Official Press Release

New York, NY – Wagner College Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations John Beisser will receive the Mike Cohen "Good Guy" Award from the Met Basketball Writers Assn. on Tuesday, April 30, during the 86th NIT/MBWA All-Met Haggerty Awards Dinner, it was announced on Friday.

The Haggerty Dinner, to be held at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, NY, is the longest running media-managed college basketball awards program in the United States.

A veteran of nearly 30 years of promoting college athletics within the Metropolitan area, Beisser joined the Wagner athletic family in 2007 following a 15-year stint in the Athletic Communications Office at his alma mater, Rutgers University, where he served as the Scarlet Knights' primary men's basketball and secondary football contact.

Additionally, Beisser is charged with overseeing ever-increasing video production and social media outreach efforts, in addition to serving as public address announcer at a host of Wagner athletic events. He is also responsible for staffing and overseeing scorer's table/press box personnel for all Wagner College basketball and football games, highlighted by hosting the 2016 and 2018 Northeast Conference championship games.

During his time on Grymes Hill, Beisser has successfully pitched a host of story ideas to national and regional media outlets, including a 2012 CBS 60 Minutes segment on former Wagner head coach Dan Hurley and a 2008 video which profiled then head men's basketball coach Mike Deane's self-imposed "Seat Belt Policy," which was featured on ESPN's GameDay.

The Scotch Plains, NJ, native began his career as a sportswriter for The Princeton Packet Group of Publications in Princeton, NJ, where he won five New Jersey Press Association awards for writing excellence. Beisser resides in Piscataway, NJ, with his wife, Aileen, and nine-year-old daughter, Riley.
 
The MBWA's "Good Guy" Award is named in memory of Mike Cohen, former head of sports information at NBC Sports and Manhattan College, and former publicity director at Yonkers Raceway. He also was a consultant to Fordham University and operated his own public relations firm prior to his untimely passing in 1988 at the age of 44. Anyone involved in college basketball is eligible for this award; the only criteria is that they --- male or female --- be a "Good Guy."

For more information on the MBWA and the Mike Cohen Good Guy Award visit the visit the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association website.

MBWA Good Guy Award History

Year    Award Winner
2019    John Beisser, Wagner/Rutgers
2018    Brian Beyrer, Iona
2017    Roger Rubin, Sportswriter
2016    Zak Ivkovic, CUNYAC
2015    Chris Gonzales, Lehman
2014    Ed Ingles, Sportscaster
2013    Ken Taylor, MAAC
2012    Joe DiBari, Fordham
2011    Lenn Robbins, New York Post
2010    Bruce Beck, NBC Sports
2009    Tim Camp, New Jersey Tech
2008    Joel Blumberg, MBWA
2007    not awarded
2006    Larry Torres, Madison Square Garden
2005    Jill Skotarczak, MAAC
2004    Jim O'Connell, Associated Press
2003    Jeff Bernstein, NYU
2002    Michael Graime, NJ Sports Authority
2001    Shawn Brennan, Iona/MAAC
2000    Tim Capstraw, Wagner/TV Commentator
1999    Chris Fallon, NIT
1998    Jon Halpert, Yeshiva
1997    Helen Strus, NJ Sports Authority
1996    John Wooding, Seton Hall
1995    Dave Siroty, Northeast Conference
1994    Josephine Traina, Madison Square Garden
1993    Nick Macarchuk, Fordham
1992    Lou Carnesecca, St. John's
1991    Chuck Stogel, MBWA
1990    Jay Williams, MAAC
1989    John Paquette, Seton Hall
1988    Dave Magarity, Marist
1987    P.J. Carlesimo, Seton Hall