2019 -- H 6261

========

LC002923

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

____________

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING JOHNSTON NATIVE AND LEGENDARY RHODE ISLAND

BASKETBALL STAR JOE MAZZULLA ON BEING NAMED AN ASSISTANT

BASKETBALL COACH WITH THE BOSTON CELTICS

     Introduced By: Representatives Mattiello, Ucci, Shekarchi, Fellela, and Costantino

     Date Introduced: June 27, 2019

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Joe Mazzulla, one of the greatest basketball players to ever come from the

State of Rhode Island, was recently named as the new Assistant Basketball Coach with the

Boston Celtics. Mr. Mazzulla had a legendary high school basketball career with the Hendricken

Hawks as he led them to three State Championship Titles and a perfect 21-0 record in his senior

season; and

     WHEREAS, Joe Mazzulla matriculated at the University of West Virginia to play for

famed head coach Bob Huggins. In a standout career at West Virginia, and despite being plagued

by constant shoulder injuries, Mr. Mazzulla played in 145 games over five seasons, (missing most

of one season due to injury), and, over that period, played a significant role in leading the

Mountaineers to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, a Big East Conference

Tournament Championship in 2010, and a thrilling run to the National Final Four, also in 2010;

and

     WHEREAS, Statistics alone cannot fully explain why Joe Mazzulla was such a force of

nature on the basketball courts in high school and college. He was widely admired for his

toughness, especially while battling injuries, and his strong leadership abilities. At West Virginia,

he was known for his defensive excellence and was, in many ways, a second coach on the floor

for Head Coach Bob Huggins. Joe’s visage seemed to be perpetually on our television screens

from 2006 to 2011, as he was constantly leading his Mountaineer squads into battle in countless

big games before national audiences. It seemed that the bigger the game, the better Joe played;

and

     WHEREAS, Since the end of his halycon days as a star basketball player, Mr. Mazzulla

has moved on to become a very successful basketball coach. He began his coaching career as an

Assistant Coach at Glenville State. Shortly thereafter, he served for three seasons as an Assistant

Coach at Fairmont State University, and was an Assistant Coach with the Maine Claws of the

NBA Development League in 2016-2017; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Mazzulla was the Head Basketball Coach at Fairmont State University

for the past two seasons, after being named head coach on March 28, 2017. Since assuming the

head coaching position, Coach Mazzulla compiled a sterling 43-17 record over the past two

seasons, winning 20 or more games each season and earning a berth in the 2019 NCAA Division

II Basketball Tournament; and

     WHEREAS, Joe Mazzulla is the loving husband of Camai, and the devoted father of

Michael and Emmanuel; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby congratulates Joe Mazzulla on being named the new Assistant

Coach with the Boston Celtics, and wishes him continued success in all his future endeavors; and

be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Joe Mazzulla.

========

LC002923

========

LC002923 - Page 2 of 2