If you are a regular reader, you know I am most assuredly not a fan of college sports; most of all basketball. However, I am a huge fan of a great underdog story. If there is one underdog team that has swept the country it is the Peacocks of St. Peter’s University.
This small Jesuit college in Jersey City has defied the odds and made it to the NCAA “Sweet 16.” Founded in 1872, its total enrollment for the fall of 2021 was just over 3,000 according to the school’s website, as compared to the 31,000-plus enrollment at the University of Kentucky. Saint Peter’s coach, Shaheen Holloway, is a former McDonald’s All-American who went on to become a four-year starter for my Seton Hall Pirates in the late 1990s (I had to look that up). He played professionally abroad until 2007. He then joined Iona’s staff as an assistant coach before heading home to his Pirates in 2010 and joined the school’s coaching staff. He then moved on to his first head coaching gig at Saint Peter’s.
“I’ve got guys from New Jersey and New York City. You think we’re scared of anything? You think we’re worried about guys trying to muscle us and tough us out? We do that. That’s who we are.”
~ Saint Peter’s Head Coach, Shaheen Holloway
This is definitely my kind of guy. Born in Queens, he became a Jersey Boy early in life. He is true Jersey; dripping confidence and attitude. I love it.
So while I am not a basketball fan and will always be a Pirate, for this weekend (and hopefully for a few more weeks), I’ll share in some Jersey Peacock pride. Hopefully being a Jesuit college will result in some continued divine intervention.
This Is My New Jersey 