As Wells College prepares to launch its inaugural basketball season next fall, it has invested in a portable gym floor for use by the entire campus community, especially the newly formed men’s and women’s basketball teams. The new floor is expected to arrive on campus in mid-April.

“This gym floor shows the commitment that our administration is making to support our athletic programs,” said Head Men’s Basketball Coach Joe Wojtylko. “The new floor will allow us to make maximum use of our facilities and will enhance our play at the NCAA Division III level. We are very excited about it.” 

Wells has contracted with Praters Incorporated of Chattanooga, Tenn.  Prater has recently constructed gym floors for the University of Florida, the NBA 2008 All-Star game, the 2004 Olympic Games, and the Atlanta Hawks, as well as numerous other college and professional teams. 

Once on campus, the floor will be installed in the Farenthold facility attached to the Schwartz Athletic Center, which will serve as the home venue for the Wells basketball teams starting next season. 

“Bringing in a portable floor for our students is a wonderful investment in the future of athletics at Wells,” said Director of Athletics Jamey Ventura. “Not only will our student athletes be able to practice and compete on our own campus, the floor will be available to all Wells students and the entire community to participate in extra-curricular activities.”

Along with the floor, there are plans in place to add over the summer a new scoreboard, bleachers, and scorers table to the Schwartz Athletic Center. These improvements will complete the renovations necessary to launch Wells’ inaugural basketball season in fall 2008. 
 
 

Wells College will compete for the first time as a NCAA division III collegiate basketball program during the 2008-2009 season.  The Express will enter the inaugural season as a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference.  Coach Wojtylko is optimistic about the prospects of the first season and he is spending the entire 2007-2008 academic year recruiting players from across the country.  Coach Wojtylko said, "we are excited and motivated about the challenge of creating a brand new program and we look forward to competing in the NEAC.  We are recruiting student-athletes that have a desire to set their own path and don't want to simply follow the paths of others.  We are recruiting student-athletes that want to be part of history,  that want to graduate from a nationally recognized liberal arts school, that want to take pride in having ownership of a new program and be part of something special here at Wells."  The Express will begin this journey on October 15, 2008 when the first practice will be held. 
 
 
 

Joe Wojtylko Head Men's Basketball Coach Sports Information Director jwojtylko@wells.edu  315-364-3479

Joe Wojtylko serves as head men’s basketball coach and coordinator of sports information. Wojtylko will launch the new men’s basketball program at Wells, starting as intercollegiate division III status in 2008-09. In addition to the head coaching responsibilities, Wojtylko will coordinate the College’s sports information program by maintaining the Athletics Department Web site and communicating with the media regarding athletics and sports at Wells. Wojtylko served most recently as the assistant basketball coach at Hamilton College for one season.  During this season Hamilton won the Liberty League regular season title, two holiday tournament titles and they were ranked in the region and nationally.  Also, while at Hamilton Coach Wojtylko helped develop a second team all-american and two other all conference players.  Prior to that, he served as the interim head coach for 17 games at Hobart College.  Coach Wojtylko turned around a program from a 2-5 start to finish with the 9th best record in school history as well as setting several season statistical records including the most wins for a first year coach in school history and the first holiday tournament championship in over 20 years.  During his three year tenure as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Hobart he helped turn a program around from a 9-15 record into teams that accomplished the third best season in the school's history, their only post season win in the school's history and helped capture the first and only Liberty League regular season title in Hobart's history. Prior to his stint as a coach at Hobart Wojtylko coached for a year at his alma mater West Virginia Wesleyan College.  He helped guide the team to the most wins in 10 seasons and, he assisted in recruiting student-athletes that would become a top 20 division II basketball team nationally as well as WVIAC champions.  Coach Wojtylko earned a B.A. in history and philosophy from West Virginia Wesleyan College. While a scholarship student-athlete at WVWC Wojtylko was a three year starter and he was the basketball captain and the team’s best defender for two years.

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2008-2009 Roster TBA

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2008-2009 Schedule (Tentative)

Date	Opponent	Time/Result
Sat., Nov 15	Alfred	2:00 p.m.
Sun., Nov 16	*Penn St. Harrisburg	1:00 p.m.
Tues., Nov . 18	at Hilbert	7:00 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 21	Bates (at Hamilton College Tip-Off Tournament)	6:00 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 22	TBD (at Hamilton College Tip-Off Tournament)	TBD
Mon., Dec. 1	Green Mountain College	7:00 p.m.
Thurs., Dec. 4	Hartwick College	7:00 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 6	at Hobart College	7:00 p.m.
Tues., Dec. 9	SUNY Morrisville	8:00 p.m.
Tues., Dec. 30	Elmira College	2:00 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 3	at Regis (Regis College Holiday Tournament) Boston, MA	TBD
Sun., Jan. 4	TBD (at Regis College Holiday Tournament) Boston, MA	TBD
Tues., Jan. 6	at Keuka College*	7:00 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 10	at SUNY Cobleskill*	2:00 p.m.
Tues., Jan. 13	D'Youville College*	7:00 p.m.
Tues., Jan. 20	at Cazenovia College*	TBD
Thurs., Jan. 22	Penn St. Berks*	7:00 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 24	at D'Youville College*	TBD
Wed., Feb. 4	at SUNY-IT*	7:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 7	SUNY Cobleskill*	2:00 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 10	Keuka College*	7:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 14	at Penn State Harrisburg*	TBD
Sun., Feb 15	at Penn State Berks*	TBD
Tues. Feb. 17	Cazenovia College*	7:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 21	SUNY-IT*	2:00 p.m.

home games in BOLD
* North Eastern Athletic Conference Game
 

Wells College Awards

Academic Year	Defensive  MVP	Offensive MVP	Rookie  of the Year	Express
2008-2009	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

Description of Awards
MVP = Most Valuable Player – Awarded by the team to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and has made an outstanding contribution to the team.
 

Rookie = Rookie Award – Awarded by the team to a first year player who demonstrates the skill and personal characteristics that are reflected in the philosophy of intercollegiate athletics.

Express = Lesley Wead Zabriskie Express Award – Was established in 1990 and named in 1994, in honor of Lesley Wead Zabriskie, Director of Physical Education from 1938-1946. Awarded annually to a member of each intercollegiate team who embodies the true ideals of team commitment, leadership, discipline, dedication, and sportsmanship.
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