Philadelphia, PA, February 18, 2011 – Stu Wittner has been appointed to coach the USA Open Men’s Basketball Team at the 12th Pan American Maccabi Games in São Paulo, Brazil, December 2011. Wittner is the former Head Coach at Pace University in NY and was a Graduate Assistant Coach at the University of Georgia. Wittner also coached at Clarke Central High School in Athens, GA. In recent years, Wittner has coached in a variety of youth organizations in the New Jersey area including the MetroWest JCC, the Morristown Neighborhood House and the Morris Area YMCA.
Wittner was an Honorable Mention All New York City player at Erasmus Hall HS in Brooklyn, NY and All Knickerbocker Conference as a freshman player at Pace University before transferring to and then graduating from the University of Georgia. Wittner was the youngest Head Coach in the country at age 23 when he was named coach at Pace and led the transition of the program from Division III to Division II. Wittner is currently Director of Podiatry at Aetrex Worldwide, Inc. a global foot care products and technology company. Stu and his family live in Morristown, New Jersey.
Barry Neuberger, Associate Athletic Director at Columbia University, is serving as the Chairman of the Open Men’s Basketball Team. “Stu Wittner will be an excellent coach for our team. He brings a great deal of experience having coached players at all levels. Stu’s knowledge of the game and his ability to teach and motivate will have our players fully prepared for this challenging international tournament,” Neuberger said.
“It’s a great honor to represent the United States and participate in the Maccabi Games,” Wittner said. “There will be 5,000 athletes from all over the world and I am looking forward to working with our players and fellow coaches to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of us.”
Interested athletes should visit the Maccabi USA website at maccabiusa.com to learn more about eligibility, download the application, and apply for the team. For more information please contact Barry Neuberger at barry.neuberger@gmail.com or at 212-854-7031.
About the organization:
Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel (MUSA) has an extensive history of enriching Jewish lives through athletic, cultural and educational programs. The organization is the official sponsor of the United States Team to the World Maccabiah Games, the Pan American Maccabi Games and the Maccabi competitions in Europe and Australia, as well as a co-founder of the JCC Maccabi Games for teens in North America. As the official Maccabi representative in the U.S., Maccabi USA supports Jewish athletic endeavors, enhanced by cultural and educational activities in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora.
MUSA develops, promotes and supports international, national and regional athletic-based activities and facilities. It strives to provide Jewish athletes the world over the opportunity to share their heritage and customs in competitive athletic settings. MUSA supports programs that embody the Maccabi ideals of Jewish continuity, Zionism and excellence in sport.