Jul 25, 2007

Conference Mourns The Passing of Joe Bochicchio

SCRANTON, Pa. - Veteran University of Scranton women's soccer coach Joe Bochicchio passed away Tuesday evening after a brief illness.

A native of Scranton, Bochicchio, 61, served as head coach of the Royals' women's soccer program for the past 23 seasons. He took over in 1984, one year after the program was founded, and led Scranton to an overall record of 298-144-33 (.662), which included 15 Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference championships and 11 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, where three of his teams advanced to the quarterfinals (1987, 2001, 2003).

"The entire University of Scranton community is saddened today by the loss of our friend and colleague, Joe Bochicchio," said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. "His grace, dignity and humility far outweigh his many team and individual accomplishments earned during his decades of service on our athletics staff. He has made a positive impact not only on the student-athletes he coached, but on those who came in contact with him on a daily basis. We will miss him dearly."

Bochicchio attended then Keystone Junior College for two years before earning bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Cortland State University (N.Y.), where he was an all-conference player on the men's soccer team.

After earning his bachelor's degree in 1968, he embarked on a 30-year career as a certified health and physical education teacher in the Scranton School District, where he taught on the elementary level for four years before moving on to the former Scranton Central High School in September 1972. He taught there until 1991, when Central merged with the former Scranton Technical High School to become Scranton High School, and continued to teach at Scranton High School until his retirement in 1998. His commitment to education remained firm long after his retirement from teaching by serving recently on the North Pocono School Board

Bochicchio was highly regarded for his coaching prowess, having been named regional coach of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) four times (1989, 1999, 2000, 2003) and was selected the Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Coach of the Year on five occasions (1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006). In 2002, he was inducted into Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame and The University of Scranton Wall of Fame. He is fifth in victories (298) and 44th in winning percentage (.666) in NCAA Division III women's soccer history.

Individually, seven of his players have earned all-America honors by the NSCAA, 24 have been named all-regional by the NSCAA, and 56 have been selected all-Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference.

"Joe Bochicchio was such a wonderful and loving person," said Toby Lovecchio, director of athletics. "He lived his life always caring for others. He touched our lives and so many others in ways that can never fully be expressed. Joe was the standard to which we all aspire. He was a man of great character, compassion, integrity, generosity, patience and love. He was one of the finest gentlemen I have ever known, and I am deeply grateful for the tremendous impact he has had on the student-athletes and staff of this University. Our Scranton community loved him very, very much. Our prayers are with the Bochicchio family during this very difficult time."

Bochicchio is survived by his wife, Sandy, and sons Matthew, a senior at The Pennsylvania State University, and Jeffrey, a sophomore and member of the men's soccer team here at the university. The family resides in Lake Ariel.

Enclosed is a list of accomplishments of Joe Bochicchio during his tenure as head coach of The University of Scranton women's soccer program from 1984 through 2006:

Awards & Honors
*National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Mideast-South Coach of the Year (1989)
*NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year (1999, 2000, 2003)
*Freedom Conference Coach of the Year (2000, 2003, 2006)
*Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom League Coach of the Year (1998, 1999)
*Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame (2002)
*University of Scranton Wall of Fame, Class of 2002

Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Championships (15)
1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006

Milestones
1st win: 5-1, vs. SUNY-Binghamton, 1984
50th win: 6-0, vs. Western Maryland (now McDaniel College), 1988
100th win: 5-0, vs. Wilkes, 1991
150th win: 8-1, vs. FDU-Madison (now FDU-Florham), 1996
200th win: 2-0, vs. Muhlenberg, Sept. 9, 2000
250th win: 2-1, vs. Haverford, Sept. 6, 2004

NCAA Tournament Appearances (11)
1987 (quarterfinalists), 1989, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001 (quarterfinalists), 2002, 2003 (quarterfinalists), 2004, 2006

NSCAA All-Americans (7)
Nicole Amato (1999), Nicole Bayman (2000), Sue Cately (1987), Monica Davidson (1989), Holly Spiech (1988, 1989, 1990), Sara Suchoski (2001, 2003), Renee Zizza (1992)

Winning Seasons (19)
1984 (15-3), 1985 (11-5-1), 1986 (8-4-6), 1987 (12-9-2), 1988 (14-8), 1989 (13-6-3), 1990 (15-5-1), 1991 (14-5-1), 1992 (15-6-1), 1994 (11-7-1), 1995 (12-9), 1998 (14-6-1), 1999 (19-3-1), 2000 (17-4-1), 2001 (17-4-1), 2002 (15-4-1), 2003 (22-1-1), 2004 (11-7-3), 2006 (12-7-2)


