COLORADO SPRINGS ---Former USA Basketball president Tom Jernstedt, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s executive vice president, has been selected by USA Basketball as the 2009 recipient of the Edward S. Steitz Award.  The Edward S. Steitz Award recognizes an individual for her or his outstanding contributions to international basketball.  Jernstedt will receive the award during USA Basketball’s Annual Board of Directors dinner on Nov. 10 in Glendale, Ariz.

The award is named in memory of Edward S. Steitz, the longtime director of athletics at Springfield College (Mass.) who was recognized worldwide as an authority on the rules of basketball. Steitz was an original architect and a past president of USA Basketball predecessors, the Basketball Federation of the USA (BFUSA) and the Amateur Basketball Association of the United States of America (ABAUSA).

“For over 30 years, Tom’s passion for basketball helped this organization grow from its early days as ABAUSA into a thriving national governing body,” said USA Basketball executive director Jim Tooley. “USA Basketball wouldn’t be where it is today without the valuable contributions it has received over the years from Tom, who has a passion and knowledge of the game that is unsurpassed. We owe a debt of gratitude to Tom for all he has done and I can’t think of anyone who is as deserving of this prestigious award as he is.”

Jernstedt first became associated with USA Basketball in 1975, serving alongside Steitz as a member of the ABAUSA Council.  Jernstedt was vice president for men from 1976-1980, a member of the ABAUSA Council / USA Basketball Board from 1980-1992, which included the four years of Steitz’ presidency (1981-84), and served another stint as vice president for men from 1992-1996. He was USA Basketball’s vice president from 1997-2000 and was the organization’s president from 2001-04.

In addition to his NCAA responsibilities, Jernstedt is vice president and a member of the Board of Directors, United States-International University Sports Federation; and first vice chair and member of the Board of Trustees, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Past recipients of the Edward S. Steitz Award include: the late Clifford Fagan, 1964-1969 BFUSA and 1973-1977 ABAUSA president and Basketball Hall of Fame president; Dave Gavitt, 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team head coach and 1989-1992 USA Basketball president; Russ Granik, USA Basketball president between 1996-2000 and former deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the National Basketball Association; George Killian, ABAUSA president between 1976-80president of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) between 1990-98 and executive director of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) from 1969-2004; C.M. Newton, FIBA Central Board member, 1984 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team assistant coach and 1993-1996 USA Basketball president; Lea Plarski, former ABAUSA vice president for women (1980-84) and past president (1990-96) of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA); Borislav Stankovic, 1976-2002 secretary general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA); and William Wall, past USA Basketball and ABAUSA executive director (1974-1992).