is indebted to Bevo, coach Newt Oliver, and the entire team for putting this extraordinary, transformational university on the map. To create an award like this is extra special for powerful, smaller institutions everywhere.”

“Bevo Francis and the entire 1952-54 Rio Grande basketball team played a huge role in changing how college basketball was regarded,” Rio Grande athletic director Jeff Lanham added.

“The team gave America something to cheer about at a time when basketball was being hammered with a betting scandal.”

Considerations will be season statistics, individual achievements, awards, personal character and team achievements.

This will be an incredibly prestigious award, as this award will only be given to one player within Small College Basketball per season.

The e-mail address to send nominations and detailed information is bevofrancisaward@gmail.com.

If anyone would like to send physical information, they may send to Small College Basketball, P.O. Box 901878, Kansas City, MO 64190.

You may find out more information about the award through the website at www.smallcollegebasketball.com. The direct link to the Bevo Francis page is http://www.smallcollegebasketball.com/page-content/bevo-francis-award.

Persons can watch the press conference via live video stream at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqRKmdAXVi7os5leGLI8VzQ