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Cinn BBCover5_Layout 1 1/10/12 3:26 PM Page 1 IFC_Cincinnati Enquirer_Layout 1 11/2/11 4:04 PM Page 1 Annd don’t miss the UC Blog: ic ncinnati.com/blogs/uc/ Follow Bill Koch (@bkochh) on TTww :retti TTwwitter.com/bkochoc 001 TOC copy_Layout 1 1/10/12 3:27 PM Page 1 > What’s Inside Table of Contents FEATURES 2 011-12 B EARCATS GAMEDAY An Unexpected Path to Cincinnati Cheikh Mbodj Finds his Dreams in a Whole New World..................................................2 The official 2011-12 University of Cincinnati Gameday Magazine Big Apple Connection is published by the UC Athletics Department and IMG College. Borough-Born Bearcat Continues NYC to Cincinnati Pipeline............................................6 UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI STAFF Editorial PLAYBOOK Cincinnati Sports Communications Department Head Coach Mick Cronin ....................................8 Editor Katie Baran Assistant Coaches ................................................10 Assistant Editors Meet the Bearcats ................................................14 Andre Foushee, Ryan Koslen, The University of Cincinnati ..............................28 Jeremy Martin, Doug Mosley, Jeff Geiser Contributing Photography and Images President Gregory H. Williams ..........................30 Brett Hansbauer, Frank Victores, Jay Yocis, Jeff Director of Athletics Whit Babcock ....................32 Harwell, Ashley Kempher, Bob Levey, Stephen UC Basketball History ........................................34 Pinchback, Lisa Ventre, UC Photographic Services, Mayhew and Pepper Photography, Cincinnati USA Oscar Robertson: Bearcat Legend ......................38 Regional Chamber. Fifth Third Arena ................................................40 Cincinnati Spirit ..................................................42 Tradition..............................................................43 Head Coaches......................................................44 www.imgworld.com Bearcats in the NBA ............................................46 888/484-4678 Retired Numbers ................................................48 CORPORATE OFFICERS UCATS................................................................50 Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tip-Off Club ......................................................53 Michael Dolan President, Sports and Entertainment Compliance..........................................................54 George Pyne Opponent Rosters................................................56 Scorecard..............................................................58 IMG COLLEGE President 2011-12 SCHEDULE Ben Sutton Jr. Chief Operating Officer Date/Result School Time Tony Crispino Senior Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer 11/1 McGill (exh.) ......................................7 p.m. Mark Dyer 11/8 Northern Ky. (exh.) ..........................7 p.m. Vice President, Strategic Communications Andrew Giangola 11/13 Alabama State ....................................7 p.m. Chief Sales & Marketing Officer 11/15 Jacksonville State ................................7 p.m. Roger VanDerSnick 11/19 Presbyterian ........................................4 p.m. BEARCATS SPORTS MARKETING 11/21 Northwestern State ............................7 p.m. VP and General Manager John Mason 11/25 Marshall ..............................................7 p.m. Partner Services Coordinator 11/29 Miami (Ohio) ....................................7 p.m. Rachel Cravens 12/2 at Georgia............................................7 p.m. Account Executives Brian Florko, Joe Gallagher 12/10 at Xavier ......................................12:30 p.m. Bearcats Sports Marketing/IMG College 12/14 at Wright State ....................................7 p.m. P.O. Box 210021 2751 O’Varsity Way, Suite 8700 12/17 Radford ..............................................2 p.m. Cincinnati OH 45221 12/21 Arkansas-Pine Bluff ............................7 p.m. Phone: (513) 556-4531 Fax: (513) 556-4538 12/23 Chicago State ......................................7 p.m. 12/29 Oklahoma ..........................................9 p.m. PUBLISHING Senior Vice President, Operations 1/1 at Pittsburgh........................................7 p.m. Joe Potter 1/4 Notre Dame........................................7 p.m. Vice President, Publishing John Justus 1/7 St. John’s..............................................2 p.m. Director of Publishing 1/9 at Georgetown ....................................9 p.m. Kirk Phillips 1/14 Villanova ..............................................Noon Managing Editors Chad Laytham, Jason Crisler 1/18 at Connecticut ....................................7 p.m. Assistant Managing Editors 1/21 at West Virginia ..................................3 p.m. Dan King, Matt