Nine former Onondaga Community College Men’s Basketball players are set to compete for four-year programs this season

Onondaga continues impressive record of moving players along

SYRACUSE, NY. – October 27, 2009 – As teams across the country prepare for the start of the college basketball season this week, 9 former Onondaga Community College men’s basketball players are about to suit up and compete for four-year programs. In the past 8 seasons the Lazers have now had 36 different players go on to compete at four-year programs, including 10 who have gone on to play at National Collegiate Athletic Association or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division I or II scholarship schools. This is believed to be the highest number of players to transfer on and play of any Mid-State Athletic Conference or National Junior College Athletic Association Region 3 Division III school over that time period.

Two former Lazers will suit up for NAIA Division I colleges this winter. Zack Thomsen (2006-2008, New Berlin Unadilla Valley) is entering his senior season at West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery, WV. As the starting point guard for WVU Tech last season, Thomsen led the Golden Bears to a 20-11 record, their first 20-win season in recent memory. He ranked among the national leaders in assist to turnover ratio and assists per game while averaging 8.7 points and 4.2 assists per contest. WVU Tech is expected to contend for the Mid-South Conference title this winter. Shane Williams (2006-2008, Camillus West Genesee) is entering his senior season at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, MO. Last season, Williams averages 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as the Lions posted a 19-13 record. This season, Lindenwood has been picked to finish 1st in the Heart of America Athletic Conference and has been ranked 9th in the country by The Sporting News. Thomsen and Williams were teammates and All-Conference and All-Region selections at Onondaga. In their two years at Onondaga they led the Lazers to two Mid-State Conference regular season championships and one Mid-State tournament championship.

Pete Byrne (2007-2008, Syracuse Bishop Ludden) is playing for an NCAA Division II school, the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL. Byrne saw action in 9 contests for the 16-12 Spartans last season. A junior, he is expected to compete for an increased role this year for Tampa, which has been picked to finish 5th in the Sunshine State Conference this year.

Six former Lazers will suit up for NCAA Division III teams this winter. Luke Schrader (2006-2008, Herkimer) is entering his senior year at SUNY Oswego, while Chris Vincent (2006-2008, Baldwinsville Baker) will be a senior at SUNY Cortland. Former All-Conference and All-Region player Matt Potter (2007-2009 New Berlin Unadilla Valley) will be a junior at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA, while Jason Kondra (2007-2009, East Syracuse-Minoa) and Brandon Haughton (2007-2009, Cicero-North Syracuse) will be juniors at SUNY Old Westbury and Cazenovia College respectively. Finally, Tyler Eustace (2008-2009, Liverpool) will be a sophomore athletically at Buffalo State College.

This year’s Onondaga team opens its season on November 7, at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, PA.