The tournament, which spanned four days and also featured teams from the College of the Holy Cross and the University of Illinois Chicago, was named in memory of Fordham graduate Tom Konchalski, FCRH ’68, a New York City native widely regarded as one of the most trusted basketball scouts in the country. His four-decade career included assessments of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James as high school players.

“Not only was he one of the most universally respected people in the industry, he was also one of the most well liked,” said Ed Kull, Fordham’s athletic director. “He exalted the values of his Jesuit education every day of his life and I’m honored to help carry on his legacy with the Tom Konchalski Classic.”

On Feb. 9, 2021, one day after Konchalski’s death at the age of 74, New York Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen, FCRH ’83, told viewers that while Konchalski “may not have been what’s called a household name, in basketball homes, he was legendary.”

“Tom was the most influential, the most respected, and the most loved high school basketball scout in the country,” said Breen, who recently received WFUV’s Vin Scully Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting. “He helped thousands of young men, thousands of high school basketball players, achieve their dreams of playing college basketball and beyond. And every single day, he did it with kindness and humility.”

In addition to honoring Konchalski, the tournament pays tribute to the memory of Jim O’Connell, a Hall of Fame basketball writer who served as sports information director for the Fordham Rams from 1976 to 1978.

When he died in 2018 at the age of 64, Syracuse University head men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim told Sports Illustrated that O’Connell—known to many simply as “Oc”—covered sports “in a positive way, always,” and “was always good to players, coaches, fans—everybody.” The tournament’s standout student-athlete takes home the Jim O’Connell Most Outstanding Player award, earned this year by Fordham graduate student guard Darius Quisenberry.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, the opening day of the tournament, Fordham also hosted a “Celebration of Basketball,” benefiting the Thomas C. Konchalski Foundation and honoring Bob Hurley Sr., the Hall of Fame coach who led St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, to 26 state basketball championships.

The Rams have started the 2022–2023 season with a 5-1 record, winning all five of their home games. They next face Harvard at the Rose Hill Gym at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27. The game will feature a special halftime ceremony honoring the family of former Fordham athletic director Frank McLaughlin, FCRH ’69, in whose name the gym court will be named.

Konchalski was born in Manhattan and moved to Elmhurst, Queens, as a child. While he did not possess athletic gifts himself, he fell in love with the game of basketball and spent time in his youth following Connie Hawkins from playground to playground to watch him play.

After graduating from Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, Konchalski attended Fordham College at Rose Hill, where he majored in political science and philosophy. Upon graduating magna cum laude, he began teaching eighth grade social studies and math. He stuck with teaching for just over a decade before he turned his passion for basketball into a career.

He was hired in 1979 to work for Howard Garfinkel, the founder of Five-Star Basketball Camp and publisher of a scouting newsletter called the High School Basketball Insider (HSBI). After writing the newsletter for five years, Konchalski bought HSBI from Garfinkel in 1984, and he continued to write and run it until retiring in 2020. His impact on the game is evidenced by his candidacy for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021 as a contributor.

An Oracle-Like Predictor of Players’ Potential

Konchalski’s process was the stuff of legend in the basketball world. He would enter and leave gymnasiums, in the New York metropolitan region and beyond, as quietly as a six-foot-six scout could, making his way to the top row of the bleachers to watch games among fans and players’ families. He would focus on a handful of players during games, jotting down just about any kind of statistic one could track, as well as pithy descriptions to include in the newsletter (“Scores like we breathe,” “Bodyguard w/surgeon’s touch”). His notes, according to those who knew him, were almost supplementary, as he reportedly had a photographic memory of every moment in a basketball game.

At his home in Forest Hills, Queens, Konchalski—who didn’t own a car, cell phone, or computer—would turn his notes and recollections into the final HSBI form: stapled, typewritten, hard-copy pages that he placed into manila envelopes and sent out to college basketball coaches around the country 16 times a year. The newsletter’s tagline was, “Others tell you where they’ve been. We tell you where they’re going.” And the biggest names in college coaching, from Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski to Villanova’s Jay Wright, trusted Konchalski as an oracle-like predictor of players’ potential for success.

‘Respected and Loved By All’

Many of those same coaches expressed their admiration for Konchalski upon his passing, which came two years after he was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Krzyzewski said of him, “He was a saint. There was something divine about his work and about him.” Kentucky’s John Calipari called him “one of the best human beings I have ever come across.”

