A Soaring Season
The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003–04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks
Greg Carroccio/Sideline Photos
In the 2003–04 season, Saint Joseph’s became the most unlikely and most incredible story in college basketball. The underdog Hawks captivated the entire city of Philadelphia and much of the nation with a unique, guard-oriented style and team-first mentality featuring players who were not wanted by power conferences. Big-time programs passed over star point guard Jameer Nelson because of his height, but Nelson played an oversized, sensational game that dwarfed his 5 feet, 11 inches. Nelson’s backcourt mate, Delonte West, was a lightly recruited prospect out of high school but transformed himself into an NBA first-round draft pick with a work ethic and competitive drive that never had been seen before or since on Hawk Hill.
A Soaring Season is currently scheduled for publication on March 1, 2025. Use the button below to preorder a copy and receive the book as soon as it becomes available.
Outspoken head coach Phil Martelli, who finally got a chance at the only job he had ever wanted since middle school when he was nearly 41 years old, surrounded Nelson and West with a perfect cast of complementary players. Individually, none of Nelson and West’s teammates would be mentioned as an All-American candidate. Put all of the Hawks together, however, and you had a practically unstoppable force. Not only did the players accept their roles, they relished them. And each one’s contribution, from Nelson and West all way the down to former cheerleader and walk-on Robert Hartshorn, was crucial to the entire team’s success.
The Hawks, spurred on by a mascot who never stopped flapping its wings and a never-quit school mantra that The Hawk Will Never Die, played their games in a gym that wasn’t even as modern as many high schools. Not much about the Hawks’ home felt big-time — not much, that is, except their team. It was this low-budget, mom-and-pop men’s basketball program that overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to complete a perfect regular season, rise to the unanimous No. 1 ranking in the country, and become the envy of the blue bloods of the sport. St. Joe’s provided hope then and today by reminding everyone that you don’t have to be the biggest to beat the biggest or have the best to be the best.
Here’s a look at the front cover:
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Aaron Bracy has covered sports in Philadelphia for nearly 30 years. He was a sportswriter and editor for the Trenton Times, Courier-Post, and The Trentonian. Bracy began his journalism career as a freelancer for the Associated Press while still an undergraduate at Saint Joseph’s University and has contributed regularly to the AP since 2008. Bracy also spent 11 years as a classroom teacher and has worked as a content creator and editor in educational publishing since 2020. His website, Big5Hoops.com, is devoted to covering the Philadelphia Big 5. A Soaring Season is his first book. Contact him at aaron@big5hoops.com.
Book Interviews
–9/4/24: Big 5 Podcast
-8/13/24: Bracy Sports Media Podcast interview with Jeanne Bracy
A Soaring Season is currently scheduled for publication on March 1, 2025. Use the button below to preorder a copy and receive the book as soon as it becomes available.