CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard Athletics is pleased to announce the future renaming of the men's basketball locker room in honor of current Head Coach Tommy Amaker. This first-of-its-kind Harvard honor is made possible by a generous donation from the Shutzer family as part of the recent Lavietes Pavilion renovation.
 
Bill Shutzer AB'69, MBA'72 and his wife Fay expressed great pleasure in honoring Coach Amaker and his unparalleled tenure with the Harvard men's basketball program. Loyal Crimson supporters, they are firm believers in Amaker's program philosophy of "Teach. Lead. Serve" and developing not just athletes, but strong, compassionate, and resilient young men. His approach incorporates social justice and character development on the court and "Beyond the 94x50."
 
"Fay and I could not be happier for Tommy and [his wife] Stephanie," said Bill Shutzer, who shared the news at the team's annual TipOff Cookout at Amaker's home on Cape Cod, where the group helped celebrate Amaker's mother's 85^th birthday. "The success of the Harvard basketball program over the last 17 years, together with the new Lavietes Pavilion, has brought the Harvard community together in a way I've never seen before."
 
When Amaker arrived at Harvard in 2007, he was the only Black head coach across 41 varsity teams at the time. He will be the first Black coach in Harvard history—and in the Ivy League—to inspire such a naming gift.
 
"Coaching the Crimson and working with the Scholars and Ballers who make our program so special is a privilege, and to know that I will always have a place with this team, even long after I've retired, is a tremendous honor," said Amaker. "I'm incredibly grateful to Bill and Fay for this gift, and for their steadfast support of the program we have worked tirelessly to build over the last 17 years at Harvard."
 
As The Thomas G. Stemberg '71 Family Endowed Coach for Harvard Men's Basketball, Amaker has had a profound impact on Harvard's campus during his tenure. A true educator and coach, Amaker is as passionate about developing his players into future leaders as he is about helping them to become champions. Team travel in the Amaker era has always included unique educational and cultural experiences coupled with invaluable time on the court.
 
He has also built meaningful connections throughout the Harvard community, co-founding with legendary late Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree a roundtable of Black campus and community leaders called The Breakfast Club, which has attracted such speakers as former President Barack Obama, as well as governors, senators, and civil rights champions. Amaker has served as a Special Assistant to Harvard Presidents Drew Gilpin Faust and Larry Bacow and has held leadership positions at the Harvard Business and Kennedy Schools.
 
Amaker is set to begin his 17^th season at the helm of the Crimson. He has directed Harvard to a period of unprecedented prosperity in the form of seven Ivy League championships (2011-15, 2018-19), four NCAA tournament appearances (2012-15), three NIT appearances (2011, 2018, 2019), and seven 20-win seasons (2010-15, 2020).
 
In 2016, he became the program's all-time winningest coach, and in 2018, became the second-fastest coach in Ivy League history to reach 200 wins.
 
"We are grateful for the generosity of Bill and Fay Shutzer to name the men's basketball locker room for Coach Tommy Amaker," said Erin McDermott, The John D. Nichols '53 Family Director of Athletics. "Their gift has enhanced our team's experience and will indelibly honor Coach Amaker as a true educator and impactful coach."
 
The renaming will take place upon Amaker's eventual retirement—but thus far he's shown no signs of letting up his active schedule as a coach, mentor, and educator with the Crimson. Harvard men's basketball will tip-off the 2023-24 regular season against UMass Boston on November 6.