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NEWS RELEASE CONTACT:          Dean O’Keefe 413-231-5515 dokeefe@hoophall.com

16 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR PRESTIGIOUS BOB COUSY AWARD presented by THE HARTFORD

Fans Can Record Award “Assist” by Casting Votes On-Line

SPRINGFIELD, MA – (February 1 , 200 8) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in conjunction with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) are pleased to announce this years Finalists for the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford, an honor presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate point guard.  The 16 Finalist were chosen from a pool of over sixty top candidates from NCAA Division I, II and III institutions across the country.  The 2008 Finalists were selected by screening committees comprised of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) representing all three divisions of collegiate basketball.

Beginning today, college basketball fans nationwide will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite candidate online at www.cousyaward.com .  The top vote-getter from the on-line poll will receive the “Fan Vote”, representing one vote to be cast by the Blue Ribbon committee selecting the Award winner.  The Blue Ribbon committee is comprised of Hall of Famers including Bob Cousy, Dean Smith and Jim Calhoun, as well as college coaches from Divisions I, II and III, members of the media and additional college basketball experts and celebrities.  The 2008 Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford winner will be announced at the NCAA Men’s Final Four in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, April 7.

“When Mr. Cousy created this prestigious award, his desire was to not only recognize a point guard for their ability, but to honor those who represent character traits such as leadership, vision and integrity, said Basketball Hall of Fame President & CEO John L. Doleva.  “When you review the credentials of the student-athletes who are Finalists for the 2008 Award, it is clear there are a number of talented players who are striving to live and achieve the standards set by Mr. Cousy.”   

"Just like these players demonstrate on the basketball court, The Hartford and its network of independent agents represent leadership, vision, teamwork and integrity in the insurance industry," said David Moore, assistant vice president of marketing for The Hartford's Property & Casualty operations.  "We're honored to be part of a growing tradition that supports these values, and we wish the best of luck to all the finalists for this year's award."

Cousy, also known as "Mr. Basketball," is considered the prototype of point guards and was a freshman on the Holy Cross team that won the NCAA Championship in 1947.  He was a pioneer in the NBA, famous for bringing a ‘flashy’ style of passing and showmanship to the game.  Named one of the Top 50 Players in NBA History, Cousy led the Boston Celtics to championships in 1957 and 1959 through 1963. Cousy led the NBA in assists for eight consecutive years (1953-1960) and played in 13 straight All-Star games. After his retirement from professional basketball he was a successful coach at Boston College from 1963 to 1969, with an overall record of 117 wins and 38 losses.

"If basketball is an art form," noted Cousy, "it primarily resides in the artistry, creativity, imagination and development of the nuances of the position by a genuine point guard such as John Stockton or Jason Kidd." Cousy was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.

About The Hartford

The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, with 2007 revenues of $25.9 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com.

About the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford:

Nominees for the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford were solicited through the College Sports Information Directors of America (COSIDA) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).  A committee comprised of CoSIDA members narrowed the field to 16 student athletes from all three divisions of men’s NCAA college basketball. The group of 16 will be reviewed and a winner chosen by a Blue Ribbon selection committee comprised of Hall of Famers, Mr. Cousy, college coaches, media members, and a vote representing the top vote getter in the on-line poll at www.cousyaward.com.

Previous winners of the award include Acie Law IV (2007) of Texas A&M, Dee Brown of Illinois (2006), Raymond Felton from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2005) and Jameer Nelson from St. Joseph’s University (2004).

2008 BOB COUSY AWARD PRESENTED BY THE HARTFORD FINALISTS  

DIVISION I

DJ Augustin                Texas

Darren Collison           UCLA
Devan Downey            South Carolina
Jamont Gordon           Mississippi State
Mike Green                   Butler
Dominic James           Marquette
Ty Lawson                    North Carolina
Eric Maynor                   VCU
Tyrese Rice                  Boston College
Brian Roberts              University of Dayton
Derrick Rose                Memphis
Sean Singletary            Virginia

DIVISION II

Luke Cooper               Alaska - Anchorage
Johnny Reibel             Rollins

DIVISION III

David Arsenault          Grinnell College
Andrew Olson             Amherst College

NEWS RELEASE CONTACT:          Dean O’Keefe 413-231-5515 dokeefe@hoophall.com

BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES FOR
 2008 BOB COUSY AWARD PRESENTED BY THE HARTFORD

62 Candidates Vying for Nation’s Top Collegiate Point Guard Award

SPRINGFIELD, MA – (January 11, 2008) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list of candidates for the 2008 Bob Cousy Award presented by the Hartford, an award that honors the nation’s top collegiate point guard.  The list includes point guards from NCAA Division I, II and III institutions from around the country.  Nominations are solicited from colleges and universities in all divisions across the country.  The finalists will be announced on February 1st and the winner will be presented with the prestigious award at the NCAA Men’s Final Four in San Antonio Texas on Monday, April 7th.

