Siena Athletics Hall of Fame
A first generation American, Kolakowski enrolled at Siena after leaving Bayonne Junior College as the team’s leading scorer and averaged 13.6 points in his senior year during the 1950-51 season. He was known for being calm and deliberate and enjoyed playing under the basket, where he had a variety of shots and he used his weight to advantage. He once set a Buffalo Auditorium record by sinking 11 of 13 foul shots. Kolakowski went on to become the only Siena player ever chosen to play in the East-West All-Star game. He was part of the 1950 Siena squad that posted a 28-5 record, won the NCIT, ranked second nationally in defense and became Siena’s first ever team to play in Madison Square Garden.
Following his graduation, he received a letter from the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA, but ultimately declined for a more permanent job. A lifelong athletics enthusiast involved in playing, coaching and officiating, he played on the Fort Dix Championship basketball team during basic training in the 1950's, was the leading scorer on the Regimental Team, and played on the Armed Forces Baseball team while in Germany. He went on to coach the varsity basketball team at Suffern High School in Suffern, NY for 27 years, and is enshrined in the Suffern High School and Rockland County Sports Halls of Fame.
He passed away at the age of 94 on January 26, 2023.
