Former Niagara coach Joe Mihalich to be honored at Coaches vs. Cancer golf tournament
Aug. 8—Joe Mihalich is going to be honored in rival territory.
The former Niagara University men's basketball coach will be presented the Jim Satalin Inspiration Award by the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer program on Aug. 29 at Bartlett Country Club in Olean. The ceremony will occur after the Coaches vs. Cancer 716 Golf Classic.
The award is named after former St. Bonaventure men's basketball coach and athlete Jim Satalin, who helped create and expand a Coaches vs. Cancer program that has raised more than $130 million. The award is given annually to a "sports-minded individual," whohas assisted the American Cancer Society in Western New York.
The golf tournament will feature more than 30 foursomes composed of Division I men's basketball coaches in the region, as well as media analysts.
The keynote speaker of the reception will be longtime St. Joseph's head coach and current Michigan assistant coach Phil Martelli, who was the 2004 national coach of the year. Martelli's son, Phil, Jr., was an assistant for Mihalich at Niagara from 2006-2011.
Mihalich won 265 games and three MAAC championships with Niagara from 1998-2013, before heading to Hofstra, where he won three CAA championships from 2013-2021 until taking a leave of absence in 2020 and eventually left in 2021 after suffering a stroke. He is now special assistant to the head coach at LaSalle.
