IBCA E-Newsletter

Junior Mannies / Marion Crawley / Pat Aikman / Steve & Jeanie Witty scholarship information

The IBCA offers financial support for the families of selected IBCA scholarship winners each year.

In 2026, the IBCA recognized 40 students with scholarship awards – two Junior Mannies Scholarship, 34 Marion Crawley Scholarships, two Pat Aikman Character and Leadership Awards and two Steve & Jeanie Witty Scholarships.

The IBCA was able to award each honoree a stipend of $500. If funds allow, the IBCA may be able to increase the amount awarded to each recipient in future years.

IBCA Junior Mannies, Marion Crawley, Pat Aikman and Steve & Jeanie Witty scholarships were awarded last spring to deserving young people who helped perpetuate our great game of basketball in Indiana. These are students who help make coaching a great profession.

Mannies, a former IBCA job placement director, posted a 309-301 record in 29 seasons as a boys' basketball coach at Delphi, Mississinewa, Lewis Cass and Elwood. He later served as athletic director at Danville and as the IBCA Job Placement Director from 1977-83.

Crawley was a former four-time boys’ basketball state championship coach – two with the Washington Hatchets and two with the Lafayette Jeff Bronchos – who amassed 644 career wins. He later became the first executive director of the IBCA, serving in that role from 1970-74. He then served as the IBCA assistant executive director from 1974 until he passed away in 1982.

Aikman was the Indiana All-Star games director from 1988 to 2007 and the IBCA Coordinator of Special Projects from 2008 to 2010.

Steve Witty posted a 266-68 record and was a two-time boys' basketball state champion coach at Ben Davis, then served from 2002 to 2022 as IBCA executive director. Jeanie Witty, his late wife, was a registered nurse who upon retirement became Steve's administrative assistant. Jeanie passed away in April 2023 after serving the IBCA for 18 years.

• The Mannies Scholarship is presented to students who have a physical handicap but have contributed to their respective school's athletic program.
• Criteria for the Crawley Scholarship include achievement in basketball, achievement in academics, participation in extracurricular activities and service to one's school and community.
• Criteria for the Aikman Scholarship include achievements and contributions in basketball, scholastic achievement, extra-curricular activities, and service to school and community. Also, those considered for the Aikman Scholarship are students who plan to enter the fields of journalism, sports management, athletic training or physical therapy.
• Criteria for the Witty Scholarship include achievements and contributions in basketball, scholastic achievement, extra-curricular activities, and service to school and community. The Witty Scholarship awards go to student-athletes who are the child of a current-year IBCA-member coach who plans to pursue a career in education/coaching or a something in a medical field such as a physician, physician's assistant, nurse or medical technician.

The deadline to nominate seniors for 2026-27 season awards is Feb. 16, 2027.

Through the years, the IBCA has awarded about $840,000 in scholarships to our young people. The following 40 students were announced as scholarship recipients for 2026.

JUNIOR MANNIES AWARDS (2)

MARION CRAWLEY AWARDS (34)

PAT AIKMAN AWARDS (2)

AIKMAN WINNERS: Jack Guerre of Mt. Vernon (Fortville) and Grace Behny of Knightstown receive plaques as 2026 winners of the Pat Aikman Character and Leadership Awards in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Guerre and Behny are joined by presenters Kurt Aikman (left) and Cindy Robinson (right), Pat Aikman's children.

STEVE & JEANIE WITTY AWARDS (2)

WITTY WINNER: Lincoln Garrett of Batesville receives a plaque as a 2026 winner of the Steve & Jeanie Scholarship Award from Steve Witty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The other 2026 winner, Leah Shappell of Leo, was unable to attend the formal presentation.