Former Saint Peter's Coach Mike Granelli Honored With Met Award

Former Saint Peter's Coach Mike Granelli Honored With Met Award

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MAAC Sports

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. --- Former Saint Peter’s women’s basketball coach Mike Granelli and veteran sports photographer Steve Smith have been selected to receive 2009 Distinguished Service Awards from the Met Basketball Writers Assn.

The presentations will be made Wednesday evening, April 15, 2009, during the 76th NIT/MBWA All-Met Haggerty Awards dinner at the Giants Stadium Club in East Rutherford, N.J.

The Distinguished Service Awards are presented by the Met Basketball Writers to individuals who have made significant contributions to college basketball.

Mike Granelli retired from Saint Peter's College in 2004, ending a 32-year women's basketball coaching career. Granelli is one of three coaches in women's college basketball history to win 600 games at the same school. Granelli posted a 607-249 record with the Peacocks, leading them to seven NCAA Division I tournament appearances. Granelli also is the ninth coach in Division I history to reach 600 wins. The other two women's coaches to win 600 at the same school are Pat Summitt at Tennessee and Jody Conradt at Texas.

Granelli became the Peacocks' coach in 1972. His best record was 26-3 in 1985-86. From 1978-79 to 2001-02, a span of 24 seasons, Granelli's teams reached the 17-win mark 23 times. A founding member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Saint Peter's captured 10 regular season and nine postseason MAAC titles since 1981-82.

From 1972 to 1989, Granelli served as both the women's basketball coach and the men's soccer coach at St. Peter's. He has more victories than any other men's soccer coach in school history with a record of 163-110-28.

For nearly 30 years, photographer Steve Smith has chronicled Metropolitan basketball through his lens. As official photographer for the NIT as well as tournament photographer for several conferences in the area, he has been a part of the fabric of college athletics, as well as professional athletics.He followed Seton Hall’s march to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game and he has shot covers for Street & Smith’s Basketball Yearbook. From NCAA Division I to Division III, he has compiled a portfolio which rivals any sports photographer in the world.

Along the way, he has become a strong ally for experienced sports information directors as well as a big brother and advisor to a new generation of media professionals. From the darkroom to the digital era, his crisp action shots have captured All-Americans as well as the player at the end of the bench with the eye of an artist.

Previous recipients of the MBWA Distinguished Service Award: Chris Monasch, Larry Schiner, Tom Lopes, 2007; Nick Macarchuk, Dianne Nolan, 2006; Ray Amalbert, Cal Ramsey, 2005; Bill Stein, 2004; Edgar Cartotto, Mickey Crowley, Brad Tracy, 2003; Richie Regan, Jim Lennon, 2002; Carol Blazejowski, Burt Beagle, 2001; Lou Rossini, John “Doc” Johnson, J.B. Buono, 2000; Rich Ensor, Bill Steinman, 1999; Mike Tranghese, 1998; Bernie Beglane, Bob Mulcahy, 1997; Pete Carril, Paul Munick, Jack Powers, 1996; Bob Gesslein, Jack Kaiser, Paul Lizzo, Dan Quilty, 1995; Ralph Arietta, Butch van Breda Kolff, 1994.