Scannapieco is named to NJCAA Hall of Fame

Bo Scannapieco hasn't had time to reflect on his latest milestone - induction into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

He's been too busy trying to lead his Brookdale Community College women's softball team back to the national championships for a 12th consecutive year.

"It's a real honor," he said of his Hall of Fame award. "It's so overwhelming. It's something that takes a while to sink in. It's not something that you can reflect on when you're in the middle of the season."

Scannapieco's proudest moments, he noted, have been when his peers, his fellow coaches, have congratulated him before games and told him he deserves it. Most have said that they thought he was already in.

Scannapieco has been a model of consistency since taking over the softball program 20 years ago. With two national championships (2002, 2005) and three second-place finishes (including last year), Scannapieco has turned Brookdale's softball program into the best in the country. His record stands at 617-167. The Jersey Blues have won 10 Garden State Athletic Conference crowns, and 12 Regional 19 titles, including the last 11 consecutively. He has coached 17 All-Americans.

"It's hard to describe my feelings," said Scannapieco. "All of the teams and the players I've coached are a part of it."

Brookdale is obviously proud of what he has accomplished and the recognition that Scannapieco has brought to the school.

"We are thrilled for Bo," said Frank Lawrence, Brookdale's athletic director. "It is well deserved.

"He is an extraordinary teacher of the game," he added. "But far more importantly, a teacher of lessons that his players, and all students that come in contact with him, use long after they leave Brookdale."

Scannapieco is the coordinator of Intramurals and Recreation at the college.

Officially, Scannapieco will be inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame at the national tournament May 16-19 in Rochester, Minn. Scannapieco has taken the Blues to the nationals 11 straight years, and this year, more than ever, he wants the team to be making the trip once again so that his players can share the experience with him.

- Tim Morris