Photo by: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics
R Big Ten Building Blocks: Bill Foster Dedication
May 22 | General, Men's Basketball
John Zinn and the Rutgers men's basketball alumni association dedicate new coach's office to longtime mentor and friend
R Big Ten Building Blocks is a ScarletKnights.com series telling the stories of the people behind the scenes writing the next great chapter of Rutgers Athletics. Unparalleled generosity, enduring support and contagious passion represent just a fraction of the motivating factors behind Rutgers' donors. Together, they are not just helping build physical structures to propel the Scarlet Knights to the top of the Big Ten; they are fostering the framework for a prosperous community of scholar-athletes and their mentors in relentless pursuit of excellence.
Rutgers Class of 1968 graduate John Zinn was in a familiar place. On an early February afternoon, he was standing on the hardwood in the RAC with a group of Rutgers men's basketball players, just as he had done countless times during his four-year stint as a student manager for the Scarlet Knights. On this afternoon, a unique energy rekindled memories of the moments from which Zinn's passion for supporting Rutgers was born.
Standing side-by-side with seven generations of Varsity R letterwinners amid 8,325 fans, the largest crowd at the RAC in 15 years, Zinn and the alumni association were honored on court during halftime of a game that saw the Scarlet Knights take No. 3 Purdue to the brink of an upset. The environment was a microcosm of the invigorated spirit at the heart of Rutgers Athletics, and Zinn took a pause from his lifelong work of supporting Rutgers to accept gratitude for his contributions in its biggest building effort to date.
"I was so grateful to be a part of it," Zinn said of the halftime ceremony. "Being a manager for the Scarlet Knights was one of the most important experiences in my life because of what I learned about responsibility, how to behave and carry yourself and how to work together toward a common goal. It was the first time I saw what can be accomplished when a university and community come together. I have always stayed involved because I care about everyone getting a chance to have that same experience."
As part of the Varsity R Men's Basketball Volunteer Board, Zinn championed a $125,000 campaign to name an assistant coach's office at the burgeoning RJBarnabas Health Performance Center after Coach Bill Foster, the Scarlet Knights' head men's basketball coach from 1963-71. The fundraising movement was powered by members of Foster's 1967 team that made the National Invitational Tournament to mark the program's first appearance in the postseason. Zinn and his wife, Carol, also donated to the general fund supporting the build of the state-of-the-art practice facility.
The namesake behind the new office is a fitting one. Zinn and his 1967 brethren see a stark comparison between Foster and current headman Steve Pikiell. During that historic run over 50 years ago, the Scarlet Knights made their first-ever postseason appearance and changed the national narrative of Rutgers basketball. Foster, just as Pikiell is instituting at present day, realizes the importance of the community's role in building a program.
The crowd inside the RAC during that freezing February afternoon was proof of that community getting behind a common objective, and Zinn couldn't help but imagine the potential of the powerhouse that would be unleashed when the support spreads.
"One of the things I learned from Coach Foster is the importance of leading by example," Zinn said. "We had nearly 100 percent response from each member of the 1967 team, who were all enthused to honor a man that made such a difference in their lives. My hope is that this group of 15 players and managers can inspire other groups to contribute in some way. It should all start with the letterwinners. Because of the incredible educational benefit we received, we have a responsibility to pass that along and give back to those who come after us."
Foster went on to coach at Utah, Duke, South Carolina and Northwestern while amassing 467 career victories. He guided Duke to the 1978 National Championship game and earned National Coach of the Year accolades before finally becoming the first NCAA coach to lead four different teams to 20-win seasons.
Rutgers' recent run to the quarterfinals in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament harkens back to the 1967 NIT team. Both squads made their mark on the postseason at the "Mecca of College Basketball," Madison Square Garden. Both squads had a community behind them. In 2018, it could be seen by thousands clad in scarlet inside MSG and the Scarlet Knights trending on Twitter. Half a century prior, Rutgers rescheduled midterm exams and arranged bus transportation to New York City so nearly 6,000 Rutgers fans could make the first game in the NIT. That was roughly the size of the student body at the time.
While Twitter and blogs did not exist back then, Zinn's memory of the experience was sharp enough that when the digital technology caught up, he was able to document the historic run on the internet and share it with the fans and members of the team. At the Jim Valvano court dedication at the College Avenue Gymnasium in 2017, Zinn was honored with a presidential citation for his work on the blog, The Bells Must Ring.
Whether it's sharing the story through written word, or organizing fundraisers to help write Rutgers' next great chapter, Zinn hopes his involvement is contagious.
"If one of Rutgers' greatest teams, 50 years later, can come together and support this program, let's just hope it sends a message," Zinn said. "Just think about if we all do what we can and take part in this, it's going to be a success and it'll be what this university deserves."
Rutgers is committed to building championship contenders in the Big Ten. This commitment means the university must build premier training facilities for elite student-athletes from New Jersey, the nation, and around the globe.
