Fairfield University Athletics to honor community members

Fairfield University Athletics will present its inaugural Stags Awards on Wednesday to three community members for excellence in service, teamwork, achievement and giving through sports.

Former New York Knicks All-Star John Starks, SiriusXM Radio/MLB Network personality Christopher Russo and Connecticut Post sports writer Chris Elsberry will be recognized at a Coaches vs. Cancer benefit at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.

The awards dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Harbor Club in the arena. Tickets are $80, including a buffet dinner, a weekend pass to the six-game Coaches vs. Cancer Classic tournament from Nov. 21-23 and a donation to the American Cancer Society. For ticket information, visit fairfieldstags.com or call the Fairfield University Athletics ticket office at 203-254-4136.

Stamford resident Starks, who played eight seasons for the Knicks and 13 seasons in the NBA, founded the John Starks Foundation in 1994. The nonprofit provides scholarships to high school seniors and has community programs focused on education, recreation and career development for children and families. Russo has made appearances at charitable organizations in the region and has been honored by many charities for his community service, according to a university press release. Elsberry will be honored for helping organizations reach out to the community through telling their stories, the press release said.