Outside of his eye for talent, Konchalski was known for his personal touch. He got to know players and their families and placed an emphasis on helping people make their lives better through the sport. When he retired last year, he said, “I love the game of basketball and I love the people in the game of basketball, the players and the coaches.”

Frank McLaughlin, FCRH ’69, athletic director emeritus and associate vice president of student affairs for athletic alumni relations and external affairs at Fordham, described Konchalski as “a gentle giant, respected and loved by all.”

“[He] helped so many student-athletes achieve their dreams. Tom was truly a man for others.”

The second phase of updates to the court, which focused on new flooring, is scheduled to be finished by mid-October.

“[It is] a much more modern and professional, state-of-the-art approach for a building that is close to 100 years old,” said Aldo Di Vitto, assistant director of architectural services.

The court is located in Fordham’s historic Rose Hill Gym, a building steeped in 94 years of history. For decades, it has hosted hundreds of basketball and volleyball games. Year after year, it has seen Encaenia ceremonies, Block F Awards dinners, Fordham Prep graduations, and performances by musicians like the Ramones. During World War II, it was even used as a U.S. Army barracks. The gym’s name has stayed the same, but the court was recently renamed the Frank McLaughlin Family Basketball Court in honor of Frank McLaughlin, FCRH ’69, a former Ram team captain, current associate vice president of student affairs for athletic alumni relations and external affairs, and distinguished athletic director emeritus.

Today, the building remains the oldest regularly-used NCAA Division I gym in the country. But nearly a century of wear and tear took its toll on the space. In the last 15 years, the arena has undergone several small-grade upgrades. In 2017, the University initiated a massive two-phase project—the most significant renovation to date. The first phase involved replacing all lower spectator seating; new bleachers with a seating capacity of 3,470 were installed, while chair back seats were placed behind the team benches.

Then just a few days after Fordham’s 2019 commencement, the second phase of renovations began. In roughly four-and-a-half months, the University, in collaboration with Caldwell & Walsh Building Construction, Inc. completely replaced the gym’s flooring system with a modern alternative. The new state-of-the-art wood surface contains shock-absorbing materials that reduce strain on student-athletes’ bodies, as well as a waterproof membrane that keeps moisture away.

“When you come down [on the floor after jumping], you compress your entire body, and you exert a ton of energy through your legs into the floor. You have this tremendous compressive force when you land,” explained John Puglisi, associate vice president for facilities management. “This floor will actually absorb that energy and return it much slower, so you don’t get the shock in your knees and ankles.”

In addition, the “sprung floor” gives student-athletes an extra boost.

“When you compress the floor, you compress these gaskets, if you will, or these pads,” Puglisi said. “And all of the energy gets returned back up to you.”

In a two-minute-long time-lapse video, viewers can watch the lengthy construction process from start to near completion. Workers in construction hats strip away the wooden panels, revealing compacted soil that is soon replaced with concrete. The surrounding walls morph from concrete to sheetrock. The pipes that once ran along the perimeter of the arena now run underneath the floor. Over the next three weeks, the floor will receive its finishing touches, and the bleachers, temporarily moved to a different location during construction, will be reinstalled in the space.

“The concept here was to provide a safer playing surface for our student-athletes,” Puglisi said.

The first basketball game played on the new floor will take place on Nov. 5. The women’s basketball team is scheduled to play Notre Dame University at 7 p.m. and the men’s basketball team will play St. Francis College at 9:30 p.m. There will be a Maroon Club Reception at Bepler Commons prior to the double-header at 5:30 p.m. 

To date, the court’s $2.5 million fundraising campaign has raised more than $1.5 million—more than half of its intended goal. Donations in support of the court renovations can be made here.

Donors John Zizzo, FCRH ’69, John Costantino, GABELLI ’67, LAW ’70, and John Lumelleau, FCRH ’74, have joined forces to launch the Costantino, Lumelleau, and Zizzo Football Office Challenge.

As part of the challenge, any gift earmarked for the Football Office Renovation and Improvement Project of at least $1,000, to a total of $625,000, will be matched by them on a 2:1 basis.

“Providing the best facilities to‎ our students, student-athletes, and coaches is an important element which enhances their experiences at Fordham and also drives the journey to excellence in all aspects,” said Costantino, a trustee emeritus.

It’s a move that could advance recruitment and help to build a championship-level football program at Fordham, said head football coach Andrew Breiner.

“It would enable us to house the entire coaching staff in one location and provide more meeting space for the players,” he said. “This project would be a major step forward for the future of Fordham football.”

