FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Courtesy of Suffolk Athletics Communications

BOSTON – Suffolk women's basketball head coach Ed Leyden will be among the New England Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2015.

The New England Basketball Hall of Fame will hold its induction Ceremony and Dinner at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Aug. 8. The event will feature a series of afternoon panel discussions featuring basketball luminaries, followed by dinner and the ceremony at 5:30 p.m. The New England Basketball Hall of Fame will honor a variety of distinguished individuals and teams at the August 8 event.

Preceding the August 8 festivities, will be the first Annual New England Basketball Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Game between high school scholar-athlete teams representing Boston and Worcester at the iconic St. Mary's High School Gymnasium Friday, Aug. 7.

Leyden, who recently completed his 21st season in Boston, has led Suffolk to a 329-229 (.590) overall record and 166-69 (.706) Great Northeast Athletic Conference mark with the Rams. Leyden has guided the Rams to 16 winning seasons and seven straight ECAC appearances from 2006-13.

During the 2007-08 campaign, Suffolk broke the university's record for most wins by any Rams basketball team, men or women, going 20-9. That performance was upstaged in 2012-13 when Leyden's Rams finished 23-8, making the ECAC finals.

In addition to Leyden's induction into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, he has been chosen GNAC Coach of the Year five times by his peers - 1997, 1999, 2000, 2008 and 2013 - and is a two-time recipient of the Suffolk University Leadership Award.

Leyden's student-athletes have been rewarded with many individual accolades, including 28 All-GNAC honors and one GNAC Rookie of the Year nod. He guided his now assistant coach Jacqueline Vienneau '13 to a historic four-year career as a player, as she became the first player in school and fourth in GNAC history to record career milestones of 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists. Additionally, Leyden coached nine of Suffolk's 13 1,000-point scorers, including all-time leader Katie Norton '00.

Suffolk women's basketball excellence has not been limited to the hardwood during Leyden's tenure as his teams have also shined in the classroom. The Rams have been recognized by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 Academic Team in the nation on two occasions and maintained that standard in 2013-14 with a team grade-point average of 3.2.

Joining Leyden in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2015 are Rams standouts Ellen Crotty Pistorino '88 and Christos Tsiotos '77.

Within the athletic arena or in the classroom, Crotty Pistorino made a name for herself as an outstanding two-sport student-athlete at Suffolk. She laced up her sneakers in Regan Gymnasium and put on her glove for the Rams to earn four varsity letters in basketball and softball, while serving as captain of each squad for three seasons and earning Most Valuable Player distinction in each sport her final two years. On the hardwood, Crotty Pistorino is the third all-time leading scorer with 1,346 points. A member of the Suffolk University Athletics Hall of Fame, she was the recipient of the coveted Charles Law Outstanding Student-Athletes Award in 1987 and 1988.

There are a thousand reasons why Tsiotos has a special place in the Suffolk men's basketball record book as the 6-foot-5 center is the only Ram in history to score 1,000 points and pull down 1,000 rebounds. The fourth-time leading scorer in Suffolk history with 1,639 points, Tsiotos led Suffolk to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (1975-77). The 1977 Charles Law Outstanding Student-Athlete Award recipient in 1977, Tsiotos was inducted into the Suffolk University Athletics Hall of Fame in the Class of 2009.  

Additionally, former Director of Athletics, Jim Nelson will be recognized at the August 8 ceremony for his extraordinary mentor skills.

Tickets to the event are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here.

For further information, visit www.nebasketballhalloffame.com.