The 2002–2003 Regents men’s basketball team completed the winningest season in the program’s history with an overall record of 24–4 including a perfect 12–0 conference record. It was the first and only time the men’s basketball team has gone undefeated in conference play. Rockford won the regular season Northern Illinois Iowa Conference Championship and earned its first ever at-large bid in the NCAA Division III Postseason Tournament. The Regents stellar play all season long garnered them a first round bye along with hosting an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in the program’s 61-year history. Rockford finished the season ranked 25th in NCAA Division III and was ranked as high as 19th at one point during the year.
Rockford’s immense amount of success as a team also translated to multiple individual accolades. Troy DeCook, Billy Lewis and Geoff Wing were each selected to the All-Northern Illinois Iowa Conference team. DeCook was also named all-region and the NIIC Player of the Year, while head coach Bill Lavery was named NIIC Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
2002–2003 Men’s Basketball Team
Head Coach Bill Lavery
Assistant Coach Kyle Hageness
Assistant Coach Bryan Sparks
Josh Balcitis, Eric Boone, Jason Carnes, Troy DeCook, Josh Glovinsky, Lane Good, Billy Lewis, Rob Lorenzen, Curtis Louisville, Larnell Malone, Nick Newson, Coren Riley, Ken Riley, Saylom Saenbandith, Chris Sims, Tim Szilveszter, Shawn Wells, Austin Williams, Geoff Wing
