NEW YORK (April 9, 2015) – Skyline Conference commissioner Linda Bruno and former Yeshiva coach Jon Halpert were honored on April 22 at the 82nd NIT/MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner at the Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY.
The Haggerty Dinner is the longest running media-managed college basketball awards program in the United States.
Bruno, who currently serves on the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Committee, has served as an instrumental figure at many levels in both education and athletics. Among her previous positions, she was commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference (1994-2008) and associate commissioner of the Big East Conference (1982-94). She has been commissioner of the Skyline Conference since 2010 and also is the founder/president of Bruno Sports Enterprises.
Prior to moving up to the conference ranks, Bruno was an assistant in the athletic departments at Yale and Iona, and a teacher at Holy Family School in the Bronx, NY. A graduate of Iona with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Bruno’s accomplishments include: Iona College Board of Trustees, past chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, past vice president of the Collegiate Commissioners Association and past member of the NCAA TV Negotiating Committee. A resident of Manhattan, she is an inductee in both the Iona College Athletics Hall of Fame in New Rochelle, NY, and the Maria Regina High School Sports Hall of Fame in Hartsdale, NY.
As commissioner of the Skyline Conference, Bruno oversees all issues related to the conduct of intercollegiate athletics programs at 10 member institutions, including championships, NCAA compliance, public relations and membership issues. And she also is responsible for supplementing the budget through conference-wide corporate relationships and sponsorships.
Halpert, who spent 42 seasons (1972-2014) coaching at Yeshiva and amassed 416 victories, has coached more than 325 players during his career. His tenure at helm produced 15 consecutive winning seasons (1987-2002), four post-season ECAC tournaments and berths in the Skyline playoffs in 11 of his final 15 seasons.
Along the way, he received numerous awards, including: CBOA Sportsmanship Award (1980, 1997, 2014). MBWA “Good Guy” Award (1998), Skyline coach of the year (2000), NABC “Guardians of the Game” Award (2004, 2013). On May 6, 2012, in conjunction with the Yeshiva University Athletic Alumni honoring him for 40 years of service, a scholarship fund was endowed in his honor and the YU basketball court was named for him.
Well regarded as an inspirational and motivational speaker on a variety of topics, Halpert currently is president of Advize Consulting Services. From 1987-2004, he was CEO of the Camelot Community Residential Program on Long Island, NY. He earned his Bachelor’s degree at Yeshiva, a Master’s at New York University and a Ph.D. from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Yeshiva, and was nominated for a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. Halpert and his wife, Aviva, reside in Flushing, NY.
FFI: Chuck Stogel, 914-428-6111
chstogel@aol.com