One of the most dominant Hobart basketball players ever, Joe Corbett was a four-year starter, three-year team MVP, and a two-year captain. As both a junior and a senior, he was a finalist for the Jostens Trophy, the Heisman trophy of Division III basketball. Corbett began his career by earning the Abe Solomon Memorial Award as Hobart Athletics’ Rookie of the Year and capped it with the Francis L. “Babe” Kraus ’24 Memorial Award as Hobart’s most outstanding senior.
Over the course of his 100-game career, Corbett recorded 1,701 points, 655 field goals, and 1,249 rebounds, all Hobart records. His scoring record eclipsed Hall of Famer
Mike Masino ’88 by 38 points while his rebounding mark surpassed Hall of Famer
Carmen Genovese’s standard by 282. In fact, Corbett was so dominant on the glass that his 862 defensive boards would put him ahead of all Statesmen in total rebounds except Genovese.
As a first-year, Corbett started every game except senior day, yielding his spot to a graduating Statesman. He was voted the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (UCAA) Rookie of the Year after averaging 10.6 ppg and a league-leading 10.4 rpg (14th in the nation). Corbett scored a season-high 25 points at Hamilton and collected a season-high 16 caroms four times.
As a sophomore, Corbett registered a career-high 22 double-doubles, including season-highs of 29 points and 21 rebounds in a home win over Cazenovia. He led the 2000-01 Statesmen to a share of the UCAA regular season championship and the program’s first UCAA Tournament Championship, earning an automatic bid to Hobart’s first NCAA Championship appearance. The Statesmen produced the program’s first 20-win season (20-8) and came within a Brockport buzzer-beater of reaching the NCAA third round. Corbett averaged 18.9 ppg and 13.0 rpg while setting single season records for free throw attempts in a game (25), free throw attempts in a season (321), and rebounds in a season (364). He ranked second in the nation in rebounding and 66th in scoring. Corbett’s list of accolades that season included ECAC Upstate and UCAA player of the year and UCAA Tournament MVP.
As a junior, Corbett was named one of 10 finalists for the Jostens Trophy while earned All-East honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and D3hoops.com. He also garnered first team All-ECAC Upstate and All-UCAA accolades. Corbett averaged 18.5 ppg and 12.2 rpg with a career-high .557 field goal percentage. He finished the year fourth in the nation in rebounding, 65th in field goal percentage and 80th in scoring. With 26 points against Rensselaer, Corbett became the 17th Statesman to record 1,000 career points. He went on to produce a season-high 28 points against Clarkson, a season-high 20 rebounds at Clarkson, and a career-high seven assists against Union.
Corbett capped his Hobart career by averaging career-highs of 20.1 ppg and 14.4 rpg (2nd in the nation). He scored a career-high 34 points against Hilbert and notched a season-high 20 rebounds against Union. Corbett came within three passes of a triple double against Clarkson, finishing the home game with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and seven assists. A repeat finalist for the Jostens Trophy, he was an honorable mention All-American by DIII News, a D3hoops.com first team All-East pick, a first-team ECAC Upstate All-Star, and a first-team All-UCAA selection.
Off the court, Corbett was a member of the Chimera and Druid honor societies and an active volunteer for Celebrate Service, Celebrate Geneva Day, the Dream to Read Program, and the Hobart-YMCA youth basketball clinic. He also served as a student director on the Statesmen Athletic Association board.
