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Vito Ragazzo

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Vito Ragazzo
Biographical details
Born(1927-03-17)March 17, 1927
Aflex, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedFebruary 13, 2017(2017-02-13) (aged 89)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
1947–1950William & Mary
1953–1954Hamilton Tiger-Cats[1]
Position(s)End, defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1950sWilliam Byrd HS (VA)
1956–1960VMI (line)
1961–1965North Carolina (assistant)
1966–1970VMI
1971–1973East Carolina (OC)
1977–1978Wake Forest (assistant)
1979–1985Shippensburg
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1986–1988New England Patriots (scout)
Head coaching record
Overall51–72–1 (college)
Tournaments1–1 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
PSAC (1981)
PSAC West Division (1981)
Awards
  • Virginia College Coach of the Year in Portsmouth (1967)
  • Pennsylvania College Coach of the Year (1981)
  • College Coach of the Year by AFCA and Eastman Kodak (1982)
  • First-team All-SoCon (1949)

Vito Eupollio Ragazzo (March 17, 1927 – February 13, 2017) was an American gridiron football player, coach, and scout. He played college football at the College of William & Mary and professionally with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, a forerunner of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Ragazzo served as the head football coach at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) from 1966 to 1970 and at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1985, compiling a career college football coaching record of 51–72–1.

Early life and playing career

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Ragazzo was born on March 17, 1927, in Aflex, Kentucky. He attended Williamson High School in Williamson, West Virginia, where he played football as an end and was a teammate of Dick Hensley. He was inducted into the Williamson High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the inaugural class in 1998. Ragazzo played college football at the College of William & Mary. In his college career with the William & Mary Indians, he caught 15 touchdown passes, which stood as an National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record from 1949 until Howard Twilley of Tulsa broke it in 1965.[2]

Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs NCAA Division II#
VMI Keydets (Southern Conference) (1966–1970)
1966 VMI 2–8 1–3 8th
1967 VMI 6–4 2–3 T–5th
1968 VMI 1–9 1–3 T–5th
1969 VMI 0–10 0–4 T–6th
1970 VMI 1–10 1–4 7th
VMI: 10–41 5–17
Shippensburg Red Raiders (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) (1979–1985)
1979 Shippensburg 4–6 2–4 T–4th (West)
1980 Shippensburg 5–4–1 3–2–1 T–2nd (West)
1981 Shippensburg 12–1 6–0 1st (West) L NCAA Division II Semifinal 8
1982 Shippensburg 7–3 4–2 T–2nd (West)
1983 Shippensburg 4–6 1–5 6th (West)
1984 Shippensburg 4–6 1–5 T–6th (West)
1985 Shippensburg 5–5 3–3 T–3rd (West)
Shippensburg: 41–31–1 20–21–1
Total: 51–72–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Vito Ragazzo CFL Stats and Bio". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  2. ^ "Ragazzo Named VMI Head Coach". The Chapel Hill News. Chapel Hill, North Carolina. February 20, 1966. p. 4. Retrieved February 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.