JAMES LONERGAN OF COLORADO COLLEGE, a junior from Dallas, Texas, has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Week for the week ending January 25, 2015.
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Lonergan is living proof that you don’t need to be on the
court to make a big impact as a student-athlete. In fact, whether
it is in the classroom, on campus or in the community, Lonergan
continues to have a positive influence on his teammates, classmates
and an ever-expanding list of acquaintances he has made through his
involvement in a wide range of organizations.
The native of Dallas, Texas, first made his presence felt on the
hardwood during his freshman season when he scored 20 points at the
University of Dallas. Last year, he started 13 of 25 games,
including 12 of the final 16, while helping CC post a 17-8
record.
This season, Lonergan started the first seven games and averaged
6.4 points and 5.7 rebounds while leading the Tigers to a 3-1
record against Division III opponents. Unfortunately, he suffered a
thumb injury in practice just before the Thanksgiving Invitational,
and after playing through the pain that weekend, missed the next 12
games after undergoing surgery.
The first contest Lonergan missed was against Denver’s
Johnson & Wales University on Dec. 16. Ironically, thanks to
his efforts with Team Impact and Operation TBI Freedom, that day
will be remembered as one of the most emotional and inspirational
in program history.
Lonergan’s friendship with Carter Gates, a nine-year-old boy
from Colorado Springs who is battling leukemia, was featured on
NBC’s “Today Show.” Prior to the game, a press
conference was held to announce Gates was signing with the
Tigers.
At the beginning of the contest, Gates was introduced as Colorado
College’s sixth man and then scored the first basket of the
night to the delight of the crowd of nearly 700 fans.
Also in attendance that night were a group of military veterans who
had suffered traumatic brain injuries on or after Sept. 11, 2001.
The veterans, most of whom were injured while serving in
Afghanistan and Iraq, were introduced during a halftime
ceremony.
In May 2014, Lonergan and his teammates played paintball with some
of the clients of Operation TBI Freedom, and plans already are in
the works to do it again this spring.
While those relationships made headlines, Lonergan also is involved
in numerous campus organizations that go virtually unnoticed, but
provide extremely important services.
As a basketball representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee, Lonergan participates in activities such as Parents
Night Out, where student-athletes interact with young children
while their parents enjoy a stress-free evening.
Lonergan also has served on the Colorado College Honor Council
since 2012 and has been an executive member since 2013. This year,
he was selected to be on the President’s Council and is
currently running to be the student representative on the Board of
Trustees.
With all of his extra-curricular activities, it’s hard to
image that Lonergan has time for classes, but he has compiled an
impressive 3.66 grade-point average while majoring in economics
with an additional focus on psychology. His commitment to academic
excellence resulted in being named to the college’s
Dean’s List in 2014 and earning a spot on the SCAC Honor Roll
each of his first two years.
Looking ahead, Lonergan’s career aspirations include
attending law school and following in the footsteps of his parents,
both of whom are attorneys.
But for now, CC’s tri-captain has another goal to pursue.
With six games remaining in the regular season, look for Lonergan
to make an impact by returning to the court and leading the Tigers
to spot in the six-team SCAC postseason tournament.
To read about past SCAC Character & Community winners from the
2014-15 academic year, click here.