Over the past five years, the Fordham Rams have made many strides. In 2014, a record-breaking year for Fordham athletics, the football team made an NCAA appearance and was awarded the Patriot League Championship.

“Given the success of our program, we want to provide our students and coaches the necessary tools to remain competitive,” said David Roach, director of intercollegiate athletics.

For Zizzo, a former defensive tackle who helped lead the Rams to the 1968 National Club Football Championship, playing football is about more than just winning and losing.

“Football taught me discipline, courage, responsibility, and leadership,” said Zizzo, a retired real estate attorney and member of the University’s Board of Trustees.

Looking back at his years playing football at Fordham, Zizzo said teamwork was the main ingredient of the Rams’ success. Through the Football Office Challenge with Costantino and Lumelleau, that couldn’t be truer.

“Those kinds of collaborative skills, and working together to succeed in any business or any aspect of life, are very important attributes,” he said. “Student-athletes have to understand what it takes, and playing football teaches you that.”

But to Frank McLaughlin, FCRH ’69, a former Ram team captain and standout player, the court is simply known as “home.”

“Fordham to me has always been about family,” said McLaughlin, the University’s associate vice president of student affairs for athletic alumni relations and external affairs, and distinguished athletic director emeritus. “I’ve been fortunate to have had a long career in athletics here. I’ve seen a lot of great things happen [at Rose Hill]and shared in a lot of successes.”

To honor McLaughlin’s legacy, the Rose Hill Gym’s basketball court will be renamed the Frank McLaughlin Family Basketball Court as part of a $2.5 million fundraising campaign, which aims to herald a new chapter in Fordham’s athletics program. So far, more than $1.3 million has been raised to support the University’s efforts.

As McLaughlin’s career nears its half-century mark, he said he is especially excited for the future of the Rose Hill Gym, which will be transformed into a more fan-friendly basketball arena equipped with new spectator seating, a state-of-the-art wood surface, and an upper balcony with a hospitality suite. The prospective changes offer the most significant renovation to date for the 92-year-old, 3,200-seat gym, which has had several small-scale upgrades over the last 15 years.

“It provides our coaches with a better opportunity to attract outstanding student-athletes,” he said.

McLaughlin guided the Rams to the National Invitation Tournament in 1968 and 1969. The former hoops star also helped win a record-breaking 23 home games in two seasons, defeating Seton Hall, Syracuse, and Georgetown, among others. Later, he served as an assistant to famed basketball coach Richard “Digger” Phelps on the nationally ranked 1971 Fordham men’s team before serving as the University’s athletics director for 27 years. In 2016, he was inducted into the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.

“Frank truly bleeds maroon,” said Darlene Luccio Jordan, FCRH ’89, a member of the Board of Trustees. “He has been a force both on Fordham’s basketball court and then courtside for more than four decades. I couldn’t think of a more fitting tribute to Frank, [his wife]Susan, and their girls than to name the Rose Hill Gym’s basketball court in honor of his family.”

Fordham family

The McLaughlin family has been associated with the Rose Hill Gym since 1945. The son of a New York City police officer, McLaughlin grew up in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx, where he said basketball was the premier sport in his family. His three brothers, Walter, FCRH ’53, Tommy, and Jackie graduated from Fordham Preparatory School on the Rose Hill campus—and they all played on the court.

The McLaughlin family connection continued at Fordham through McLaughlin’s daughters, Tara, GABELLI ’99, Heather, FCRH ’02, and Colleen, GABELLI ’05.

Throughout his career at Fordham, McLaughlin sought to create a supportive environment that would assist student-athletes in reaching their greatest potential on and off the court. He recruited first-rate coaches who understood that being a good athlete and a good student were not mutually exclusive.

“The student-athlete that goes to Fordham realizes that we want to be successful athletically, but it’s not a win at-all-costs attitude,” said McLaughlin. “They realize that the top priority for coming here is to receive an outstanding education, and then to compete at the highest level athletically.”

Returning home 

McLaughlin’s unique leadership and recruitment approach has had an impact on other institutions, too. When Phelps went on to coach at Notre Dame in the early ’70s, McLaughlin followed, helping to guide the top-ranking Fighting Irish to NCAA tournament bids. As the head men’s basketball coach at Harvard University from 1977 to 1985, his record ranked fifth in the school’s history of basketball wins.

“Coach McLaughlin is a tremendous coach and leader who has given back much to the game of basketball and to Fordham University, both of which mean so much to him,” said Tommy Amaker, Harvard’s head men’s basketball coach.

