SLS 17RS-686 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 38
BY SENATOR BISHOP
COMMENDATIONS. Commends the 2016-2017 UNO Privateers Men's Basketball team.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend the 2016-2017 University of New Orleans Privateers Men's Basketball team
3 as the 2016-2017 Southland Conference Champions; to commend Head Coach Mark
4 Slessinger as the 2016-2017 Southland Coach of the Year and 2016-2017 Louisiana
5 Coach of the Year; and to commend Erik Thomas as the 2016-2017 Southland
6 Conference Player of the Year and 2016-2017 Louisiana Player of the Year.
7 WHEREAS, the 2016-2017 University of New Orleans Privateers Men's Basketball
8 team finished the season with a 20-12 overall record, and a 13-5 league record to win the
9 Southland Conference regular season title – the most wins by the Privateers in over 20 years;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, the 2016-2017 University of New Orleans Privateers Men's Basketball
12 team seized the title of 2016-2017 Southland Conference Champions, earning the top seed
13 in the Southland Conference tournament; and
14 WHEREAS, Mark Slessinger, UNO Privateers Head Basketball Coach, through his
15 dedication, commitment to excellence, and perseverance, raised the Privateers overall wins
16 from 10-18 games, making them the most improved team among the nation's 351 Division
17 I programs; and
18 WHEREAS, Coach Slessinger, who led the Privateers to the first Division I winning
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SLS 17RS-686 ORIGINAL
1 season in more than ten years as well as a Southland Conference victory, was named
2 2016-2017 Southland Coach of the Year by the Southland Conference and Louisiana's Coach
3 of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association; and
4 WHEREAS, during the 2016-2017 season, senior forward Erik Thomas earned 616
5 points, 19.3 points per game, 250 rebounds, 78 rebounds per game, 223 field goals and 166
6 free throws; and
7 WHEREAS, Thomas averaged double digits for the Privateers in all 32 season
8 games; earning him honorable-mention Associated Press All-American, first-team National
9 Association of Basketball Coaches All-Region 23, third-team College Sports Madness
10 All-Mid Major, first-team All-Southland Conference and Southland Conference Most
11 Valuable Player; and
12 WHEREAS, he was named 2016-2017 Player of the Year by the Southland
13 Conference and 2016-2017 Louisiana Player of the Year by the Louisiana Sportswriters
14 Association.
15 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
16 does hereby commend the 2016-2017 UNO Privateers Men's Basketball Team upon receipt
17 of the 2017 Southland Conference title, does commend Head Coach Mark Slessinger on his
18 selection as 2016-2017 Southland Conference Coach of the Year and 2016-2017 Louisiana
19 Coach of the Year; and does further commend forward Erik Thomas on his selection as the
20 2016-2017 Southland Conference Player of the Year and 2016-2017 Louisiana Player of the
21 Year.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the
23 2016-2017 UNO Privateers Men's Basketball team and UNO Men's Basketball Head Coach
24 Mark Slessinger.
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SLS 17RS-686 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
SR 38 Original 2017 Regular Session Bishop
Commends the 2016-2017 UNO Privateers Men's Basketball Team winners of the 2017
Southland Conference Title, Head Coach Mark Slessinger on his selection as 2016-2017
Southland Conference Coach of the Year and 2016-2017 Louisiana Coach of the Year and
forward Erik Thomas on his selection as the 2016-2017 Southland Conference Player of the
Year and 2016-2017 Louisiana Player of the Year.
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