Football | 2/15/2017 12:39:00 AM
The Shippensburg University community is saddened to learn of the Feb. 13 death of former football coach Vito Ragazzo.
SU extends its sincerest condolences to his family, friends and the countless individuals he mentored and influenced.
Ragazzo was the first Shippensburg University coach to be recognized as a National Coach of the Year. He was selected by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as the 1981 Kodak College Division Coach of the Year representing all divisions of football outside of NCAA Division I.
From 1979-85, Ragazzo led the Red Raiders to 41 victories, guiding the team to the 1981 Lambert Cup and an appearance in the NCAA Semifinals. He was an All-American wide receiver at William & Mary playing alongside Joe Mark, the man he succeeded as head coach at Shippensburg.
Ragazzo first arrived at Shippensburg in 1978 as the team's defensive coordinator. Prior to his arrival, Ragazzo had coaching stops at Wake Forest, East Carolina and North Carolina. He was the head coach at VMI from 1966-70.
During his SU tenure, Ragazzo coached the likes of Hall of Famers Ed Brown, Dave Calvario, Tim Ebersole, Scott Knudson, Ed Noon, Joe Puzycki, Ken Schaeffer and John Sell while coaching with the likes of Hall of Famers Fred Glasgow, Jim Monos and Tony Winter.
If you have a remembrance of Coach Ragazzo that you would like to have included in this story, please submit through e-mail to
sid@ship.edu. We will add it below the pictures when possible.
The following is a Facebook post by longtime SU Hall of Fame sports information director John Alosi, who served Shippensburg from 1972-2004:
Reflections on Coach Ragazzo:
"Because Coach Ragazzo took a chance on me in 1985, I was able to play the game I loved in college, I was able to obtain a degree, I met my wife of now 25 years and I have two great children." -- Steve Gironda '90
"Coach Ragazzo gave me an opportunity to play college football at VMI and he gave me my first full-time coaching position at Shippensburg. I will always appreciate what he did for me personally and professionally. Rest In Peace, Coach. -- Jim Monos '72
"One of my favorite Coach Ragazzo stories is actually a story he told me and several other players. We were sitting on the benches outside of Trainer Steve Heckler's training room at the stadium, waiting for practice to start. Coach Ragazzo, in his usual southern style, explained how the old school coaches decided who played on either side of the ball. "They'd run the team through the woods. The guys that ran into the trees played defense. And the guys that ran around the trees played offense, " he said. Coach Ragazzo was a great coach and a good man. He will be sorely missed." -- Mike Miller, SSC 1980
"So many good stories re: Vito over two years as a GA and five years as an assistant coach. Very first time we met, he's chipping golf balls outside Wright Hall as the '78 coaching staff is arriving to go on a prep retreat for the upcoming season. Vito is darkly tanned from a summer of golf and he asks the other new GA (who was very pale), "What have you been doing all summer - painting closets?" Eddie & I were his loyal solders ever since. I think most of us that had the pleasure of knowing Coach is that your first reaction of hearing his name is to grin ear to ear - the first feeling you get is sooooo good. I trust there is some good golf in heaven....." --Bill Heckler, offensive line coach
"As a prior factory worker and a "walk-on" in 1981 I recall our first away game. Coach told the team,the bus was leaving at 1800 hours,that was 6 O'clock PM for us in college. He went on to stress his watch held the perfect time,so we had better set our watches ten minutes fast.The bus was pulling out at 1800 no matter who was on it or not. As a freshman,I was always early as I knew the bus was npt going to wait for me, not so sure about the good players. In 1984 being honored to call the "coin-toss" Coach always told me to call tails (he also told me whether we wanted the ball first and what goal line we were to defend). At one point I asked him "Coach why tails all the time"? His response "because tails win 52% of the time" This past Super Bowl,tails won,brought a huge grin to my face. Lastly, as a left guard my responsibilities on punt coverage was to run down the left hash and "damn it stay in your lanes". This one day found young Jimmie and Todd throwing the football on the field,of course around the left hash mark.My decision was run over two young boys or god forbid get out of my lane. Of course I chose to get an earful instead of blindsiding Jimmie and Todd. Coach-you were the old EF Hutton commercial to me,when you spoke I listened. Rest in Peace,we all are thankful to have played for you."
-- Chip Dimmick '84
