By SPENCER BATES
OLEAN — In 2021, St. Bonaventure men’s basketball coach Mark Schmidt established the first-ever Coaches vs. Cancer 716 Classic.
Five years and over $400,000 raised for cancer research later, the golf tournament, now held at Bartlett Country Club, is still going strong, and continuing to honor the tradition of recognizing those that have made an impact in the community and in the fight against cancer. The Jim & Kathy Satalin Inspiration Award and the Bob Lanier Impact Award are designed to honor those who have done just that.
This year, former Maryvale High School basketball coach Mark Kensy was named the recipient of the Jim & Kathy Satalin Inspiration Award and former St. Bonaventure President Sister Margaret Carney was honored with the Bob Lanier Impact Award.
Kensy recalled the moment he heard from Schmidt about being named the recipient of the award. One in which he described being overwhelmed by emotion, but also one that he was able to recall with humor.
“On May 21 I received a phone call from coach Mark Schmidt,” Kensy said. “My mind was overcome with ideas of why he would be calling me. First thing I thought was that I might have some eligibility left, and he was offering me a roster spot. … Second, maybe he’s offering, offering me some NIL money. That’s not possible. He wouldn’t have enough to convince me to sign. Third, I thought he’s offering me a coaching position. That’s not possible either, because my wife would never allow me to go back to college. I called coach Schmidt back and he informed me about this wonderful award. Needless to say, I was stunned, overcome with emotion and very humbled.”
Kensy coached at Maryvale for 34 years, was inducted into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame and has been honored in several other ways, both for his efforts on the court and in the fight against cancer.
As per the 716 Classic website, “Coach Kensy started a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society when his son Garrett was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Maryvale has continued to run their Christmas tournament, as well as their famed “Alumni Game” which takes donations for Coaches vs. Cancer to participate in, even after Mark’s retirement. The school has fundraised over $30K to date for the Coaches vs. Cancer program in Western NY since its inception.”
Former Maryvale High School basketball coach Mark Kensy delivers a speech at the Coaches vs. Cancer 716 Classic reception at Bartlett Country Club in Olean after being named the Jim & Kathy Satalin Inspiration Award recipient. (Spencer Bates)
As for Carney, it was the sheer effort she put in during her time as the 20th president in the history of St. Bonaventure that earned her the Bob Lanier Impact Award.
According to the 716 Classic website, she invested $71 million in capital projects and was also critical in the 150th anniversary campaign for St. Bonaventure which surpassed its $90 million goal.
St. Bonaventure men’s basketball General Manager Adrian Wojnarowski, who had the honor of introducing Carney on the night, even noted that she may have saved the university.
“There’s just a lot of Bonaventure history in here, but to me, when you think of two giants in St. Bonaventure history, one in size, both in stature, that’s Bob Lanier and Sister Margaret. Sister Margaret, at a time when Bonaventure was at a tremendous crossroads, where our future was very much endowed, it is not an understatement to say that she really saved our university. At a time when we needed leadership, when we needed vision, Sister Margaret was there.”
In her speech that followed Wojnarowski’s introduction, she told stories of the time she spent with St. Bonaventure’s all-time great Bob Lanier, who died on May 10, 2022, and for whom the award is named. She spoke about the current challenges in the realm of collegiate athletics with NIL and the NCAA, but stated if Lanier were there to speak for himself, he would say ‘don’t give me any excuses.’ And in doing so encouraged others to never give up their fight, no matter what shape or form it may take.
“Don’t say that it’s the way it is. Don’t say we’re too small or we don’t have the votes,” Carney said. “He would say to us, ‘in your hands are the possibilities of a new future,’ just as he said to those countless young people that he worked with.”
Former St. Bonaventure President Sister Margaret Carney gives a speech at the Coaches vs. Cancer 716 Classic reception at Bartlett Country Club in Olean after being named the Bob Lanier Impact Award recipient. (Spencer Bates)
St. Bonaventure’s current president Dr. Jeff Gingerich provided a statement celebrating Carney’s achievements to the 716 Classic website as well.
“Sister Margaret was instrumental in restoring faith and confidence in the university at a critical time in our history,” Gingerich said. “Her leadership for more than a decade and her ability to convince people that the university was still worth investing in helped set the stage for the tremendous success we’ve experienced the last several years.”
The second part of the event, the Coaches vs. Cancer 716 Classic golf tournament, will be held on Aug. 25, also at Bartlett Country Club in Olean, with a starting time of 10:30 a.m.