The award, named after Hall of Fame point guard Bob Cousy, is given to the player who recognizes core basketball skills, recognizes the importance of their position on the team, and directs successful team play. Past winners include current NBA stars Raymond Felton, Jameer Nelson, Dee Brown and 2007 NBA Lottery Draft Pick Acie Law IV.

The 2008 finalists will be selected by screening committees comprised of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) representing all three divisions of collegiate basketball.  The winner will then be chosen by a Blue Ribbon committee which includes one vote that will be cast by an on-line “Fan Vote”.  The Blue Ribbon committee is comprised of Hall of Famers including Bob Cousy, Dean Smith and Jim Calhoun, college coaches from Divisions I, II and III, members of the media and additional college basketball experts and celebrities. 

The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, with 2006 revenues of $26.5 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com

Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford 2008 Nominees

Visit our blog	Vote for your favorite player	This years finalists

Texas A&M Point Guard Acie Law IV Selected Winner of
BOB COUSY AWARD presented by THE HARTFORD

Nation’s Top Men’s Collegiate Point Guard to be Introduced at
 NCAA Men’s Final Four and Presented with the Bob Cousy Award Trophy

SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in conjunction with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) are pleased to announce this years winner of the 2007 Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford, an honor presented annually to the nation’s top men’s collegiate point guard.  Acie Law IV of Texas A&M was chosen from a pool of over 60 top candidates and 17 finalists from NCAA Division I, II and III institutions across the country.  Law was selected by a Blue Ribbon Selection Committee comprised of 30 members made up of coaches, Hall of Famers, Sports Information Directors and media from around the country.

Acie Law IV has led Texas A&M to one of the best seasons in school history averaging more than 18 points per game and over five assists per contest.  Law was named to the preseason first-team for the Big 12 Conference and second-team All-America while being nominated for several awards.  Law ranks among the top five players in Texas A&M history in points, assists, steals and three-point field goals and recorded his career high of 15 assists this year in a conference game against Texas. Law has been tabbed the nickname of “Mr. Clutch” for his Aggie team. Off the court, he was a member of the 2007 Academic All-Big 12 Team and was active in various community service programs, including Aggie Athletes Involved and the A&M basketball reading program, which benefits students from local elementary schools.

Other Cousy award finalists featured in the Men’s NCAA Final Four include Taurean Green of Florida and UCLA’s Darren Collison who will be squaring off in the national semi-finals on Saturday, March 31.

“The Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford is one of college basketball’s premier awards” said John L. Doleva, Hall of Fame President & CEO.  “Known as one of the best point guards to ever play the Game, Mr. Cousy has set an unprecedented standard for this award.  The award recognizes not only core basketball skills such as passing, dribbling and creating team offense; it acknowledges strong qualities such as leadership, vision and integrity.”

“We’re proud to be honoring Acie Law IV with this year’s Cousy award,” said David Moore, assistant vice president of marketing for The Hartford's Property & Casualty operations. “Acie’s outstanding achievements both on and off the court reflect the high standards set by Mr. Cousy as well as the winning values shared by The Hartford.”

Cousy, also known as "Mr. Basketball," is considered the prototype of point guards and was a freshman on the Holy Cross team that won the NCAA Championship in 1947.  He was a pioneer in the NBA, famous for bringing a ‘flashy’ style of passing and showmanship to the game.  Named one of the Top 50 Players in NBA History, Cousy led the Boston Celtics to championships in 1957 and 1959 through 1963. Cousy led the NBA in assists for eight consecutive years (1953-1960) and played in 13 straight All-Star games. After his retirement from professional basketball he was a successful coach at Boston College from 1963 to 1969, with an overall record of 117 wins and 38 losses.

"If basketball is an art form," noted Cousy, "it primarily resides in the artistry, creativity, imagination and development of the nuances of the position by a genuine point guard such as John Stockton or Jason Kidd." Cousy was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.

About The Hartford: 

The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance companies, with 2006 revenues of $26.5 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com.

About the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford:

Nominees for the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford were solicited through the College Sports Information Directors of America (COSIDA) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).  A committee comprised of CoSIDA members narrowed the field to 17 student athletes from all three divisions of men’s NCAA college basketball. The group of 17 was reviewed and a winner was chosen by a Blue Ribbon selection committee comprised of Hall of Famers, Mr. Cousy, college coaches, media members, sports information directors.

BOB COUSY AWARD PRESENTED BY THE HARTFORD
PAST WINNERS

• Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s University
• Raymond Felton, University of North Carolina
• Dee Brown, University of Illinois