CHEYNEY, Pa. – Cheyney University will be honoring its 1977-78 Division II National Championship men's basketball team on Saturday February 17, 2018 following the women's contest against PSAC East rival Kutztown University that begins at 1:00 PM, inside Cope Hall on the campus of Cheyney University.

#4 Cheyney State College defeated #1 Wisconsin Green Bay 47-40 in the Championship game in Springfield, Mo., under the tutelage of Naismith Hall of Fame Coach John Chaney, to finish with a 27-2 record and bring home the Division II crown.

The Wolves team was comprised of John Butts, Duane Coleman, All-American Milt Colston, Tournament MVP Andrew Fields, Kenny Hinson, Jeffrey Hutcherson, Roger Leysath, Gerald Mills, Charles Murphy, Gilbert Saunders, Arthur Stone, and John Walter.

Coach Chaney was assisted by the late Charles Songster, Joe Iezzi, who served as the athletic trainer at the time is also the father of one of the current Wolves athletic trainer's Steve Iezzi.

Cheyney was a well-balanced team with four players averaging in double figures, led by Sr. G Colston at  15.1 ppg and his backcourt mate and fellow senior Jeff Hutcherson who averaged 13.4 ppg, Jr. C Andrew Fields averaged a double-double with 11.2 points and 10.9 rebounds per game and 11.2 ppg from So. Charles Murphy.

The first Division II poll of the season came out January 11, 1978 and Cheyney State College opened as the #2 team in the nation behind Green Bay, who held the number one spot the entire season with its only loss of the season coming at Division I DePaul University. The Wolves were never lower than 7^th ranked and headed into the post-season ranked #4 in the nation.

Cheyney won its sixth consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title with a 66-59 victory over Slippery Rock, then hosted and defeated #15 Adelphi 78-64 in the first round and captured the regional title with a 73-60 victory over Philadelphia College of Textile and Science, now Thomas Jefferson University, inside Cope Hall.

Cheyney had to travel to New Haven, Connecticut, to face Sacred Heart in the quarterfinals and survived the trip with a 59-57 win, to make its first trip to the final four, held in Springfield Missouri.

The Wolves handled #2 Florida Tech (UCF) 79-63 in the semifinal round and then took care of top ranked Wisconsin Green-Bay (Green Bay), 47-40 in the Championship Game.

The recognition ceremony is scheduled to take place in between the women's and men's games at approximately 2:50.

Visit cheyneywolves.com or follow us on Facebook (Cheyney Athletics), Instagram (@cheyney_athletics) or Twitter (@cuwolves) for details, changes and/or additions to the scheduled recognition.  
 
Cheyney State Road to the Championship!
1978:
First Round:                                    #4Cheyney         78,          #15 Adelphi         64           Cope Hall
Regional Championship:                 #4Cheyney         73,          Philadelphia U    60           Cope Hall
Quarterfinals:                                   #4Cheyney         59,          Sacred  Heart     57           Yale, Conn.
Semifinals:                                       #4Cheyney         79,          #2 Florida Tech   63           Springfield, Mo
Championship:                                 #4Cheyney         47,          #1 Green Bay     40           Springfield, Mo.