Once again, the Hostos Community College Caimans shined at the NJCAA Division III awards banquet on Thursday, February 18, as men’s head basketball coach Marquee Poole earned Community College Coach of the Year honors; Jefferson Francois, a forward on the men’s basketball team won Player of the Year; and Corina Coles, a guard, earned Rookie of the Year for her stellar play on the women’s basketball team.
In just his second season, Coach Poole led the Caimans to the CUNYAC Community College regular season title. A former point guard at St. Bonaventure University who hails from Harlem, Poole has brought experience and a tireless work ethic to the Caimans, while also stressing the importance of community service.
Francois scored 473 points in the regular season, averaging 16.3 points per game, while adding 117 offensive rebounds. He also boasted a 65.7 field goal percentage.
Coles scored 384 points and added 91 assists. Hostos Athletic Director Krishna Dass called Coles a “fiery point guard who can handle the ball and score.”
Women’s basketball player Imani Bayne and men’s basketball player Jemal Smith were also honored, both receiving all-star awards for their contributions this year. Both Bayne and Smith have previously won CUNYAC Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors.
About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique Student Success Coaching Unit provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.
Named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 24 colleges.