Coy Project Editors 1/23 Syracuse ..............................................7 p.m. Jason Brunn, Kara Koscelski 1/28 at Rutgers............................................6 p.m. Editorial Division Dan Peters, Richard Groves, Jeffrey Salmon, Todd Krise, 2/4 DePaul ................................................7 p.m. John Stegeman, Courtney Feltner 2/8 at St. John’s..........................................7 p.m. Creative Director Kristy Marques 2/11 at Marquette ......................................3 p.m. Design Studio 2/15 Providence ..........................................9 p.m. Sarah Jane Snowden, Joy Chambers 2/18 Seton Hall ..........................................4 p.m. PUBLICATION ADVERTISING/MARKETING 2/23 Louisville ............................................9 p.m. Director, Local/Regional Print Sales 2/26 at USF..................................................Noon Doug Iler, 502/459-4346 Marketing Manager & Fulfillment Director 2/29 Marquette ..........................................7 p.m. Matt Briggs, 859/226-4556 3/3 at Villanova ........................................2 p.m. www.gobearcats.com | 1 002, 004 Feature 1 copy_Layout 1 1/10/12 3:28 PM Page 1 > An Unexpected Path to Cincinnati Cheikh Mbodj Finds his Dreams in a Whole New World By Lindsay Brash magine moving more than 4,000 miles from Ieverything you know. Now, envision having to adjust to a new culture and way of life. It seems like a challenge for most, but it’s a reality for Dakar, Senegal, born Cheikh Mbodj. In a country where soccer and wrestling dominate, Mbodj went against the norm and found basketball. Having grown up by a basketball court, he and his classmates would play ‘street ball’ after soccer practice. As he became more serious and continued to improve on the court, his family and friends started to encour- age his playing career. “I started getting serious when people started telling me I could be a really good basketball player and I should focus on it,” Mbodj said. Mbodj got his big break when he received invita- tions to play at a variety of camps, catching the atten- tion of Amadou Gallo Fall. Fall, who currently serves as the vice president of development for NBA Africa, > Cheikh Mbodj grew up by a basketball court and first saw Mbodj when he walked by a court where made it his ticket to the U.S. and a successful bas- Mbodj was playing. Impressed by how he played, Fall ketball career. invited Mbodj to his school in Senegal that focuses on sports and education. “It was a tough transition because Senegal and the “I ended up going to (Fall’s) school playing basket- U.S., are not the same,” Mbodj said. “I found a lot of ball and going to a lot of camps like Africa Without differences and a lot of troubles with culture shock Borders in South Africa, which is an NBA camp,” and all of that. It wasn’t easy.” Mbodj said. “A lot of college coaches have been trav- The biggest culture shock Mbodj had to overcome eling to Senegal to bring their school there for visits. A was the language barrier. Growing up in Senegal, his lot of them were telling me I should come over here primary language was French. Coming to America, and play. At this time I was already living the dream Mbodj had to shift to using English and trying to find playing basketball, but then I ended up getting a schol- the right words to express his thoughts. But the lan- arship to play basketball at the junior college in Texas.” guage barrier wasn’t the only struggle Mbodj had to In pursuit of his dream, the 6-foot-10 guard moved overcome when he arrived to the U.S. People also ap- to the United States three years ago when he received proached him differently. a scholarship to play at Grayson County College, a jun- “Back home more people are helping you out ior college in North Texas. In his two years, Mbodj av- and are more outgoing,” Mbodj said. “When I first eraged 14.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per got here, it was kind of different because of the lan- game. He earned recognition for his outstanding play guage issues.” by being named the 2011 North Texas Junior College While Mbodj was able to adjust with the help of Athletic Association co-player of the year and an his coaches and teammates, he wasn’t sure how much NJCAA All-American honorable mention. the language barrier was preventing him from getting However, while the transition was easy on the to know Americans and their lifestyle. court, the same could not be said about the adjustment However, the move from Senegal to Dallas, Texas, to his new way of life. helped prepare Mbodj for the next step in his life — 2 | Cincinnati Men’s Basketball Program IT'S NOT BIG, BUT IT'S HUGE. Sometimes it’s the smallest changes that make the biggest difference. With charging stations at the gate, you can make that last phone

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