Lasell’s Guitian Selected as Finalist for Prestigious Jostens Trophy

Newton, MA- Lasell's Jose Guitian has been selected as a top 10 finalist for the prestigious Jostens Trophy, a national award created by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va., to honor the most outstanding men's and women's Division III basketball players of the year.  The award recognizes those who truly fit the ideal of a well-rounded Division III student-athlete, and is based on three components: basketball ability, academic prowess, and community service.

There is no doubt that Guitian is one of the top Division III basketball players in the nation.  At 6'10", Guitian has a commanding presence in the post both offensively and defensively, which is demonstrated by the fact that he is ranked nationally in scoring (7th NCAA), rebounding (2nd NCAA), and blocked shots per game (18th NCAA).  Yet Guitian's ability transcends that of just a typical forward, as he can be found bringing the ball up the court and dishing it off with the skill of the best point guards and can also shoot from anywhere on the court.  These combined traits make him quite difficult to defend against, as any team he has played can tell you.  Guitian has recorded 21 double-doubles this season, and all that was while being double, and yes, sometimes triple-teamed.

The list of Guitian's basketball accolades can go on and on. The senior co-captain from Miami, Florida has surpassed 1,500 career points and 1,000 career rebounds during this, his final season.  He has been selected as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Week 9 times, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Week 4 times, and has been a D3Hoops.com national Team of the Week honoree 3 times, just this season.  He leads the GNAC in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots, and has broken the all-time scoring and all-time rebounding records at Lasell.

But talent on the basketball court is just the beginning of Guitian's impact.  Without question, he exemplifies the total student-athlete package as a leader on his team, as a student dedicated to his academics, and as a volunteer in the various aspects of community service he participates in, which includes acting as a mentor at the Boys & Girls Club in Newton, Mass., volunteering as a coach for a girl's volleyball team in Miami, and dedicating time to the SPARKS program for underprivileged children.  What makes Guitian stand out is his positive attitude, his incredible sportsmanship, and the high standards that he holds himself to in all aspects of his life, whether on the court or off.  It is easy to see why Jose has been honored as a finalist for this esteemed award. 

The list of finalists, which can be found below, will be forwarded to the 35-person national selection committee, who will complete the selection process by picking the two Jostens Trophy winners.

The Finalists are as follows:

Men's Finalists                                                 Women's Finalists

Jimmy Bartolotta, MIT                                        Melanie Auguste, Colorado College

Jose Guitian, Lasell College                               LeighAnn Burke, DeSales University

Rashawn Johnson, Wesley College                    Melissa Gorski, Monmouth College

Tim Madson, Bethel University                           Amanda Hiltunen, Randolph-Macon College

Scott Morton, SUNY Geneseo                           Hillary Klimowicz, The College of New Jersey

John Noonan, Ursinus College                           Sarah Meisenberg, Franklin & Marshall College

Joel Patch, Susquehanna University                   Margo Muhlbauer, Buena Vista University

Kent Raymond, Wheaton College                       Megan Scheele, Edgewood College

Jeff Skemp, UW-Plateville                                 Claire Sheehan, Illinois Wesleyan University

Tony Thrasher, Hamline University                      Keli Ward, York College

Final ballots are due no later than March 6 with the winning schools notified on March 9. The awards presentation is scheduled for Thursday, March 19 at the Salem Civic Center in conjunction with the Men's Division III Championship being hosted in Salem, Va., on March 20-21.

Additional information on the award can be found at: http://www.odaconline.com/jostens/jostens.htm