CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, 518-629-7898 or 518-416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, October 4, 2018
Hudson Valley Community College softball head coach George Rafferty will be enshrined into the Troy High School Athletics Hall of Fame as announced by the Troy High School Athletic Hall of Fame Board.
The 2018 Induction Banquet will be held on Saturday, October 27that the Franklin Terrace Ballroom located at 126 Campbell Avenue, Troy, NY. Coach Rafferty will join the Class of 2018 and the previous Troy High Hall of Famers on the Wall of Fame inside the lobby of the Clement Zotto Gymnasium.
"We are lucky to have a coach as dedicated and committed to our student-athletes as Coach Rafferty," said Justin Hoyt, Hudson Valley Director of Athletics. "I am proud of his accomplishments both on and off the field and could not think of a more deserving person to be given such a prestigious honor."
Coach Rafferty coached both football and softball during his time at Troy High with his most notable achievements coming on the softball field between 2011 and 2016. In his seven years as head softball coach, Rafferty amassed an overall record of 106-28 (.791), including New York State Regional and Section II championships in 2013, 2014 and 2016. Prior to Coach Rafferty's teams winning the Section II Championship, Troy High hadn't won the Sectional title in over 25 years.
"I'm honored," said Coach Rafferty. "The Troy High Athletics Hall of Fame has a tradition of excellence and to be included with coaching greats like Jack Burger and this Hall of Fame class is quite an honor for me."
Coach Rafferty remembers all of the great softball student-athletes that played for him during his seven years at Troy High, including last season's All-ACC Freshman Team honoree, Hunter Levesque, following her first year at Pittsburgh in 2018.
"To me one of the greatest things as a coach is to see our players mature and move on to college," continued Rafferty. "Seeing our Troy student-athletes move on to college was the greatest reward to me."
Troy junior Maddie Rifenberick, like Levesque, played for Coach Rafferty in seventh grade and recently verbally committed and received a scholarship to play softball at Columbia University.
Under Coach Rafferty's tenue at Troy High, six student-athletes made the All-State team, including Levesque, Alina Germinario, Victoria Hallett, Ally Luscier, Katelyn Delsignore and Rifenberick.
Coach Rafftery's Softball Coaching Highlights:
- Coached softball from 2011-2016
- 106 wins, 28 losses (.791 Winning Percentage)
- 2011 - Big Ten Champions, Uncle Sam Tournament Champions
- 2013 – Big Ten Champions, Section 2 Champions, NYS Regional Champions, NYS Final Four
- 2014 – Big Ten Champions, Section 2 Champions, NYS Regional Champions, NYS Final Four
- 2015 – Section 2 Runner-up
- 2016 – Section 2 Champions, NYS Regional Champions, NYS Final Four