Pace University will host its first LGBTQ Pride Hoops Night next week, and the school will use the occasion to honor an alumnus Outsports readers should know well.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will play games against Southern Connecticut State University on Wed., Dec. 7, and part of the ticket sales will go to benefit the local Center Lane LGBTQ Youth and Community Education Center.

Also at the game, the athletics department will honor Pace alumnus Anthony Nicodemo, a successful high school basketball coach in the area who came out publicly on Outsports several years ago.

“It's a real honor,” Nicodemo said. “I think college often sets the stage for us to find ourselves. Having the athletics department host this night makes me proud to be a Pace graduate. Being honored makes it even sweeter.”

Pace is a Div. II school with over 12,000 students. It’s nice to see another large school like Pace extending a hand from the athletics department to the LGBT community with an event like this.