McLaughlin found his way back to his alma mater when he was named Fordham’s athletic director in 1985.

 “Frank was never too busy to do something that was to Fordham’s advantage and interest,” said Edward H. Mank, a Massachusetts-based backer of the McLaughlin Family Court, who first met McLaughlin when he was a coach for the Harvard Crimson.

Advancing Fordham athletics

David Roach, who succeeded McLaughlin as director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation in 2012, said the renovations will be a draw for fans. “The new seating will also allow spectators to have an enjoyable game-viewing experience throughout the season.”

Current and former members of Fordham’s athletic community said the McLaughlin Family Court might usher in a new era of men and women’s basketball at Fordham.

“[Frank] has seen the ups and the downs. He’s seen Fordham ranked nationally,” said University of Colorado Associate Head Coach Jean Prioleau, FCRH ’92, former basketball player who helped the Rams make it to the NCAA Tournament in 1992. “He’s the sounding board for letting a new generation know that it can be done at Fordham because he has seen it happen.”

The University has also announced a national search to fill the position of athletic director, held by McLaughlin for 27 years.

“Frank McLaughlin is an institution at Fordham, and under his leadership the University’s athletic program has matured and prospered,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham. “We are delighted to retain his long experience and wisdom as we open a new chapter in the University’s athletic tradition.”

In his new position, McLaughlin’s responsibilities will include providing leadership for institutional efforts focused on athletic alumni relations, fundraising and external athletic affairs as well as supporting the overall University fundraising and campaign efforts with a special focus on intercollegiate athletics. He will also work closely with varsity coaches and athletic department staff in identifying fundraising needs and opportunities for individual programs, and advancing efforts in support of same.

“I am grateful, and humbled, by all the opportunities Fordham has given me, including this latest one,” McLaughlin said. “It has been an honor to lead the University’s athletic program, and I’m excited to step into this new role while continuing to mentor student athletes.”

McLaughlin has been at Fordham since taking over as the athletic director at his alma mater in 1985. After serving as the athletic director for 13 years, McLaughlin was promoted to executive director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation in the spring of 1998.

The University is assembling a search committee for the athletic director position, and will pursue highly qualified candidates from across the country, with the goal of filling the position during the fall semester.

“The athletic program has expanded significantly and become a professional operation on Frank’s watch,” Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Jeffrey L. Gray said. “I admire him personally and professionally. He is an outstanding husband and father, and the many achievements we’ve made in athletics are due to his strong leadership and good judgment. I look forward to working with Frank in his new capacity, where he will continue to serve the University and the athletic department in advancing our important mission.”

Under McLaughlin’s tenure, the Fordham athletic department has experienced numerous changes. Among those has been the recent renovation of the Bahoshy Softball Field, a new football locker room, new basketball locker rooms and renovations to Jack Coffey Field and the Murphy Field complex.  Both fields have been resurfaced with state of the art FieldTurf, with Coffey Field adding lights, a baseball press box and a new scoreboard. Murphy Field, a multi-purpose athletic facility, added tennis courts, a softball field, and a soccer, football and recreational field, all lighted.  Under McLaughlin’s watch, the athletic department constructed the Walsh Training Center, the first varsity training center at Fordham dedicated exclusively to student-athletes.

McLaughlin has also overseen the addition of eight full-time coaching positions, the promotion of several coaches from part-time to full-time status and the addition of full-time staffing in the sports medicine, strength and conditioning and sports information offices. He also directed the addition of women’s soccer and rowing as a varsity sports.

During McLaughlin’s time as athletic director, the Rams experienced success both on and off the playing fields. Since 1985, Fordham has won 26 conference championships, including the 2011 Atlantic 10 softball title last spring, the 2010 Atlantic 10 Women’s Swimming Championship, and two Patriot League football championships.

Academically, Fordham annually ranks among the leaders in the number of student-athletes named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and has routinely been among the national leaders in NCAA Academic Progress Rates, ranking 18th in the country in 2011.

A 1969 Fordham graduate and standout basketball student-athlete, McLaughlin captained the Rams during his senior season and was drafted by the New York Knicks following graduation.  He went on to become an assistant coach at the College of the Holy Cross and after a season there returned to Fordham as an assistant under Richard “Digger” Phelps in 1970-1971, helping the Rams to a 26-3 record (.897) and an NCAA Tournament appearance.  Fordham finished the season with a ranking of ninth in the nation.

