Liam Carr to be inducted into Roger Williams University Athletics Hall of Fame

GLEN RIDGE (updated Friday August 12, 1:30 p.m.) –  Glen Ridge High School boys’ varsity basketball head coach Liam Carr is among the inductees of the fifth class of the Roger Williams University Athletics Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony will be held in the Campus Recreation Center on Saturday, Oct. 22, as part of Homecoming Weekend at Rogers Williams University.

Carr, also a 1995 graduate of GRHS, is a 2000 graduate of Rogers Williams University, located in Bristol, R.I.

Carr, a four-year member of the Rogers Williams men’s basketball team, ended his career as the third-leading scorer in program history. He ended his tenure at Roger Williams with 1,653 points. In addition, Carr also holds the school record for career field goals made with 657 and ranks seventh in RWU history with 126 three-point field-goals made.

Carr was the leading scorer on the 1998-99 squad that won the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship, averaging 15.4 points per game. He was a three-time All-CCC player, receiving First Team honors in 1999 and 2000, and was named to the New England Collegiate Senior All-Star Game in 2000.

Carr feels honored to be inducted into the RWU Hall of Fame.

“One of the better decisions I have ever made was to attend Roger Williams University,” Carr told The Glen Ridge Paper in an email. “The business school, location, professors, coaching staff were all perfect fits for me. First and foremost any success I experienced would not have been possible without the sacrifice and support of my parents. As a student-athlete I was a late-bloomer. For whichever reason I was a better college basketball player than high school player. But I consider myself fortunate. Fortunate to have grown up in a town like Glen Ridge. The friendships and lessons learned from the many terrific GRHS teachers and coaches were invaluable upon leaving for Bristol, R.I.”

In an email to The Glen Ridge Paper, Dave Kemmy, Director of Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation at RWU, said, “I had the pleasure of watching Liam’s career first hand for four years and he is certainly one of those student-athletes who will always stick in your mind for a few reasons. On top of being a tremendous all-around player for us, he was a great kid. He was always smiling and always had a positive attitude about everything. His energy on the court was unmatched during his era and it was a pleasure to watch him play and be around him.

“I was the wrestling coach at the time and our paths crossed frequently. I always enjoyed talking with him and he was always upbeat and courteous. He is getting into our Hall of Fame for his outstanding career as a player, but he was much more than that off the court and someone who truly made his mark at the University.”

Coming off a 12-14 season this past winter, the GRHS boys’ basketball team enjoyed a productive summer. The Ridgers started in June with some gym time, followed by a trip to Hackettstown for a day of games against some western New Jersey teams.

The following weekend, the Ridgers traveled down to Rider University for an overnight team camp. “Rider provided our boys an opportunity to experience what it’s like to live on a college campus,” said Carr. “Along the way, we utilized Rider’s facilities and played a ton of games versus New Jersey statewide schools, as well as one Philadelphia-area high school. Two days after Rider, we were back on the court for our first of 10 Bloomfield Summer League games. Each summer, Bloomfield attracts many competitive programs from Essex County and other nearby Northern New Jersey towns. In our 10 games, we produced some solid victories versus Christ the King, MKA (Montclair Kimberley Academy), Cedar Grove, Verona and West Caldwell Tech. Entering the playoffs, we had a 9-1 mark with our lone loss to University, who eventually lost to Verona in the championship game. Unfortunately our 11th game was our last as we fell to West Essex. Looking back, there are so many positives to build off of as we work towards the start of practice Nov. 21.”