WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Mike McGarvey received the Curry Coach of the Year award, given annually to a member of the Lycoming coaching staff. The award was established in memory of Robert (Robby) D. Curry '05, who was the son of Robert '69 and Susan Curry. Robb was Lycoming's football recruiting coordinator and associate athletic director for 36 years, and Susan was an educator in the Williamsport area for more than 33 years. Robby was also the brother of Jessica Curry '01.
 
"It's a great honor," McGarvey said. "It's a really cool recognition for me and the team, especially our coaches. Anytime somebody is able to recognized as a Coach of the Year in an athletic department like we have with so many great coaches, it's a representation of what our staff has done. I give a lot of credit to them and their ability to help me grow as a young coach."
 
Coming off the team's only last-place finish in its 13 years in the MAC Commonwealth, the Lycoming men's basketball team was overhauled by second-year head coach, as the team that entered Lamade Gym in mid-October featured two seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and a school-record 12 freshmen.

 
Early results were promising – wins over defending ACAA champs SUNY Delhi and defending CSAC champion Rosemont was followed by an overtime win against a surging Susquehanna. By the time the new year approached, the Warriors were 8-4 and the team also posted its most successful fall semester in the classroom in six years. Mid-January brought four straight wins, including a dominating 91-79 win over Widener, who ended up running away with the regular-season title. Heading into February, the postseason, with a team that was 73 percent freshmen, was a foregone conclusion.
 
"Coach McGarvey is an awesome coach and a great model," Dangerfield said. "He holds us all to a high standard and he knows we are capable of achieving it. He makes sure we do what we are supposed to do, but when we aren't doing what we are supposed to do, he reaches out to us and he asks if we're OK. With a guy like that that wants the best for you and knows how to be a dad and a basketball coach is awesome."
 
Despite finishing in a tie for second in the league at the end of the regular season, the Warriors entered the MAC Commonwealth Championship as the Number 4 seed due to some unfavorable tiebreakers. From there, the Warriors won three games in six days, beating Hood, the conference's preseason favorite in the first round, 80-78, Widener, the regular-season champions, 90-77, in the semifinals and the defending champions, Arcadia, 68-64, in the finals.
 
By the time the season came to a close in the NCAA Tournament first round, the Warriors had reached 20 wins for the sixth time in program history. They led the MAC Commonwealth in scoring defense, allowing 70.7 points per game and hit a school-record 287 3-pointers during the season. Darius Dangerfield developed into a First Team All-MAC Commonwealth point guard and Dyson Harward was named the MAC Commonwealth Freshman of the Year, averaging 12.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and a school-record 2.3 blocks per game. Five players finished the year averaging at least 8.0 points per game and that school-record group of freshmen accounted for half of the team's scoring.