Men’s basketball senior guard Greg Zabel recorded his 95th win in a Cavalier uniform in a 96-85 victory against the Keystone College Giants on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
While the victory closed out the Cavaliers regular season and earned them a record of 18-0 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (24-1 overall), it also has significant meaning for Zabel. For Zabel, it means that he now has the most all-time victories as a Cavalier.
“It means a lot for me,” Zabel said, “I’ve been around great players and great coaches.”
Zabel started his career as a Cavalier during the 2008-09 season, the first season under head coach Marcus Kahn. In his rookie campaign, he came off the bench for 17 games and scored 56 points. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers’ season ended with a 108-96 loss against the Gwynedd-Mercy College Griffins in the CSAC title game.
“It means a lot to me as the first four-year player for Coach Kahn,” Zabel said.
Zabel reached win No. 96 during the semifinal round of the CSAC playoffs in an 87-68 rout of the Immaculata University Mighty Macs on Feb. 21. He has the opportunity to reach win No. 97 during the CSAC Final against Keystone on Friday, Feb. 24.
“Winning three out of the four finals that I’ve been here for would mean a lot to me,” Zabel said.
Zabel moved one win closer to the record during the Senior Day game, an 85-55 rout over the Philadelphia Biblical University Crimson Eagles. Zabel scored a career-high 21 points and finished with four rebounds and two assists.
“Everyone came out and wanted to get me the ball,” Zabel said, “I just went in and played like I can.”
While Zabel is several games away from finishing his career as a Cavalier, he still hopes to continue working with the sport in some capacity, such as coaching, or getting 95 wins elsewhere.
“Hopefully I can be a coach somewhere at the college level,” Zabel said, “I would like to be a coach.”
When asked if he would like to pursue 95 wins elsewhere, he grinned with a one-word reply.
“Exactly,” Zabel said.
Zabel may enjoy his spot atop Cabrini basketball immortality but he wants to end his career on a positive note with one last CSAC title, something that would make up for the 2009 title that got away from him.
“Being in the [CSAC] Finals four times and winning three out of four, that’s not bad,” Zabel said.
