SUNY Canton Dedicates Court for Former Men's Basketball Coach Stan Cohen

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The main basketball court in SUNY Canton’s Roos House has been renamed the Stan Cohen Court. The college will hold a dedication ceremony at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6.

• Pictured are former SUNY Canton men’s basketball coach Stanley W. Cohen and one of his standout athletes Robert C. Rogers. They were both inducted into the SUNY Canton Hall of Fame in 2011.

CANTON, NY (11/22/2016)(readMedia)-- SUNY Canton will dedicate its main basketball court in honor of the late former men's basketball coach Stanley W. Cohen.

"Our team today is full of bright young players," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "In fact, they are much like the dedicated, respectful alumni athletes who played for Mr. Cohen. It gives me pride to be able to make connections between our storied past and our great future. It is an outstanding tribute to a remarkable coach."

A reception remembering Cohen will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, in the mezzanine area of Roos House Convocation Athletic and Recreation Center. The official naming ceremony will be held at halftime of the 7 p.m. men's basketball game against Utica College. The college openly invites alumni, friends and the public to the event.

Alumni, athletes and friends of the college contributed the funding to the SUNY Canton College Foundation to secure the ability to name the court for Cohen, who is held in high esteem by former players, faculty and staff members, students, community members and peers.

Cohen led some of the most successful basketball teams in the history of the college and coached 10 players who went on to play at Division I colleges. Among those was Robert C. Rogers, who with his wife Margaret, made the generous lead gift to celebrate Cohen's legacy.

"I had the privilege of touring our brand-new athletic complex with Stan and his former all-star student-athlete Bob Rogers," said SUNY Canton Athletic Director Randy B. Sieminski. "You could see right away the remarkable bond and admiration the two men had for each other, even after all those years. Stan and his family are richly deserving of this incredible honor."

Cohen, who was inducted as an inaugural member of the SUNY Canton Hall of Fame in 2011, began his career at the college in 1957 as a basketball coach and accounting instructor. His teams made the NJCAA national tournament in 1965 and secured three Empire State Conference Championships.

He eventually became the Athletic Director and added several sports, including hockey, wrestling, cross country, soccer and baseball. Under his leadership, the Canton Aggies were renamed the Northmen, one of the most iconic monikers in college history. He worked at the College for 39 years and was an integral part of SUNY Canton athletics until he retired in 1996.

The College Foundation is continuing to collect donations toward the court naming. Individuals who contribute will be commemorated on a plaque inside the Cohen Court. For more information contact 1-800-811-6727 or email rosserk@canton.edu.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service and recently received number one rankings in library resources, library services and tutoring services in the SUNY Student Opinion Survey. The college's faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as ten exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 15 athletic teams compete as members of the NCAA Division III.

-www.canton.edu-