United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics

NEW LONDON, CONN.-(4/25/08)--Coast Guard Academy junior Craig Johnson was named to the ECAC Division III New England Men's Basketball All-Star second team.

Johnson, who led the Bears to a school-record 24 wins and a magical run to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament, led Coast Guard this season with 14.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and a .549 field goal percentage. He was a first-team All-conference selection for the second time in his career.

Johnson was also named to the D3hoops.com All-Northeast region, second team this season.

Men's Basketball - Sowers Selected for NEBCA All-Star Game

Al Sowers, who led the Bears to the Elite 8 was choosen for the NEBCA All-Star Game.

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(4/9/08)--Al Sowers who led the Coast Guard Academy men's basketball team to a school-record 24 wins and the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament has been selected to play in the New England Basketball Coaches Association (NEBCA) annual Division III Senior All-Star Game this Sunday, April 13, at Babson College, with all proceeds benefitting the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign.

Sowers, who earned All-region honors for the first time in his career, was also named first-team All-conference for the first time in his career this season. He was second on the team with 13.1 points to go with his team-high 86 assists, 49 steals and 77 three-point baskets for a team best 40.7 percent from behind the arc.

Sowers leaves as the Bears all-time leader in assists (400) and 3-point baskets (266) and he is second all-time with 1,518 points. Sowers, classmate Grant Johnson and current assistant coach Sam Cheung (‘02) are the only three players in school history to score 1,000 points and record 300 assists.

The Bears finished the season with a #15 ranking in the final D3hoops.com poll, the program's first appearance in the Top 25.

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(3/25/08)--The Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team which made an improbable run to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division III tournament earned the program’s first ever national ranking as the Bears are ranked 15th in the final D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.

Coast Guard, which set a school-record with 24 wins, finished 24-7. The Bears entered the tournament unranked, but after wins at No. 24 Trinity, No. 10 UMass Dartmouth and a win over No. 13 Rochester in the Sweet 16, the team earned its spot in the Top 25.

The senior class finished with a four-year record of 68-41. The 68 wins is the second most in a four-year span at the Academy. The senior trio of Grant Johnson, Al Sowers and Jeff Prebeck started all 109 games in their outstanding careers and along with junior Craig Johnson all scored 1,000 points in their careers.

Pete Barry, who picked up his 400th win during the NCAA Tournament, was named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year.

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(3/19/08)--Junior Craig Johnson and senior Al Sowers, who led Coast Guard to an improbable run to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament were named to the D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region team while head coach Pete Barry was named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year in voting by the sports information directors in the region. Johnson was named to the second team while Sowers earned third team honors.

Johnson, who took a year off last season, also earned second team honors in the 2005-’06 season. He led Coast Guard this season with 14.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and a .549 field goal percentage. He was a first-team All-conference selection for the second time in his career.