Bill Text: NY J01965 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Honoring Coach Felisha Legette-Jack upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as the 2024 Women's Basketball Coach of the Year on March 5, 2024

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 42-21)

Status: (Passed) 2024-03-19 - ADOPTED [J01965 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J01965-Introduced.html

---

Senate Resolution No. 1965

BY: Senator MAY

        HONORING   Coach  Felisha  Legette-Jack  upon  the
        occasion of her designation for special  recognition
        by  the  Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as the 2024
        Women's Basketball Coach of the  Year  on  March  5,
        2024

  WHEREAS,  It  is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend those
notable citizens of our State, who have achieved  extraordinary  success
and  achieved  incredible  career milestones, and who have distinguished
themselves  and  their   universities   through   their   personal   and
professional achievements; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Coach Felisha Legette-Jack upon the  occasion  of  her  designation  for
special  recognition  by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as the 2024
Women's Basketball Coach of the Year on Tuesday, March 5, 2024; and

  WHEREAS, Felisha Legette-Jack is  the  current  head  coach  of  the
Syracuse  University  women's  basketball team and is the first Syracuse
coach, men's or women's, to  earn  ACC  Coach  of  the  Year  honors  in
basketball; she also is the third Syracuse women's basketball head coach
to be named Coach of the Year in their conference; and

  WHEREAS,  A  highly-skilled  athlete, Felisha Legette-Jack began her
career in basketball  playing  for  the  University  of  Georgia's  Lady
Bulldogs,  leading  them  to two state titles before going on to star at
Syracuse University; playing for  Syracuse,  she  scored  1,526  points,
grabbed  927  rebounds, and graduated as the all-time leading scorer and
rebounder in program history; as of 2021, she ranked  fifth  in  scoring
and third in rebounds; and

  WHEREAS,  As  a  testament  to  her  talent  and dedication, Felisha
Legette-Jack was the 1985 Big East Rookie of the Year, all-league player
three times, and was the recipient  of  a  LetterWinner  of  Distinction
Award;  she  was  inducted  into  the  Syracuse Hall of Fame in 1998 and
Syracuse University retired her basketball jersey (No. 33)  in  November
2021,  becoming  the first women's basketball player at Syracuse to have
her number retired, and one of the first three female athletes  to  have
their uniforms retired by the Orange; and

  WHEREAS,  Previously  serving as the head coach at the University at
Buffalo, Indiana University, and Hofstra University's women's basketball
teams, as well as the assistant coach of the U19 team  representing  the
United  States  at  the 2005 FIBA Americas U19 Championship for Women in
Tunis, Tunisia, Felisha  Legette-Jack  brings  the  Syracuse  University
women's  basketball  team her energy, passion, and talent; she has truly
transformed the program in her short time as head coach; and

  WHEREAS, A  Syracuse  native,  Felisha  Legette-Jack  inherited  the
Syracuse   University  women's  basketball  team  after  they  had  just
completed one of its worst seasons in over  a  decade  with  a  depleted

roster;  in  her first season as head coach, the Orange won 20 games and
reached the Super 16 of the Women's NIT; and

  WHEREAS, Proud to return to her alma mater, Felisha Legette-Jack has
led  the  Syracuse  University  women's  basketball team to a tremendous
amount of success in her two years serving as head coach;  she  has  led
the  Orange  to  unprecedented  success  in  their regular season, tying
program records for regular season wins (23), conference wins (13),  and
ACC road wins (6); and

  WHEREAS,  Her  dedication  to  honing  the skills of these dedicated
athletes has paid off, as the  Syracuse  University  women's  basketball
team  has an impressive record of 23-6 overall and went 13-5 in the ACC,
earning the No. 3 seed in the Ally ACC  Women's  Basketball  Tournament;
and

  WHEREAS,  Guiding  the  Syracuse  University women's basketball team
into the spotlight, Felisha Legette-Jack led the team to  a  third-place
finish  in  the  Nation's  best league in her second season on The Hill;
Syracuse is 4-1 against Associated  Press  Top-25  teams  and  currently
ranks  No.  20;  the Orange are currently projected as the fifth seed in
the NCAA Tournament and the team will be  making  its  first  appearance
since 2021; and

  WHEREAS,  Rare  indeed  is  the  impressive  dedication  shown by an
individual for the benefit of  others  which  Felisha  Legette-Jack  has
displayed throughout her life; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Coach Felisha Legette-Jack upon the occasion  of  her  designation
for  special  recognition  by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as the
2024 Women's Basketball Coach of the Year on March 5, 2024;  and  be  it
further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Coach Felisha Legette-Jack.