Considered one of the best to ever wear the blue and gold, Lem McCray was an extraordinary athlete. A true leader, Lem participated in basketball and lacrosse at Dowling.
Growing in up in Central Islip, Lem attended Central Islip High School where he captained the football, basketball and lacrosse. As a sophomore, Lem teamed with current Minnesota Vikings head Coach Mike Tice and led the Musketeers to back-to-back Suffolk County Basketball Championships. He received All-County honors and was voted the teams Most Valuable Player in all three sports.
Arriving on campus in 1976, Lem was recruited to play basketball by Hall of Fame Coach Richard Berg. Nicknamed “Lemon Drop”, his quickness and ability to move the ball where matched only by his accurate jump shot. He was a defensive specialist with tremendous jumping ability.
Lem emerged as the starting point guard his sophomore year and led the team in scoring averaging 14.6 points per game. Lem was key, dropping a game high 24 points in a pivotal late season non-conference win against local rival Stony Brook University on February 21. For the second consecutive year the Golden Lions advanced to the NAIA National Championship, were they fell to the University of Wisconsin in overtime
The culmination of his basketball career came in his senior season when in a two game stretch in games against Nyack and Kings, Lem scored 35 points giving him 1,000 for his career. Today. Lem’s name still graces the record books ranking in the top ten all time in career scoring and assists.
As a midfielder for the lacrosse team, he became the first Dowling Player to be a three time First Team All Conference selection.
Lem was a prolific scorer for the Golden Lions. In his freshman campaign, Lem scored a team high 41 points (28 goals, 18 assists) leading the team to the 1977 Knickerbocker Conference Championship and a spot in the NCAA National Playoffs. In 1979 Lem was named MVP of the team ad they would once again win the Conference and return to the postseason.
In his senior year, Lem was selected to play in the prestigious North-South All Star Game,which features college standouts from across the country.
His athletic credentials, in both Lacrosse and Basketball, earned him the Hausman Award in 1980, presented to most outstanding student-athlete at Dowling College.
His love for sports led Lem back to Dowling in the 90s as an Assistant Coach with the lacrosse. Lem currently resides in Central Islip and works as a Teachers Assistant for the BOCES program.
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