Sam Schoenfeld, former college basketball great who possessed a great deal of energy, impeccable honesty and a charismatic personality, was one of the CBOA's founding fathers. Sam espoused integrity and strong character, which set him apart from most men. A brief illness took Sam's life in early 1956 and as a result CBOA decided to memorialize Sam through an award that would be annually presented to a person who exemplified the principles and characteristics so prominently displayed by Sam Schoenfeld. Accordingly, the award is presented to the college or university, which in the judgment of the CBOA membership, best exemplifies "the highest degree of sportsmanship, character, and ethics among their players, coaches and spectators."

This is the highest honor that CBOA annually bestows on any collegiate institution.


 
2021 - 2022 Area Winners
Baltimore-Washington
Harrisburg
Lehigh – Scranton
Philadelphia
Eastern New England
Western New England
Metro New Jersey
Metro New York
Western Upstate New York
Pittsburgh
Eastern New York 		 
  * Overall winner

Past winners of the award have been:

1956-57 Canisius College Joseph Curran
1957-58 University of Massachusetts Robert Curran
1958-59 New York University Louis Rossini
1959-60 Penn State University John S. Egli
1960-61 Harvard University Floyd S. Wilson
1961-62 Ithaca College Carlton Wood
1962-63 Niagara University John Gallagher
1963-64 Temple University Harry Litwack
1964-65 St. Joseph's College John T. Ramsey
1965-66 Harvard University Floyd S. Wilson
1966-67 Rutgers University William Foster
1967-68 St. Bonaventure University Lawrence Weise
1968-69 Stevens Institute John S. Lyon
1969-70 Albright College Wilbur G. Renken
1970-71 Geneseo State College Thomas A. Pope
1971-72 Gettysburg College Robert T. Hulton
1972-73 University of Pennsylvania Charles Daly
1973-74 Harvard University Thomas S. Sanders
1974-75 Monmouth College William T. Boyland
1975-76 Rider College John B. Carpenter
1976-77 Providence College David R. Gavitt
1977-78 Bentley College Al Shields
1978-79 Old Dominion University Paul Webb
1979-80 Montclair State Oliver S. Gelston
1980-81 Susquehanna University Don Harnum
1981-82 Seton Hall University Hoddy Mahon
1982-83 Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Fran O' Brien
1983-84 Lafayette College Will Rackley
1984-85 No Award Given
1985-86 Brown University Mike Cingiser
1986-87 Central Connecticut State Bill Detrick
1987-88 Brooklyn College Mark Reiner
1988-89 Dickinson College Gene Evans
1989-90 Western N.E. College Peter Broaca
1990-91 Bentley College Frank Sullivan
1991-92 Bucknell University Charlie Woollum
1992-93 Kutztown University Bill Whitney
1993-94 Lycoming College Clarence "Dutch" Burch
1994-95 Hobart College Brian Streeter
1995-96 Gettysburg College George Petrie
1996-97 U.S. Naval Academy Don DeVoe
1997-98 Molloy College Charles Marquardt
1998-99 Sacred Heart University Dave Bike
1999-00 Allentown College Scott Coval
2000-01 Philadelphia University Herb Magee
2001-02 Merrimack College Bert Hammel
2002-03 Nazareth College Mike Daley
2003-04 Drew University Walter Townes (Click here to view photo)
2004-05 Queens College Kyrk Peponakis (Click here to view photo)
2005-06 Ursinus College Kevin Small (Click here to view photo)
2006-07 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Mike Griffin (Click here to view photo)
2007-08 Bridgewater State University Joe Farroba (Click here to see a picture)
2008-09 Muhlenburg University Dave Madeira (Click here to see a picture)
2009-10 University of Rochester Michael Neer (Click here to see a picture)
2010-11 Haverford College (Click here to see a picture)
2011-12 College of New Jersey (Click here to see a picture)
2012-13 Moravian College
2016-17 John Hopkins University. Bill Nelson
2017-18 Mercy College. Michael Maczko
2018-19 Wesleyan University. Joe Reilly
2019-20 Stevens Institute. Bobby Hurley
2020-21 No Award - COVID 
2021-22 Russell Sage College. Brian Barnes 

 

     
It is our hope that all colleges and universities will recognize the importance of inculcating their basketball programs with the basic ideals for which this award is granted to the ultimate benefit of college basketball.