ATLANTA (March 2, 2023) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced that Christina Raiti of Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, New York, and Ty White of John Marshall High School in Richmond, Virginia, have been named winners of the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls and Boys Coach of the Year Awards, respectively.
“Christina and Ty have led their teams to remarkable achievements this season and showcased exceptional leadership and mentoring skills as they coached their players,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Their consistent and outstanding guidance truly embodies the excellence of a Jersey Mike’s Naismith Coach of the Year Award winner. Their contributions will leave a long-lasting positive impact on their players and the communities they serve.”
Raiti has guided Long Island Lutheran to a 20-2 record this season, with eight of those wins coming against teams ranked in the Top 25. The Lady Crusaders also won the 25th Annual Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix this past December, taking down Sidwell Friends School (DC) and La Jolla Country Day High School (CA) on the way to the title. Raiti looks to coach Long Island Lutheran to its fifth-ever NYS Federation Championship later this month.
“I am honored and proud to be selected as the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls Coach of the Year. It is an honor I will treasure for years to come and one that certainly feels surreal,” said Raiti. “First and foremost, thank you to the Naismith Committee for my nomination and selection. I would also like to extend a thank you to all of the coaches who work tirelessly to grow our game, many have been role models throughout my career. To the past, present, and future Lady Crusaders, thank you for being a part of this amazing journey. I am so honored to accept this award but would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that nothing of significance is ever achieved by an individual acting alone and for this reason, the award truly belongs to my assistant coaches and most importantly, to our team. This year, I have had the privilege of coaching the most selfless group of young women that I have ever known. To our girls and to our staff – I am forever indebted to you all for believing in our program and for believing in me.”
Under the guidance of White, John Marshall High School maintained an undefeated record throughout the regular season and currently sits at 25-0. White also led the team to its first-ever Chick-fil-A Classic championship in December, which propelled the school to #1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 at the beginning of this year. He looks to continue John Marshall’s charge toward its fourth Virginia State Class 2 Championship since 2018 in the VHSL State Quarterfinal on Friday, March 3.
“To God be the Glory! To be recognized with this amazing Jersey Mike’s Naismith Award and be among the world’s best coaches is certainly a highlight in my coaching career,” said White. “This award is a direct reflection of my coaching staff and players’ dedication and commitment to our program.”
First presented in 2008, the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Coach of the Year is voted on by a select group of basketball journalists from around the country who form the Naismith Awards national high school
board of selectors. The winners were judged on outstanding on court coaching performances during the 2022-2023 high school basketball season.
“It brings great joy to Jersey Mike’s to recognize and pay tribute to the top high school coaches of this exceptional season,” said Jeff Hemschoot, vice president of marketing at Jersey Mike’s. “These award winners epitomize the pinnacle of high school basketball, and Jersey Mike’s commends Christina and Ty for their contributions toward cultivating the sport’s next generation.”
For more information, visit www.naismithtrophy.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS
Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,300 locations open and under development nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflective in its mission statement “Giving…making a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Media Contact:
Traci Messier
Jackson Spalding for the Atlanta Tipoff Club
tmessier@jacksonspalding.com
706-816-6022
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