Honorary Siena basketball member Evan Franz (above) would break the team huddle by leading the chant, "1-2-3, Family!" On January 23, the Siena family lost Evan following a courageous battle with brain cancer.
On the eve of a November matinee at Harvard, Coach Carmen Maciariello '01 diverted his team toward the UHY Center before they boarded the bus. He said they needed to work on their shooting for a few minutes, but that was just a ruse. In reality, Coach needed a plan to get Evan into the UHY Center without raising suspicion.
Evan, an 18-year-old senior at Tamarac High School, had his heart set on attending Siena this fall. His amazing heart was never the problem. Three years ago, Evan was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor that impacts only about 500 kids in the United States annually. Through Play It Foreward 518, Evan was introduced to the Siena basketball team in November of 2021, and he was added to the roster as an honorary member by Coach Maciariello.
Evan became a fixture within the program, attending practices and sitting on the bench during home games and some away games. As his cancer progressed, Evan remained steadfast in his dream to attend Siena as a student and submitted his application last year.
On November 19, when Evan opened the door to the UHY Center, he expected to find an empty court. Instead, the cheer and dance teams had formed a tunnel for him (above). The pep band started to play, and the men's and women's programs flanked him on either side. Friends and family were also there, as well as teachers and staff from Tamarac High School. At the end of the long line of admirers, Katie Szalda '01, director of admissions, was waiting. She presented Evan with a framed copy of his acceptance letter to Siena.
Evan passed away on Monday morning following his nearly three-year fight with cancer.
"Our hearts are broken to lose a member of our family," said Maciariello. "Evan exemplified all we strive to be. Even as his battle with cancer forged on, he still lived with enthusiasm, appreciation, and toughness each and every day. Not a day goes by that we don't think about the joy he brought us all, and he will be dearly missed. We love you, Evan."
John Baer died from bladder cancer on Sunday at his home in Iowa. Three weeks before his passing, he made an improbable trip to Albany to watch one more Siena basketball game in person. That night, his son put on an unforgettable show.
Heading into the January 6 home game vs. St. Peter's, Michael Baer G'23 was averaging fewer than five rebounds per game for the season. Facing the defending league champions, Baer grabbed every loose ball in sight. He secured a career best 13 rebounds in the Siena victory. The accomplishment was nice, the win was even sweeter, and the fact that his dad was courtside to see it?
"There's no way I've processed it all," Michael Baer said.
John Baer was diagnosed with bladder cancer early last year, and when surgery to remove the bladder revealed the cancer had spread, nothing more could be done. Doctors stopped treatment, and then Baer planned a trip to Albany.
With weeks to live and leaning heavily on the support of his family, Baer was able to see his son play, in person, one final time. After the game, he was wheeled into the locker room to wild applause.
"It's not the same as watching on television. You've got to be here. You've just got to be here. It wasn't easy," John Baer told the players. "It was a lot. Thank you so much for being so gracious. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
After the difficult week, the men's team opened the second half of their January 27 home game with a decisive 20-2 run to rout reigning MAAC Regular Season Champion and preseason favorite Iona 70-53 in front of a raucous crowd of 7,801 in the annual Gold Rush Game at MVP Arena.
Michael Baer, had a storybook performance. The one-time manager turned walk-on at Iowa led Siena (14-7, 8-2) with a career-high 18 points on 7-11 shooting and added 12 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double.