USD Men's Basketball 1996-1997

Where Are They Now?

Catching Up With Past Boost/ ismith ward Winners SCOTT MAY ANNE DONOVAN

Scott May refused lo allow the pursuit of perfection lo end with a broken orm. In February of 197 5, the consensus All-America ond his Indiana Hoosier teammates were riding the wove of an unbeaten season when May suffered this unfortunate setback. He made a courageous comeback amonth later, but Indiana was subsequently knocked out of the No. 1spot in the nation against Kentucky in the NCAA Regionals. Undaunted by this loss, the following season a healthy May and his determined teammates simply redoubled their resolve to start anew, with one goal in mind: to capture the national title. These days, May, who went on to play seven line seasons in the NBA and six more in Europe, and has spent the past seven involved in real estate properties in the Bloomington area, looks fondly on those years. "It was a great group of players who worked together on that team," recalls May, of the '76 squad that featured soon-lo-be NBA stars Quinn Buckner and Kent Benson. With a singular purpose, the Hoosiers, led by May's 23.5 points per game, remained perfect this time en route to the NCAA crown. On the way, May, who would lead the U.S. to Olympic gold later that summer, was right– ly honored with the 1976Naismith Award, as the National Player of the Year. "Though my locus was on winning the national championship, it was a great honor to get this award," says an ever-gracious May, who occa– sionally finds time to drop in on practices at his alma mater. Perfection, no doubt, has its rewards.

Anne Donovan remembers well her feelings when her name was announced as the first woman to receive the Naismith Award. "Iwas overwhelmed," recalls Donovan. "The Naismith was interna– tionally known as the greatest trophy for an individual athlete and ii meant a great deal lo me to be the first honored." And why not? While al Old Dominion during the early 'BOs, Donovan simply was the most dominant player in the women's game. From her freshman year, when her 17 point-per-game average helped the Lady Monarchs capture the national title, lo her senior season, when she achieved first-team athletic and academic All-America honors, Donovan helped bring the women's game into the consciousness of hoops fans. "We were in an evolution back then," says Donovan. "To have my name first on the Naismith made it more special to still feel like Iwas a part of helping the women'sgame grow." Donovan has never slopped helping. A three-time Olympian who led the U.S. to Olympicgold in 1984 and 'BB, she played professionally over– seas for six years, before returning to her alma mater as an assistant coach. Prior to her induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, Donovan said that such an honor wrapped up all of the highlights of her career. Yet her passion for the game has led her to take on the head coach– ing position al East Carolina, lo teach a new generation of women the value of athletics and academics. Her knowledge, not to mention her name, is sure lo be indelibly etched on their collective consciousness.

FROM THE EDITORIAL PROJECTS DEPARTMENT OF COLLEGE HOOPS ILLUSTRATED