2022 -- S 2914

========

LC005737

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

____________

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING PROVIDENCE COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH ED

COOLEY ON BEING NAMED THE 2021-2022 NAISMITH COLLEGE COACH OF THE

YEAR

     

     Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Felag, Picard, Pearson, F
Lombardi, and Algiere

     Date Introduced: May 03, 2022

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

1

     WHEREAS, Ed Cooley, the highly regarded head coach of the Providence College Friars

2

Men's Basketball Team and the school's first winner of the Big East Coach of the Year Award, is

3

adding another award to his well-stocked trophy case for being named the 2021-2022 Naismith

4

College Coach of the Year Award winner; and

5

     WHEREAS, Coach Cooley has been the Friars Head Coach for the past eleven seasons

6

and, since 2011, he has compiled an outstanding 611 winning percentage and more than 200 wins

7

thus far in his tenure at Providence College. He has taken Providence College to five NCAA

8

Basketball Tournaments and two NIT Invitations in his sterling career; and

9

     WHEREAS, Ed Cooley's squad was picked to finish in seventh place in the pre-season

10

poll. Instead, the Friars took the conference and the nation by surprise, compiling an outstanding

11

27-6 overall record and a superb 14-3 regular season conference record. Under Coach Cooley's

12

guidance and direction, the Friars won their 1st ever Big East Conference Men's Basketball

13

regular season championship, attained the 1st seed in the Big East Conference Tournament at

14

Madison Square Garden, and reached the Sweet Sixteen in the 2022 NCAA Tournament; and

15

     WHEREAS, Coach Cooley always gets the most out of his teams and seems to have a

16

knack for coming up big in close games. In the current season, his squad had an incredible 11-2

17

record in games decided by two possessions or less, or in overtime. Thanks to Coach Cooley's

18

tremendous leadership and outstanding coaching, Providence College at one point this season

19

reached a high of 8th in the national polls. He was also recognized by the Sporting News as its

 

1

National Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year for the 2021-2022 season; and

2

     WHEREAS, One of Coach Cooley's most important mentors was the Honorable Harold

3

Metts, former distinguished member of the Rhode Island State Senate and House of

4

Representatives. He coached Ed Cooley at Central High School and together they won two Rhode

5

Island State Championships thanks in large part to the leadership and skillful play provided by Ed

6

Cooley, who according to Mr. Metts, always "knew everybody's position and everybody's role,

7

and when you stuck him in a role outside his main one, he was able to adapt." He went on to say

8

that Ed Cooley "was an inspiration to his teammates"; now, therefore be it

9

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby congratulates

10

Providence College Men's Basketball Head Coach Ed Cooley on being named the 2021-2022

11

Naismith College Coach of the Year; and be it further

12

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

13

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Providence College Men's Basketball Coach Ed

14

Cooley.

========

LC005737

========

 

LC005737 - Page 2 of 2