The Big East Basketball Legends Recognition Program

[Gael]

In 2024, the Big East Conference began an awards program called the Big East Legends Recognition. Each of the 11 BE schools nominated one player or coach in women's basketball to be their first Legend, and the same for men's basketball.

I guessed one of the 11 awardees for women's basketball correctly, but not UConn's, whose name surprised me.

Can you guess any of the 11 awardees (or 22, counting the men)?

2024 BIG EAST Legends - Big East Conference

The BIG EAST Conference announced the establishment of the BIG EAST Basketball Legends Recognition in March 2024. The Conference's 11 member schools were tasked

www.bigeast.com

 

[YKCornelius]

I only correctly guessed Providence's Ernie D on the men's side. Struck out on the ladies.

Surprised and perhaps a little disappointed that Sister Rose Marie of the Queen of Angels wasn't the Villanova women's legend nominee. Wade Trophy winner in 1987.

 

[Puppy Love]

I only correctly guessed Providence's Ernie D on the men's side. Struck out on the ladies.

Surprised and perhaps a little disappointed that Sister Rose Marie of the Queen of Angels wasn't the Villanova women's legend nominee. Wade Trophy winner in 1987.

For those who don’t know…this is Shelley Pennefather, and she would have been my absolute first choice too.

 

[Gael]

Pennefather was first to come to my mind for Villanova, but I kept thinking that some AD had some coach in mind when setting up this program for players and coaches, and I figured it wasn't a current coach. Since Perretta had recently retired after 40+ years, he eked out Pennefather as my guess for Villanova on the basis of recency bias.

On the same theory, I thought Calhoun might be the choice for UConn. Wrong.

I thought of Ernie D for Providence, but Lenny Wilkens eked him out in my mind because I had personally seen impressive performances by Wilkens several times as a collegiate in Madison Square Garden, and Wilkens of course had a much more successful career in the NBA as a player and coach than DiGregorio, who got injured after his first NBA year. I suppose the award is intended for college-only performance.

Nick "the Quick" Werkman was the best player I ever personally saw play for Seton Hall. He played in the three-year varsity era, and would be the blow-away career points leader at the Hall if he had played four years. And, even at just 6-3, he probably would have been second in career rebounds. Nick was a combination whirling dervish and jumping jack in the paint. Lightning moves and body control on his moves and body control.