Alfred University Athletics

The 1985-86 men's basketball team posted the program's second season of 20 or more wins, this being the second time for Head Coach Ron Frederes, having done so in his third season at the helm in 1980-81, as the Saxons went 20-7. The 1985-86 team finished with a record of 23-3 (25-3 with the two international school wins over Brock University and Conestoga College from Canada).
 
The Saxons opened the season with nine wins in a row, including the two over the Canadian institutions. It wasn't until their first meeting against St. Lawrence where the Saxons faced an overtime loss on the road in Canton, NY, 81-79. AU responded with another nine wins, including a home retribution win over St. Lawrence, 79-65. Nazareth College ended that streak as it would be the last regular season loss for the Saxons before going on another seven-game win streak, including an 88-86 NCAA East Regional, revenge win over Nazareth. The Saxons fell to Potsdam in the second round of the tournament, 80-51.
 
The '85-'86 men's basketball team broke multiple records including most wins in a season (23 official and 25 total), most points in a season (2,341), most home wins (15), best all-time win percentage (.893 overall) and most field goals in a season (938).
 
Brian Andrews '87, Chris Tighe '88 and Mike Wing '87 are all members of the Alfred University Athletics Hall of Fame. Andrews and Wing were inducted in 1997 and Tighe was inducted in 2016. Wing was named a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) East All-Region Second Team for the 1985-86 season as well as Independent College Athletic Conference (ICAC) All-Conference First Team. The ICAC became the Empire Athletic Association in 1991 and eventually became the Empire 8 in 1999.
 
For 32 years, their win record wouldn't be broken and only two more teams since would join the 20-win club (2018-19 Empire 8 Champions and 2022-23 ECAC Champions).
 
Members of the 1985-86 Men's Basketball Team

• Paul Amrose
• Brian Andrews
• Nick Azzara
• Tim Burkhart
• Jon Butinski
• Mike Casseri
• John Dagon
• Paul Harding
• Mike Kobis
• Dave Minnich
• Jim Stremich
• Chris Tighe
• Mike Wing
• Head Coach Ron Frederes
• Assistant Coach Chuck Crist
• Assistant Coach Ernie Childers

The 1985-86 Men's Basketball Schedule and Results

• Away – Hampden-Sydney Invitational Tournament
  • Newport News – W: 83-57
  • Hampden-Sydney – W: 75-65
• Away – Elmira – W: 78-69
• Home – Brock – W: 119-90 (International Exhibition)
• Home – Alfred Charity Cage Classic
  • Conestoga – W: 106-49 (International Exhibition)
  • John Jay – W: 84-64
• Home – Houghton – W: 98-81
• Home – Geneseo – W: 100-77
• Away – Hobart – W: 76-70
• Away – St. Lawrence – L: 79-81 (OT)
• Away – Clarkson – W: 74-69 (OT)
• Away – Ithaca – W: 57-54
• Home – Clarkson – W: 87-77
• Away – RPI – W: 68-59
• Home – RIT – W: 91-53
• Home – Hartwick – W: 86-77
• Home – RPI – W: 95-74
• Home – Rochester – W: 88-71
• Home – St. Lawrence – W: 79-65
• Home – Nazareth – L: 74-75
• Home – Buffalo – W: 76-70
• Home – Hobart – W: 100-90
• Away – RIT – W: 63-53
• Home – Fredonia – W: 91-75
• Away – Daemen – W: 97-59
• Home – Ithaca – W: 78-72
• Away – NCAA East Regional Tournament
  • Nazareth – W: 88-86
  • Potsdam – L: 51-80