Burson to receive NABC Tenth Annual Outstanding Service Award

NEW CONCORD, OHIO, April 5, 2006 - The National Association of Basketball Coaches will present its tenth annual Outstanding Service Award at the Division III meeting of this year's NABC Convention in Indianapolis, IN on April 6, 2006.

Three extremely deserving coaches will be recognized at the convention. This year's honorees are Jim Burson of Muskingum College (OH), Joe Campoli formerly of Ohio Northern University, and Jim Nelson Athletic Director and former Basketball Coach at Suffolk University in Boston (MA).

The award has been presented annually since 1997 and is given to coaches whose actions "inside and outside the lines" of coaching have distinguished them as valuable members of their communities.

Burson's passion for basketball has been burning bright at Muskingum since 1967, and he has become a permanent part of its basketball history. Burson ended his 38 year coaching career at Muskingum as its all time winningest coach with 542 victories. He has been involved in amateur basketball at its highest levels. He was a coach at the Olympic Sports Festival in Los Angeles in 1988, and helped select the 1984 Olympic team that won the gold medal. Burson is currently the President of the NABC and has served on its Board of Directors since 1995.

Burson picked up his first career win over Mount Union College (73-68) on January 9, 1968. Since then, he has been honored as the Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year six times (1973, 1977, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2005) and was named the NCAA District IV Coach of the Year in 1977. Additionally, he has coached seven All-Americans and 68 All-Ohio Athletic Conference players. Furthermore, his teams have won three OAC regular season titles (1973, 1974 and 1976) and three OAC Tournament championships (1977, 1988, and 1990) and have gone to the NCAA tournament five times (1977, 1981, 1983, 1988, and 1990).

For nearly four decades, Nelson has been a part of Suffolk University athletics. He began working at Suffolk in 1966 and in 1975, was named Director of Athletics. From 1976 until 1995 he coached the men's basketball team.

For thirty years the name Campoli and Ohio Northern Basketball were synonymous. Campoli is one of two coaches to lead their team to the NCAA Division III national title in their first season as head coach. Joe returned to the Final Four in 2001

"They have been ideal coaches throughout their careers. Not only as great teachers, but also as great men in what they have given back to their communities. Like all great coaches they are educators first and foremost," said the NABC. "Not only have they done a terrific job in communicating strategies and techniques to their respective teams, they have also distinguished themselves as wonderful examples to their players and associates. These men embody the spirit of coaching. They chose to become involved to make their communities better places for everyone. These men exemplify excellence in athletics and personify the leadership qualities of exceptional people. They are the definition of role models."