With every major sporting event there are major ties to Suffolk County. As we head into the NCAA championships for mens and women’s basketball, we dove into our inductee roster and pulled the names of Suffolk County legends who have played or coached in the NCAA Tournament.

From Mitch Kupchack (North Carolina) to Jeff Ruland (Iona) to Tom Gugliotta (N.C. State) to Sue Wicks (Rutgers) there is no shortage of magical March moments from Suffolk alumni.

This original thread was written in 2018 and we’ve added to it in 2022 thanks to some recent inductees: Bria Hartley (UConn), Kenny Atkinson (Richmond), Kim Barnes-Arico (Michigan) and Jason Fraser (Villanova).

During the NCAA Final Four, we posted live from our Twitter feed, @SuffolkHOF, with images of these notable athletes. The embedded links from those posts are below.

A few years ago we listed all Suffolk HOFers with connections to March Madness. Since then we've inducted Bria Hartley, Kim Barnes-Arico, Kenny Atkinson and Jason Fraser.

Here is the original story: https://t.co/sbp2AMLrvi pic.twitter.com/paYHlMOH9R

— Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) March 23, 2022

Note: This list does not include trips to the N.I.T., of which a handful of inductees also played or coached.

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: We count 16 of our current @SuffolkHOF inductees with connections to the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Here’s to future generations of Suffolk stars playing and winning on the next level! #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/ma9NJewzqD

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Will Brown, the head men’s hoops coach @UAlbanySports from Miller Place, has led the Great Danes to five tournament appearances during his tenure. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/7swEbGaLCV

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Former #NBA veteran Tom Gugliotta played in the tournament with @PackMensBball a number of times. The #WolfPack legend from Walt Whitman High has his No. 24 jersey retired there. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/yu8TSy7Apt

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Adrina Crichlow from Wyandanch played in the tournament with NC State in the 1980s. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/bLZV6dGXIp

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: A star at North Babylon and @IonaGaelsMBB, Kevin Hamilton played in the 1979 and 1980 tourneys with the Gaels. The #Iona Hall of Famer is the head coach @NYITBears today. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/ayuTPaPLMq

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Floretta Jackson from Wyandanch led James Madison to two tournament Sweet Sixteens and is also in the JMU HOF. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/kYUcFvVy9x

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in the #NCAATournament: @PortJeffRoyals‘ great Toby Knight played in four straight tourneys with @NDmbb from 1973-1977 before playing with the @nyknicks from 1977-1982. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/YXny8Ngygw

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Before he was winning #NBA championships with the @Lakers as a player and exec, Mitch Kupchak from Brentwood, played @UNC_Basketball and went to the tournament multiple times. Also won #ACC POY in 1976. #SuffolHOF pic.twitter.com/0HUSmph7nI

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Sachem’s Jeff Ruland played in the tourney with @IonaGaelsMBB in 1979 and 1980 before going pro. He later coached his alma mater to three NCAA Tournaments too. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/AQZA3eWdgO

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Kelley Watts, a star from @BayShoreSchools, played with @RutgersWBB in the 1986 tourney. Today, she is the head women’s hoops coach @GoldenEaglesSJC. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/BMzRGQv8fV

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Sue Wicks was a legend in Center Moriches and with @RutgersWBB, where she played in three NCAA Tournaments, including going to the Elite Eight in 1986 and 1987. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/kFFVdKjUPj

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Frank Layden coached at Seton Hall (Patchogue), and Dowling, but made the tournament coaching his alma mater, #Niagara in 1970. He was later #NBA Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year with the @utahjazz. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/Yab6BrRqPO

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Bellport’s David Russell played in a number of tournaments with #StJohns in the early 1980s. Shown here with coaching legend, Lou Carnesecca. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/X08OmCPUEF

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Randy Smith played at Division II #BuffaloState, but it’s worth a mention since they went to the NCAA #FinalFour in 1970 and Randy, from #Bellport, was a 2x #NBA All-Star. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/MBPRPx36gz

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Glen Vickers was a star at Babylon and played on #Iona‘s Tournament teams under the legend, Jim Valvano, in 1979 and 1980. Glen just recently died in February. He will be missed. pic.twitter.com/qoHSnKaIbz

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers in #NCAATournament: Bob Wenzel, a West Islip native, coached #Duke (assistant), #Jacksonville and #Rutgers to the tournament over the course of his 26-year coaching career. Broadcasted NCAA championship from 01-12 for CBS too. #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/RBtuKaV6GP

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018

In the spirit of the #FinalFour & #MarchMadness, we’re going to Tweet out some of our Suffolk Sports Hall of Famers who played in the tourney! First up, North Babylon native, Stan Wilcox who starred at @NDmbb and played in tourney all four of his years in South Bend! #SuffolkHOF pic.twitter.com/intUhdgmyF

— Suffolk Hall of Fame (@SuffolkHOF) April 1, 2018