COLLEGE BASKETBALL St. Joseph's record start brings school national attention

The Hawks are 22-0 and ranked No. 2 in the latest poll.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
PHILADELPHIA -- On the latest edition of his television show, coach Phil Martelli offered a list of the top 10 signs that nearly everyone at St. Joseph's University has basketball fever.
No. 4: "In "every situation, you ask yourself, 'What would Jameer do?' "
You'd think a line like that might offend someone at a Jesuit university, no matter how exalted a status guard Jameer Nelson has attained by leading the Hawks to a 22-0 record and a No. 2 ranking in the national polls.
But it generated nary a protest, which tells you just how intense the fever has become.
"It's surreal; that's the only word I can use to describe what's happening," said Steve Klarich, 22, who graduated last year after two seasons as the Hawk, the team mascot known for flapping its wings nonstop. "I could never have imagined this."
Sellout crowds
The winning -- at 21-0, Stanford is the only other unbeaten team in Division I -- has meant wildly enthusiastic crowds at tiny Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, scalpers along 54th Street asking $70 for $18 tickets, students lining up 90 minutes before game time to get choice seats, and a flood of national publicity, with the dominant story line being the gutsy little school that's doing it right.
And the sense of pride keeps growing, along with the number of autograph seekers roaming the campus, tracking down Nelson to get his signature on his Sports Illustrated cover from last week. Demand has reached the point that the athletic department had to create an autograph policy -- they will be signed for charities only and on designated days only -- something never needed before.
"I'm ecstatic for everyone connected with St. Joe's," said Justin McCarthy, 57, a lawyer and member of the class of 1968, who plans to be in the stands for every game the rest of the season, home and away.
"This is a wonderful experience for a small school that isn't given the recognition it deserves."
Challenge to seize moment
For university administrators, the challenge is to seize the moment, so that St. Joseph's emerges from this special season a stronger institution, with more applicants for admission, larger donations from alumni, and an improvement in its overall image.
Early last month, after the Hawks got to 12-0, the Rev. Timothy R. Lannon, the university president, gathered his top people in athletics, communications, development and admissions to make sure they were suitably focused.
"The burden is on us," Lannon said in an interview last week. "We can't just sit back and relish what's happening."
At this point, applications for spots in the freshman class next fall are up 6 percent, which may or may not have something to do with basketball. Contributions are up slightly as well.
But in this saga, remember, there is still a long way to go.
The first goal, an undefeated regular season, can't become a reality until March 2. The ultimate prize, the national championship, won't be decided until April 5.
Got national TV exposure
Perhaps the university's best day thus far in terms of exploiting opportunity was Feb. 2, when the Hawks played at Villanova in a game televised by ESPN2.
St. Joseph's got national attention for having a capacity crowd of students watch the game at the Fieldhouse -- on television -- after asking them at the door for donations to a community-service organization. Less noticed but equally important were the alumni viewing parties held that night in New York, Washington, Boston and San Francisco.
"Did we send development officers to these events? Yes," said Joe Lunardi, the university's director of communications. "Were checks written that night? No. Were we cultivating development opportunities for the future? Yes."
University administrators also hope that St. Joseph's might benefit from basketball in the much-watched school ratings published annually by U.S. News & amp; World Report.
One element in the rating system is the selectivity of the admissions process. The more applications a school gets, the more selective it can be.
Another factor is what officials at other institutions think of your place. In that regard, getting national attention for winning in what is depicted as an attractive way -- small school, small athletic budget, players who don't get into trouble off the court -- is a big plus.
Financial goals
At this point, the people at St. Joseph's don't yet know how far this new notoriety will take the school, although their long-term financial goals include raising enough money to buy the nearby Episcopal Academy site, renovate the science center, and expand the Fieldhouse.
Thursday, after the Hawks beat Dayton for win No. 21, Lannon was off to Florida on a trip to make what he called "major asks" of potential donors.
"It's always easier to ask alums for help when they're feeling good about the university," he said. "This glorious team has given us an advantage I don't think we anticipated."
And the advantage can only get bigger if the Hawks keep winning.