INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) Bryan Burwell, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist, was elected president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association for 2010-11 at the annual USBWA business meeting Monday prior to the national collegiate basketball championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Burwell succeeds Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal as USBWA president.
Other officers elected were Lenox Rawlings, Winston-Salem Journal, first vice-president; John Akers, Basketball Times, second vice-president; and Kirk Wessler, Peoria Journal Star, third-vice president.
Elected to the USBWA Board of Directors were Kevin McNamara, Providence Journal; Dave Jones, Harrisburg Patriot-News; Robbi Pickeral, Raleigh News & Observer; John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader; Shannon Shelton, Detroit Free Press; Wally Hall, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; John Henderson, Denver Post; Hank Wesch, San Diego Union-Tribune; Dana O'Neil, espn.com; and Luke Winn, si.com.
Also Monday, the USBWA inducted three new members into the organization's Hall of Fame: Walter Byers, who as executive director of the NCAA was responsible for the formation of the USBWA in 1956; Skip Myslenski, Chicago Tribune; and Bud Withers, Seattle Times.
Chris Fallon, media relations director for the National Invitation Tournament, was presented with the Katha Quinn Award for service to the news media. The award is given in memory of former St. Johns University sports information director Katha Quinn, who passed away of cancer in 1989.
BYU basketball coach Dave Rose, a pancreatic cancer survivor, received the USBWA's Most Courageous Award and Memphis Commercial Appeal sportswriter Dan Wolken won the organization's Rising Star Award, recognizing the achievements of members 30 years of age or younger.
Carp was given the Ray Marquette Award for his leadership as president in 2009-10. Marquette was a sportswriter for the Indianapolis Star and USBWA executive director when he was killed in a plane crash in 1977.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information about the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-421-0339.
Related link:
• 2010-11 USBWA Board of Directors