Rutgers Class of 1968 graduate John Zinn was in a familiar place. On an early February afternoon, he was standing on the hardwood in the RAC with a group of Rutgers men's basketball players, just as he had done countless times during his four-year stint as a student manager for the Scarlet Knights. On this afternoon, a unique energy rekindled memories of the moments from which Zinn's passion for supporting Rutgers was born.
Standing side-by-side with seven generations of Varsity R letterwinners amid 8,325 fans, the largest crowd at the RAC in 15 years, Zinn and the alumni association were honored on court during halftime of a game that saw the Scarlet Knights take No. 3 Purdue to the brink of an upset. The environment was a microcosm of the invigorated spirit at the heart of Rutgers Athletics, and Zinn took a pause from his lifelong work of supporting Rutgers to accept gratitude for his contributions in its biggest building effort to date.
"I was so grateful to be a part of it," Zinn said of the halftime ceremony. "Being a manager for the Scarlet Knights was one of the most important experiences in my life because of what I learned about responsibility, how to behave and carry yourself and how to work together toward a common goal. It was the first time I saw what can be accomplished when a university and community come together. I have always stayed involved because I care about everyone getting a chance to have that same experience."
As part of the Varsity R Men's Basketball Volunteer Board, Zinn championed a $125,000 campaign to name an assistant coach's office at the burgeoning RJBarnabas Health Performance Center after Coach Bill Foster, the Scarlet Knights' head men's basketball coach from 1963-71. The fundraising movement was powered by members of Foster's 1967 team that made the National Invitational Tournament to mark the program's first appearance in the postseason. Zinn and his wife, Carol, also donated to the general fund supporting the build of the state-of-the-art practice facility.
The namesake behind the new office is a fitting one. Zinn and his 1967 brethren see a stark comparison between Foster and current headman Steve Pikiell. During that historic run over 50 years ago, the Scarlet Knights made their first-ever postseason appearance and changed the national narrative of Rutgers basketball. Foster, just as Pikiell is instituting at present day, realizes the importance of the community's role in building a program.
The crowd inside the RAC during that freezing February afternoon was proof of that community getting behind a common objective, and Zinn couldn't help but imagine the potential of the powerhouse that would be unleashed when the support spreads.
"One of the things I learned from Coach Foster is the importance of leading by example," Zinn said. "We had nearly 100 percent response from each member of the 1967 team, who were all enthused to honor a man that made such a difference in their lives. My hope is that this group of 15 players and managers can inspire other groups to contribute in some way. It should all start with the letterwinners. Because of the incredible educational benefit we received, we have a responsibility to pass that along and give back to those who come after us."
Foster went on to coach at Utah, Duke, South Carolina and Northwestern while amassing 467 career victories. He guided Duke to the 1978 National Championship game and earned National Coach of the Year accolades before finally becoming the first NCAA coach to lead four different teams to 20-win seasons.
Rutgers' recent run to the quarterfinals in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament harkens back to the 1967 NIT team. Both squads made their mark on the postseason at the "Mecca of College Basketball," Madison Square Garden. Both squads had a community behind them. In 2018, it could be seen by thousands clad in scarlet inside MSG and the Scarlet Knights trending on Twitter. Half a century prior, Rutgers rescheduled midterm exams and arranged bus transportation to New York City so nearly 6,000 Rutgers fans could make the first game in the NIT. That was roughly the size of the student body at the time.
While Twitter and blogs did not exist back then, Zinn's memory of the experience was sharp enough that when the digital technology caught up, he was able to document the historic run on the internet and share it with the fans and members of the team. At the Jim Valvano court dedication at the College Avenue Gymnasium in 2017, Zinn was honored with a presidential citation for his work on the blog, The Bells Must Ring.
Whether it's sharing the story through written word, or organizing fundraisers to help write Rutgers' next great chapter, Zinn hopes his involvement is contagious.
"If one of Rutgers' greatest teams, 50 years later, can come together and support this program, let's just hope it sends a message," Zinn said. "Just think about if we all do what we can and take part in this, it's going to be a success and it'll be what this university deserves."
To fulfill this objective, Rutgers Athletics is embarking on the R Big Ten Build, a comprehensive campaign to raise $100 million for new or upgraded athletic facilities. Since its launch in January of 2016, the campaign has brought in four of the largest gifts ever made in Rutgers Athletics history led by a strategic partnership with RWJBarnabas Health. Through this partnership, the first of three facilities will be the RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center, which broke ground on November 1, 2017. RWJBarnabas becomes the exclusive health care provider for Rutgers University and Rutgers Athletics.
R Fund is Rutgers Athletic's annual giving program. Its goal is to provide student-athletes with the support they need to reach their full potential; as students, as athletes, and as individuals. The financial contributions of our donors help R Fund advance the mission of Rutgers Athletics and give our student-athletes the resources they need to compete.
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