-Men's Basketball Freshmen to Hear from Life Skills Experts-
 
NEW YORK – (September 7, 2022) -- The BIG EAST Conference will host its eighth annual Freshmen Fundamentals men's basketball program September 10-11 in New York City.
 
Freshmen Fundamentals assists with making the transition from high school to college and the elite level of BIG EAST basketball. All scholarship and walk-on men's basketball freshmen from the league's 11 schools are invited to attend. Twenty-eight freshmen will participate in this year's program.
 
The league's basketball student-athletes will hear from acclaimed experts in relationship management and safety, student-athlete mental health, media training and preparation for a professional career that does not include basketball.

Freshmen Fundamentals returns to an in-person event after two years of remote presentations due to COVID-19. The program is hosted by Stu Jackson, BIG EAST Executive Associate Commissioner for Men's Basketball.
 
"We are very excited that we are able to return the Freshmen Fundamentals program to an in-person event," said Jackson.  "Our incoming freshmen players will encounter many new challenges on and off the court as high-profile athletes in the BIG EAST Conference.  Our panelists and presenters for this year's program will address pertinent topics and lead important discussions.  Freshmen Fundamentals helps assist the ongoing efforts of our institutions to give our freshmen student-athletes information and practices they can use during college and throughout their lives.  This is our eighth year with the program, which is a testament to the commitment our men's basketball programs have to developing the complete student-athlete."
 
Saturday's schedule begins with opening remarks from Jackson followed by a presentation by the NBA's Chrysa Chin, NBPA Chief Player Engagement Officer. Chin directs initiatives and innovative programs for the players designed to foster relationships with businesses. She has enjoyed a distinguished career of supporting the personal and professional development of basketball players. Chin has also worked with USA Basketball.
 
Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble (aka Dr. Alfiee), a sought-after speaker, media personality, researcher and consultant, is a thought leader in her field. She focuses on mental health and suicide prevention for youth and young adults of color. Dr. Alfiee is an expert in teen, young adult and family mental health.  She appears on and collaborates with major media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC/Peacock, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Breakfast Club nationally syndicated show and dozens of others. Dr. Alfiee is a licensed psychologist and clinical investigator and is recognized nationally as a gifted scientist, public speaker and author. She is the founder of the AAKOMA Project, a thriving Woman of Color led mental health nonprofit.
 
A BIG EAST alumni player panel again will be moderated by Tarik Turner, a standout St. John's guard from 1995-98, who has enjoyed a successful business career in finance with leading New York investment firms. He also serves as an analyst for BIG EAST games on FOX Sports, the league's television partner.
 
Turner will lead a discussion about professional careers after graduation.  The former player panel includes Connecticut's Emeka Okafor, Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski and Providence's David Duke. The trio will speak to their experiences as student-athletes in the BIG EAST Conference. Okafor led UConn to the national championship in 2004, earned Academic All-America honors and enjoyed a 10-year career in the NBA. Zegarowski and Duke were All-BIG EAST performers who entered professional basketball in 2021. Both are with the Brooklyn Nets.
 
Kalimah Johnson, founder and executive director of Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing and Awareness (SASHA) in Detroit, Mich., returns to address the group on Relationship Management and Safety. She has worked in the sexual assault and domestic violence field for over 20 years with the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Detroit Police Department and Serenity Services.  Johnson graduated from Wayne State University's School of Social Work with a master's degree specializing in mental health and community organizing. She has provided counseling and advising for professional athletes, working with the NBA, NFL, NHL and NCAA.
 
At the end of Saturday's sessions, the players will visit the Jackie Robinson Museum in lower Manhattan.
 
Sunday's program will begin with remarks by BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman.
 
After Ackerman's comments, members of the BIG EAST Digital Network team will present a media training session. The digital team includes broadcaster John Fanta, producer Bobby Mullen and director Ben Piascik. They will brief the players on what extent of media coverage BIG EAST basketball receives and some recommendations on how to conduct interviews.
After the media training session, the players will go to Madison Square Garden, home of the BIG EAST Tournament since 1983, for a tour of the building.
 
The BIG EAST:
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of 11 nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments.  The athletic programs of BIG EAST institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 4,100 student-athletes on over 200 men's and women's teams in 22 sports.  Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST's members are located in eight of the country's top 37 largest media markets and include Butler University, University of Connecticut, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John's University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University.  For more information, visit www.bigeast.com.