Athletics News
Penders Honored with Life Achievement Award
WASHINGTON, DC (Nov. 4) Tom Penders, men's basketball coach at The George Washington University, received the Gardner C. Taylor Life Achievement Award from Concord Family Services Nov. 1 in Brooklyn, NY. The award honors Penders for developing young men for more than 30 years, both on and off the court, into successful and productive citizens holding himself and them to the highest standards and encouraging their academic achievement as well as their basketball prowess.

Penders has a career record of 513-343 (.599) in 29 seasons at six schools. His record at GW stands at 35-24 in two seasons including an appearance in the 1999 NCAA Tournament in his first season in Washington.

A native of Stratford, CT, Penders attended the University of Connecticut where he starred in both baseball and basketball, serving as captain of both teams as a senior. Penders is one of a select group of athletes who has participated in both the NCAA basketball tournament (1965 & 1967) as well as the College World Series (1965).

He also is under consideration for UConn's 20-member All-Century basketball team. Penders, who played for the Huskies from 1964-67, was one of the top free throw shooters in UConn history with a 77.8 career FT percentage.

Penders began his coaching career at Bullard Havens Tech (CT) High School and, after one season there, moved to Bridgeport Central (CT) High School where he was head coach for two more years. He left for his first college coaching job at Tufts after winning 59 of 69 games in three years at the high school level.

Penders' Colonials open the regular season Saturday, Nov. 18, against Texas A&M in a 7:30 pm game at GW's Smith Center.

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