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He took over in 1984, one year after the program was founded, and led Scranton to an overall record of 298-144-33 (.662), which included 15 Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference championships and 11 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, where three of his teams advanced to the quarterfinals (1987, 2001, 2003). "The entire University of Scranton community is saddened today by the loss of our friend and colleague, Joe Bochicchio," said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. "His grace, dignity and humility far outweigh his many team and individual accomplishments earned during his decades of service on our athletics staff. He has made a positive impact not only on the student-athletes he coached, but on those who came in contact with him on a daily basis. We will miss him dearly." Bochicchio attended then Keystone Junior College for two years before earning bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Cortland State University (N.Y.), where he was an all-conference player on the men's soccer team. After earning his bachelor's degree in 1968, he embarked on a 30-year career as a certified health and physical education teacher in the Scranton School District, where he taught on the elementary level for four years before moving on to the former Scranton Central High School in September 1972. He taught there until 1991, when Central merged with the former Scranton Technical High School to become Scranton High School, and continued to teach at Scranton High School until his retirement in 1998. His commitment to education remained firm long after his retirement from teaching by serving recently on the North Pocono School Board Bochicchio was highly regarded for his coaching prowess, having been named regional coach of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) four times (1989, 1999, 2000, 2003) and was selected the Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Coach of the Year on five occasions (1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006). In 2002, he was inducted into Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame and The University of Scranton Wall of Fame. He is fifth in victories (298) and 44th in winning percentage (.666) in NCAA Division III women's soccer history. Individually, seven of his players have earned all-America honors by the NSCAA, 24 have been named all-regional by the NSCAA, and 56 have been selected all-Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference. "Joe Bochicchio was such a wonderful and loving person," said Toby Lovecchio, director of athletics. "He lived his life always caring for others. He touched our lives and so many others in ways that can never fully be expressed. Joe was the standard to which we all aspire. He was a man of great character, compassion, integrity, generosity, patience and love. He was one of the finest gentlemen I have ever known, and I am deeply grateful for the tremendous impact he has had on the student-athletes and staff of this University. Our Scranton community loved him very, very much. Our prayers are with the Bochicchio family during this very difficult time." Bochicchio is survived by his wife, Sandy, and sons Matthew, a senior at The Pennsylvania State University, and Jeffrey, a sophomore and member of the men's soccer team here at the university. The family resides in Lake Ariel. Enclosed is a list of accomplishments of Joe Bochicchio during his tenure as head coach of The University of Scranton women's soccer program from 1984 through 2006: Awards & Honors National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Mideast-South Coach of the Year (1989) NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year (1999, 2000, 2003) Freedom Conference Coach of the Year (2000, 2003, 2006) Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom League Coach of the Year (1998, 1999) Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame (2002) University of Scranton Wall of Fame, Class of 2002 Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Championships (15) 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 Milestones 1st win: 5-1, vs. SUNY-Binghamton, 1984 50th win: 6-0, vs. Western Maryland (now McDaniel College), 1988 100th win: 5-0, vs. Wilkes, 1991 150th win: 8-1, vs. FDU-Madison (now FDU-Florham), 1996 200th win: 2-0, vs. Muhlenberg, Sept. 9, 2000 250th win: 2-1, vs. Haverford, Sept. 6, 2004 NCAA Tournament Appearances (11) 1987 (quarterfinalists), 1989, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001 (quarterfinalists), 2002, 2003 (quarterfinalists), 2004, 2006 NSCAA All-Americans (7) Nicole Amato (1999), Nicole Bayman (2000), Sue Cately (1987), Monica Davidson (1989), Holly Spiech (1988, 1989, 1990), Sara Suchoski (2001, 2003), Renee Zizza (1992) Winning Seasons (19) 1984 (15-3), 1985 (11-5-1), 1986 (8-4-6), 1987 (12-9-2), 1988 (14-8), 1989 (13-6-3), 1990 (15-5-1), 1991 (14-5-1), 1992 (15-6-1), 1994 (11-7-1), 1995 (12-9), 1998 (14-6-1), 1999 (19-3-1), 2000 (17-4-1), 2001 (17-4-1), 2002 (15-4-1), 2003 (22-1-1), 2004 (11-7-3), 2006 (12-7-2)
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