The first player ever named to the Hall of Fame in his/her firstyear of eligibility on the ballot, Jerome Maiatico is one of themost decorated student-athletes in Franklin & Marshall Collegehistory and marks the 22nd men's basketball player/coach named tothe Hall of Fame. A three-time College Sports Information Directors(CoSIDA) Academic All-America selection, becoming the firstFranklin & Marshall athlete to earn honors three times, he wasawarded a 2000 NCAA post-graduate scholarship was the runner-up forthe Jostens Award, presented to the "top Division IIIstudent-athlete of the year" as he led Franklin & Marshall toits fourth NCAA "Final Four" appearance in 2000.
He produced immediate results for the Diplomats as he appearedin 20 games as a freshman in 1996-97 before experiencing a breakoutsophomore season in 1997-98. A 1998 All-Centennial Conference firstteam selection, he led F&M to a 14-11 overall record, 9-4second place in the CC West Division as he took over the pointguard duties in the final week of the regular season and led theDiplomats in scoring (18.0), field goals made (147) and attempted(309), three-point goals made (46) and attempted (100), three-pointshooting percentage (46.0%), free throws made (109), attempted(129) and free throw shooting percentage (47.6%) and fourth inassists (37, 1.5 avg.). He finished fifth in the CC in scoring,third in three-point goals made, three-point shooting percentageand second in free throw percentage as he posted the highestscoring average for an F&M player in a season since two-timeAll-American Will Lasky finished the 1991 season with an 18.3scoring average.
Maiatico made history, as he became the second player in teamhistory to score 40 or more points in a game when he scored 42points in an 89-87 overtime loss vs. RPI in the opening round ofthe Moravian Greyhound Classic on January 9, 1998. In thetournament consolation game the following evening, Maiatico becamethe second player in team history to score 30 or more points twicea season when he totaled 34 in a 93-89 loss versus Dickinson. Itwas just the fourth time in team history a player scored more than30 points twice in a career. He also set the team record for mostpoints scored in a regular season tournament (76). He capped offhis second season by being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-Americathird team.
Maiatico's junior season was delayed as he missed the first fivegames of the 1998-99 season while participating in an off-campusstudy in Italy. However, he returned to the lineup in January andhelped the Diplomats post a 22-5 overall record, win the CentennialConference (CC) West Division title and advance to the NCAADivision III playoffs for the 12th time. Although he was used as areserve after returning to the lineup, he ranked among the teamleaders in scoring (10.2 avg.), field goal percentage (49.3%),three-point field goal percentage (43.6%) and free throw percentage(85.4%) as he contributed 42 rebounds, 20 assists, 15 steals andfive blocked shots in 22 games and was named to the CoSIDA AcademicAll-America second team.
His best season came a senior as he was named to theAll-Centennial Conference second team, led the Diplomats to a 25-7record, 15 straight victories, the program?s third CentennialConference Championship, an NCAA bid and a spot in the 2000 NCAADivision III "Final Four" as Maiatico led the Diplomats inthree-point goals (65) and three-point shooting percentage (44.5%).In addition, he was among the team leaders in points (12.3 avg.)and free throw shooting percentage (82.9%) and was named to theCoSIDA Academic All-America first team. For his career, he ranksfourth in three-point FG% (44.4%), fifth in three-point field goals(139) and 18th in points (1,218) in school history as he is one of29 men's basketball players to score 1,000 points at theCollege.
Honored on the All-Decade and All-Time teams during F&M's100 Year of Basketball Celebration in 2000, he was as successfuloff the court as on as he contributed to the F&M and LancasterCity communities. A three-time winner of the F. Willard HeintzelmanAward, which recognizes five Pennsylvania college students fordemonstrating outstanding character and high academic achievementin business/accounting, he volunteered in an "America Reads"program at a Lancaster elementary school and was awarded a SpaldingFellowship in Leadership and Public Service, which recognizes 15F&M students demonstrating strong leadership abilities and acommitment to the community and awards volunteer internships withlocal leaders.
Further, he worked with retired Lancaster Chief of PoliceMichael Landis during the fall '99 semester "to develop and promotethe practice of engaged citizenship and responsible leadership."Since graduating from the College, Maiatico has continued to beinvolved with Franklin & Marshall College as he served as aninaugural board member of the Diplomat Athletic Club, the athleticsfundraising arm of the College.
A native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania and a graduate ofCatasauqua High School, he resides in Durham, North Carolina.
