April 21, 2015
THE FLATS — Legendary Georgia Tech basketball coach Bobby Cremins has been named the inaugural inductee into the Coaches vs. Cancer Circle of Honor and will be inducted at a dinner and reception June 7 at the Loew’s Hotel in Atlanta.
Purchase tickets for Circle of Honor dinner and reception
On that night, the American Cancer Society will honor a man that transcends his sport. Cremins has been a true champion of the American Cancer Society and a fixture in the Coaches vs. Cancer program since its inception 17 years ago. The longtime Tech basketball coach has a dedication, desire and determination to make life better for those dealing with the challenges of cancer. If time is money, then Cremins’ giving could be measured in the billions.
Tech basketball fans and supporters are encouraged to purchase tickets to the dinner and reception online or make a donation to the American Cancer Society in honor of Coach Cremins. ESPN personality Jay Bilas will be the emcee.
As an appropriate tribute, Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society will also have the opportunity to help name the Atlanta Hope Lodge’s Family Activity Room after Cremins. Among the coaches in attendance will be Tech coach Brian Gregory, Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, Mick Cronin of Cincinnati, Fran Dunphy of Temple, Phil Martelli of St. Joseph’s, Fran McCaffery of Iowa, Lon Kruger of Oklahoma, Tubby Smith of Texas Tech and Jay Wright of Villanova. Gary Williams, formerly of Maryland, Seth Greenberg of ESPN, Steve Lappas of CBS Sports, and South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier, as well as Steve Bisciotti, owner of the Baltimore Ravens, also will attend.
Cremins took the reins at Georgia Tech in 1981 and rapidly built the program into one of the nation’s elite. While at Tech, the Bronx, N.Y. native garnered three ACC titles, three ACC Coach of the Year Awards, and in 1990 was named the Naismith National Coach of the Year after leading the Yellow Jackets to the Final Four.
In his 19-season tenure on the Flats, Cremins coached his Tech teams to the NCAA Tournament 10 times, including nine straight appearances from 1985-93. The Yellow Jackets advanced to the Sweet 16 five times under his watch, and the Elite Eight twice, including the 1990 Final Four appearance in Denver, Colo. Tech also played in the NIT four times under Cremins.
Cremins coached 13 players who received All-America recognition, and 18 who made the All-ACC team. Twenty-one of his players went on to play in the NBA, and eleven of those were selected in the first round of the NBA draft.
In 2000, Cremins stepped down with a record of 354-237 in 19 seasons at Tech. He was the recipient of the 2004 Outstanding Contributor to Georgia Basketball Award, presented by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, and the playing floor at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion is named “Cremins Court” in his honor. In 2006, Cremins came out of retirement to coach the men’s basketball team at the College of Charleston. During his time with the Cougars he compiled a 125-68 record and a Southern Conference regular-season championship in 2011. In March 2012, Cremins ended his coaching career with a lifetime record of 579-375. Today, he remains close to the game as a broadcaster for Raycom, and he hosts a radio show on Sirius XM.
More detailed information is attached. If you have any further questions, Melissa Northrop and Anne Koutoufas at the American Cancer Society are happy to help. Melissa.Northrop@cancer.org or 678.361.2401/ Anne.Koutoufas@cancer.org or 757.373.5846.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team has completed its fourth year under head coach Brian Gregory. The Yellow Jackets have been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBK).
For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com. Tickets for men’s basketball can be purchased here.
