Richard Stockton men's basketball coach Gerry Matthews was honored by the New Jersey Sports Writers Association during their 77th Annual Anniversary Banquet held on January 20 in Edison, NJ. Matthews, who was inducted into the NJSWA Hall of Fame, was one of 17 honorees at the event, a list that also included USA Women's Soccer player Carli Lloyd, Cincinnati Reds infielder Todd Frazier, former NHL referee Kerry Fraser and Rutgers football coach Kyle Flood.

Matthews recorded his 515th career victory on November 17, 2011, passing legendary Princeton head coach Pete Carril for the all-time wins record for New Jersey collegiate basketball coaches. “It's a tremendous honor just being mentioned along with Pate Carril,” said Matthews. “You're talking about one of the top 10 coaches in the history of American basketball.”

Matthews, with a current career record of 526-221, has led Stockton to 13 NCAA Division III Tournament berths and two Final Four appearances during his 27 years at Stockton. His teams have won six New Jersey Athletic Conference championships and never finished a season with a losing record. Prior to his arrival at Stockton, Matthews coached for 13 seasons at Long Branch and Rumson-Fair Haven, compiling a record of 228-98 at the high school level.

The New Jersey Sportswriters Association was founded in 1936 and today has over 150 members who service the state's sports fans. The NJSWA holds its “Super Sunday” banquet each year to recognize the sports world's top performers and notable figures, mainly those with ties to New Jersey.