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:
—
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 Talks/Signings/Events
Click HERE to be redirected to the Big5Hoops.com EVENTS page to learn more about upcoming events related to A Soaring Season.
Book Talk: March 4, 2025, Moorestown Library
Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Location: Moorestown Library, 111 West Second Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057
Time: 7-8 p.m.
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: Click HERE for more information and to register for the event on the library’s website.
—
Book Talk: March 6, 2025, Free Library of Philadelphia: Parkway Central Library
Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025
Location: Free Library of Philadelphia: Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Time: 6-7 p.m.
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: Click HERE for more information and to register for the event on the library’s website.
—
Book Talk: March 24, 2025, Cherry Hill Public Library
Date: Monday, March 24, 2025
Location: Cherry Hill Public Library, 1100 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Time: TBA
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: More details to come!
—
Book Talk: March 25, 2025, Ludington Library
Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Location: Ludington Library, 5 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Time: 7-8 p.m.
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: Click HERE for more information and to register for the event on the library’s website.
—
Book Talk: April 8, 2025, Saint Joseph’s University
Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Location: Saint Joseph’s University, Mandeville Hall Teletorium, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: Coming soon!
—
Book Talk: April 9, 2025, Voorhees Public Library
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Location: Voorhees Public Library, 203 Laurel Road, Voorhees, NJ 08043
Time: 7-8 p.m.
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: Coming soon!
—
Book Talk: April 10, 2025, Newtown Public Library
Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
Location: Newtown Public Library, 201 Bishop Hollow Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073.
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: Click HERE for more information and to register for the event on the library’s website.
—
Book Talk: April 12, 2025, J. Lewis Crozer Library
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Location: J. Lewis Crozer Library, 620 Engle Street, Chester, PA, 19013
Time: 2-3 p.m.
Details: Join me for a conversation about A Soaring Season as well as a viewing of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball postseason DVD highlight film.
More information/registration: More details to come!
More events to come!
Feature Stories/Book Reviews
Review: Book Recommendation: “A Soaring Season, The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks”
By Kevin Kinkead
One of the things about the top-heavy nature of Philly sports is that when the four major pie is eaten, there’s not much left for everyone else. That’s a stupid way of saying that when we write all of our stories about the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers, the other teams don’t get a lot of attention. That goes for the Union, Wings, Big 5, high school sports, and whatever else is out there.
So it was good to see local sportswriter and hoops aficionado Aaron Bracy dive into the 2003-2004 St. Joe’s Hawks, who went on one of the most enjoyable runs in Philadelphia sports history. His new book is called A Soaring Season, The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks, and spans more than 200 well-written pages.
What’s cool about the book is the way it’s structured.
Click HERE to read the full review.
It’s an enjoyable book. Would recommend, even if you’re not a Big 5 fan or a basketball fan.” — Crossing Broad
Review: ‘A Soaring Season,’ by longtime Philly sports journalist Aaron Bracy
By John Foley
You may think you know the story of Jameer Nelson, Delonte West, Phil Martelli, and the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks men’s basketball team. But Aaron Bracy’s meticulous work for A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks, fills in details that will surprise even the most ardent St. Joe’s fan.
“They can’t round out the characters, tug at your heartstrings, and keep a reader turning pages the way this book does. Bracy’s attention to detail is matched only by his expert storytelling.”. — On Pattison
Bracy, who has covered Philadelphia sports for nearly 30 years, conducts the deepest of dives into the Hawks’ magical run to a 27-0 regular season record and unanimous No. 1 ranking. Though the team dropped a game in the Atlantic 10 tournament and ultimately suffered a heartbreaking finale in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament, the season was a ride for the ages.
Click HERE to read the full review.
—
Local journalist captures St. Joe’s spirit in book about its winningest time in basketball
By Dan McCarty
The 2003-2004 season was a memorable one for the St. Joe’s University Hawks men’s basketball team. Two decades later, readers will be able to relive the era and learn more about it in Aaron Bracy’s A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-2004 Saint Joseph’s Hawks.
Bracy’s work is slated to be published on March 1, just in time for March Madness. It did not happen overnight. When working on his piece, Bracy conducted more than 100 interviews with 90 people all sharing various thoughts on how this Hawks basketball team went 27-0 that year and nationally ranked No. 1.
“All were key to the telling of the story,” said Bracy.
Click HERE to read the full story.
Book Reviews
Dan Baker’s Review
Of A Soaring Season, longtime Phillies PA announcer and former Big 5 Executive Secretary Dan Baker says it is “masterfully detailed.” “You can’t put it down once you pick it up.”
Click HERE for my story on Baker’s review.
Read Baker’s full review below:
“In the quickly changing world of college basketball, take a moment to enjoy this Philadelphia treasure masterfully detailed by sportswriter/author Aaron Bracy. A Soaring Season tells the magnificent story of the 2003–04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks, led by All-American guard Jameer Nelson. The team was coached brilliantly by Phil Martelli, whose close working relationship with athletic director Don DiJulia accomplished so much! The Hawks were undefeated in the regular season and ranked #1 in the country! What else did it take for all of this to come to pass? What place does it hold in Saint Joseph’s basketball history? Aaron tells you all about it. You won’t put the book down!”
Select Book Interviews
–2/7/25, The Maza Musings Podcast: I joined The Maza Musings Podcast to talk about The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003–04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks. Listen to the full episode on YouTube by clicking HERE or below.
–1/1/25, Hawk Talk Podcast: I joined the guys from the Hawk Talk Podcast to talk about the book and the tate of the current Saint Joseph’s Hawks. Click HERE to listen on Spotify.
–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.