Eastern Connecticut State University

Through sheer persistence and hard work, Steven John Plesz earned a spot on the varsity roster as a sophomore, membership in the prestigious 1,000-point club as a senior, and today, a plaque in his alma mater’s hall of fame. Of modest height, quickness and jumping ability, the 5-foot-11 inch Willimantic native spent hours honing his skills in the local YMCA  and school gymnasiums, molding himself into one of the most prolific perimeter marksmen in program history. Lauded as a “self-made” player by Hall of Fame coach Dan Switchenko, Plesz amassed 1,172 points (14.0 ppg) in an 84-game career that concluded four years prior to the institution of the three-point field goal stripe. Plesz averaged 15.5 points in 75 games over his final three seasons, when he shot over 50 per cent from the floor. As a first-year sophomore varsity letterwinner in 1980-81, Plesz contributed a 10.3 scoring average to a team which totaled its most wins (16) and compiled its best winning percentage (.615) in nine years and qualified for its first-ever ECAC New England Division III tournament; as a junior, Plesz averaged a team-high 17.1 points for the 15-10 Warriors; and as a senior, he started all 25 games and led the team in scoring average (19.3) and average minutes (33.9) on the way to team MVP honors. On Feb. 3 of that season, Plesz electrified Geissler Gymnasium fans when his long buzzer-beating basket in double overtime made him the eighth 1,000-point scorer in program history and the Warriors a one-point winner.