Hall of Fame: June 2022

HALL OF FAME
Sullivan’s Chris DePew Inducted by NJCAA Basketball Coaches

CHARLOTTE, NC, June 2022 — In May, the National Junior College Athletic Association announced three honorees to be inducted into the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Among those inductees is SUNY Sullivan Athletic Director Chris DePew.

For 24 years, Mr. DePew has served the NJCAA, its student-athletes, and fellow administrators through coaching, leadership roles, and community service. As a coach from 2000 to 2009, he amassed a coaching record of 243-36 (.871 winning percentage) and averaged 27 wins per year during his head coaching career. The Generals had a 9-2 NJCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament record and won seven regular-season tournaments. Mr. DePew’s teams finished ranked in the NJCAA Division III Top-10 polls nine times and claimed the national title in 2007 after an undefeated 32-0 season. The Generals were runners-up in 2001 (31-4) and 2002 (32-3) and the Mr. DePew was named NJCAA District 5 Coach of the Year in 2001, 2002, and 2007.

The Generals were NJCAA Region 15 Mid-Hudson Conference Champions in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. In 2007, Mr. DePew was awarded NJCAA Division III Coach of the Year, NABC National Coach of the Year, NJCAA “Gary Cole” Coach of the Tournament, BCANY NYS Collegiate Coach of the Year, and NJCAA National All-Star Game Coach awards.

He coached two NJCAA Player-of-the-Year student-athletes (Jason Johnson-2007 and Bertram “BJ” McDowell-2008), 14 NJCAA All-Americans, 37 players that went on to earn scholarships, including 11 Division I players, coached 19 players that play/played overseas, coached Harlem Globetrotter Donte “Hammer” Harrison, coached four NJCAA Region XV Players-of-the-Year, coached 26 NJCAA All-Region Players, coached five Mid-Hudson Conference Players-of-the-Year, and coached nine NJCAA Academic All-Americans. SUNY Sullivan owns multiple NJCAA DIII National Tournament records including four tournament titles, 14 appearances, 23 wins, four players and four coaches of the tournament.

Since 2021, Mr. DePew has served as the Director of Athletics, and is in his second year as the Dean of Students. He also holds or has held leadership roles that include the following: NJCAA Region XV Men’s Director (2012-present), NJCAA Board of Regents member (2019-present), NJCAA Men’s Division II Basketball National Chairman (2020-present), NJCAA Region 15 Assistant Regional Director (2008-2011), NJCAA Men’s Division III National Tournament Host (2011-2016, 2018), NJCAA Men’s Division III National Tournament Executive Director (2011-2016, 2018), NJCAA Men’s Division
III Basketball Committee member (2006-2012),and NJCAA Men’s Division III Basketball Committee Vice Chair (2013-2014).

With the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association Board, Mr. DePew has served/serves as the following: Immediate Past-President (2019-present), President (2017-2019), 1st Vice President (2015-2017), 2nd Vice President (2013-2015), 1st Secretary (2011-2013), and 2nd Secretary (2009-2011). DePew is also involved in the NJCAA Men’s Basketball National All-Star Game Executive Committee (2008-present), NJCAA Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame selection Committee (2008-present), and the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Executive Board of Directors (2006-present).

He has been a guest speaker for the BCANY Fall Clinic (2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2019) and serves as a volunteer firefighter in his community. As a former student-athlete at Ulster County Community College, he continues to make contributions to the NJCAA basketball community and beyond. Mr. DePew’s accomplishments and dedication to bettering the association continues to move initiatives forward.