Hempstead, NY - Former Hofstra wrestling student-athlete Noel Thompson '04 and men's basketball student-athlete Craig “Speedy” Claxton '00 were honored Thursday evening at the 2013 Hofstra University Alumni Awards Dinner.
The yearly event is being held at The Garden City Hotel in Garden City, New York.
Thompson is being honored as the Young Alumnus of the Year, while Claxton is receiving an Alumni Achievement Award.
Thompson is CEO and chief investment officer of Thompson Global LLC, a Global Macro Special Situations Hedge Fund. Thompson Global LP takes discretionary positions in commodities, currencies, energy, equities and dixed income liquid markets globally. Thompson Global Special Situations participates in global transactions as an adviser, lender and/or principle in commodity, energy, infrastructure and mining. Thompson Global Guardian has a network of professionals from the fields of intelligence, law enforcement, military, forensic accounting, academia and investigative journalism. All of which focus on corporate due diligence and security for global clients.
Thompson was previously employed as a salesman and trader in the Securities Division for Goldman Sachs & Co from 2005 to 2010 before working for JPMorgan Securities from 2010 to 11. Thompson has sat on the board of The Hofstra Pride Club since 2009. Additionally, he currently serves on the board of governors for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Beat the Streets in New York City, whose mission is “to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling.” Thousands of young people in the city have been provided the opportunity to wrestle through Beat the Streets.
Thompson is the wrestling team leader for the U.S. Women's Freestyle team participating in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He also sits on the Committee for Preservation of Olympic Wrestling (CPOW).
In addition, Thompson led the local organizing committee for the Grapple at the Garden, a major college dual meet event that was held at Madison Square Garden in 2012. It was the first college wrestling event held in this historic location.
Thompson previously served as wrestling chairman of the New York Athletic Club, which was established in 1869. Under Thompson's leadership, the New York Athletic Club wrestling program won the first women's freestyle national title in 2009 and the first men's freestyle national title in more than 25 years in 2010. He chaired the NYAC to four national team titles, 20 individual national champions, and two world medals. He also served as president of NYAC Wrestling. As a competitor, he wrestled for the New York Athletic Club, placing at the 2001 U.S. Open in men's freestyle.
A 2004 graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in marketing, Thompson wrestled for four years and was a three-time team captain. He was a four-time NCAA qualifier ‒ making the All-American Round three times ‒ and amassed 130 career collegiate wins. He was awarded the Howdy Myers Award as Hofstra's Outstanding Male Athlete following his senior year.
Thompson lives in New York City with his wife, Mildred, and their son, Noel Thompson III.
Claxton is in his first season as a special assistant to Head Men's Basketball Coach Joe Mihalich.
Claxton, one of the all-time greats in the history of the Hofstra Basketball program, joined the Hofstra staff after spending the past two seasons as a scout with the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Claxton graduated in 2000 as one of only six players in school history to score 2,000 career points (2,015). He also graduated as the program's all-time leader in both assists (660) and steals (288), and was a two-time Player of the Year selection in the America East Conference (1998, 2000). He was also named the 2000 winner of the Haggerty Award, given to the top player in the Metropolitan New York area, after leading Hofstra to an America East Conference championship and its first NCAA Division I tournament berth in 23 years.
Claxton enjoyed a decade-long career in the NBA. He was a first round draft pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2000, and earned an NBA title as a member of the San Antonio Spurs in 2003, when he was on the floor in the fourth quarter of the decisive sixth game against the New Jersey Nets.
During his NBA career, Claxton averaged 9.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. His best season came during the 2004-05 season when he averaged 13.1 points, 6.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game while playing for Golden State.
Claxton, and his wife, Meeka, reside in Old Westbury, New York, with their daughters, Aniya and London.
