Roslyn resident Adam Heitner recently transferred to LIU Post from Ohio State University. This semester, Heitner joined the LIU Post men’s basketball team after the team’s number of players drastically depleted following an announcement from the Brooklyn and Post athletic departments.
Starting in the Fall of 2019, LIU Post will be eliminating its Division II sports teams in favor of LIU Brooklyn’s Division I program.
“We had two returning varsity players [and] an additional four walk-ons make the decision to continue to compete for LIU Post this season.”
Adam walked onto the team after the beginning of the season, [and] became eligible for our third game. A typical varsity basketball rotation includes a minimum of eight players; the decision to play Adam was to provide depth off the bench.” said Casey Schermick, director of Athletic Media Relations for LIU Post.
Heitner has never played on a high school team, although he does participate in recreational league basketball. Heitner decided to approach the coach to see if he could attend practice, in hopes of landing a spot on the team.
“We encouraged him and discussed that even if he only got to practice with [the] team and play in even one game, it would be a great life experience,” said his father, Kenneth Heitner.
“In the last three months, my life has completely changed,” Adam recalled.
“I was given an opportunity to compete against some of the best basketball players in the country. I got to travel all over, including trips to Washington D.C., Massachusetts, [and] Buffalo. I got to play the game that I love and I worked hard every day to be a little bit better for the next time I got on the court,” Adam recalled.
On April 22, LIU Promise hosted a student leadership reception in the Tilles Center Atrium. Heitner was one of two athletes to receive the LIU Post Green and Gold Award for his accomplishments.
“If there’s anything that I can take from this experience it is this, sometimes in life you are faced with opportunities that may seem crazy and unrealistic. You can choose at that point whether to shrug it off and say that it probably wouldn’t have worked out anyway, or, you can take a leap of faith and see what happens. I couldn’t be happier with where I’m at now,” said Adam.
Heitner finished the season with a total of 41 points, 23 rebounds, and 10 assists. The last season of the Division II men’s basketball team concluded 0-25 for the season.
