Metro Conference

Rik Smits - Marist College (1984-88)
Rik Smits is the only first-round NBA draft choice in Marist history, as he was selected #2 overall by the Indiana Pacers in 1988. "The Dunking Dutchman" went on to enjoy a 12-year NBA career, which included an All-Star appearance in 1998 and a 2000 Finals appearance in his final season. He totaled 12,871 points, 5,277 rebounds and 1,111 blocked shots in his NBA career. Smits is one of three Marist men's basketball players in school history to have his uniform number retired. His sophomore and junior years (1986 and 1987) were the only two times in school history the Marist men's basketball program has appeared in the NCAA Tournament. He was named ECAC Metro Conference Rookie of the Year in 1985, First Team All-Conference and Tournament MVP in 1986, Player of the Year and All-Tournament Team in 1987, and Player of the Year in 1988. He was named Associated Press Honorable Mention in 1988, and set 25 school records in his career. In his final game in a Marist uniform, he scored a then school-record 45 points - to match his uniform number - against St. Francis (Pa.). He completed his Marist career with 1,945 points, 811 rebounds and 345 blocked shots.

Alisa Kresge - Marist College (2003-07)
A three-time MAAC Defensive Player of the Year honoree, Alisa Kresge's smart and tough play is one of the most significant reasons behind the rise of the Marist women's basketball program to being a perennial power. In the 2003-04 season, Kresge took over as the Red Foxes' starting point guard midway through her freshman season. The Red Foxes went 13-4 with her in the starting lineup as the team earned its first MAAC Championship and made its first NCAA Tournament appearance. As a sophomore, Kresge was named the MAAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. In her junior year, she was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and Third Team All-MAAC as Marist returned to the NCAA Tournament. In the 2006-07 season, Kresge's efforts helped Marist become the first MAAC program - men's or women's - to reach the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen. She once again was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, and earned Second Team All-MAAC honors. In Marist's first- and second-round NCAA Tournament victories over Ohio State and Middle Tennessee State, Kresge tallied 17 assists and five steals. She is Marist's all-time assists leader with 596, and is second in program history in career steals with 222. Kresge capped her career by being named MAAC Student-Athlete of the Year in 2007.