McLaughlin moved to Notre Dame with Phelps the following year where he was a major part of the Fighting Irish’s program through his outstanding recruiting and academic guidance.  He helped the Irish to consistent national rankings and NCAA Tournament bids.

In 1977, McLaughlin was named the head coach at Harvard University, where he remained for eight years.  In his final season he compiled a 15-9 mark, and currently ranks fourth in both seasons and wins in Crimson history.

McLaughlin and his wife, Susan, have three daughters: Tara Marie (a 1999 Fordham graduate), Mary Heather, (a 2002 Fordham graduate) and Colleen Patrice (a 2005 Fordham graduate).  The McLaughlins reside in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.

“We are excited to find a coach with the experience and accomplishments of Kevin Leighton,” said McLaughlin. “We have a proud and successful baseball tradition at Fordham and look to Kevin, with the support of our alumni, to build on that success and the winning traditions.”

Fordham has the oldest and winningest baseball program in NCAA history. Through the 2011 season, the Rams have compiled 4,074 all-time victories, over 800 wins more than second place Texas (3,246).

Leighton, who won more than 30 games in each of his six seasons as head coach with the Jaspers, is coming off one of his most successful seasons, leading Manhattan to its second MAAC Championship and second appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Jaspers finished the season with a 34-19 record with six players earning All-MAAC honors, including the MAAC Pitcher of the Year.

Manhattan also had four players named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Northeast Region Team.  Leighton was also honored, being named the Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Jaspers to the regular season crown with a 20-2 conference record.

“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to lead such a prestigious baseball program with a rich tradition at a great school like Fordham,” said Leighton. “I am very appreciative to everyone at Fordham for giving me this opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting the program to the top of the Atlantic 10.”

In Leighton’s second year at the helm of the Jaspers, he led the team to it first MAAC championship and an appearance in an NCAA Regional as the Jaspers advanced to the regional final in 2006. Manhattan won 34 games that year, including three wins over nationally ranked opponents, most notably, #6 Nebraska in the NCAA Regional. Leighton was recognized that year as the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year.

Leighton, the third winningest baseball coach at Manhattan in the program’s 142 years, has a 200-119-1 career record as head coach.  He has mentored 51 All-MAAC recipients since joining the program in 2002, including 32 First Team selections. During his tenure, four Jaspers were named MAAC Pitcher of the Year, two earned MAAC Rookie of the Year honors, one was selected MAAC Player of the Year and one was recognized as MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year. Additionally, two Jaspers received All-America honors and seven were named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans.

Eleven players Leighton has coached have advanced to the professional ranks, and four currently play within a MLB organization.

Manhattan’s baseball success wasn’t limited to the playing field as 49 Jaspers earned MAAC All-Academic status since 2006. In 2008 Manhattan was honored with an NCAA Public Recognition Award for ranking in the top-10 percent of all Division I baseball programs in the multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) report.

In 2008 and 2009, the Jaspers won back-to-back MAAC Regular-Season Championships with Leighton being named 2009 MAAC Coach of the Year after Manhattan tied a program record notching 35 wins with one of the most powerful offenses in conference history. The 2009 Jaspers finished fifth in NCAA Division I and set the conference’s single season record with a .349 team batting average. Manhattan also set MAAC records with 657 hits and 130 doubles in a season.

Leighton guided the 2008 Jaspers to the program’s first MAAC Regular-Season title since joining the league in 1982. In 2007, the Jaspers set a school record with 35 wins, and advanced to the MAAC Championship game for the third time in the previous four seasons. The team also tallied a program-best 21 MAAC wins, including a 19-0 start to the conference season. Manhattan compiled a 16-game overall and 15-game road win streaks, both of which were tops in Division I at the time.

Prior to taking over as head coach, Leighton served as an assistant coach at Manhattan from 2002-04.

Leighton arrived in Riverdale after a standout four-year career at Seton Hall University. He helped the Pirates to back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances in 2000 and 2001. In 2001, he helped guide the Pirates to the Big East Championship, the program’s first title since 1987.

Leighton earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Seton Hall in 2001. He completed his master’s degree in administration and leadership in education at Manhattan in 2005. The Brewster, N.Y., native was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997.

McLaughlin, who has led the athletics department for the past 21 years, was a student-athlete at Fordham in the 1960s. His fund raising led the way to renovations of Jack Coffey Field, the Murphy Field Complex and a multipurpose athletics facility. He was inducted into the Catholic High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1988. For more details see the article on the Fordham Athletics web page.