Springfield College Alumni and Current Students Impacted by

By: Damon Markiewicz

Since its beginning in 2002, the Hoophall Classic has blossomed from a one-day campus event to a multi-day national high school basketball showcase that provides Springfield College students with hands-on event management experience. This is the superpower of this special event that can only be received at the Birthplace of Basketball, and many alumni are involved long after they graduate.

For Sport Management alumnus David DePasquale ’92, he and his wife Jennifer flew in for this year’s Hoophall from Maryland to witness firsthand the event management experience their son Derek was receiving as a current Sport Management sophomore. Like his son, David was a Sport Management major during his time as a student, and he understands how events like the Hoophall provide an experience to students that are so valuable as they build up their professional networks.

“I wanted to come in and be a part of this year’s event because I believe Derek is getting an experience at the Hoophall that is going to help his academic career so much,” explained DePasquale. “I was fortunate to work for Kathy Smith during my time on campus, and we have been able to keep that strong connection. I believe internships and hands-on experience are so important for Sport Management students, and the Hoophall provides an experience that makes the College special. Coming in for this year’s event was also a great way to stay connected with the College.”

Springfield College Conferences and Special Events Director Kathy Smith has been a part of the last 21-consecutive Hoophall Classic events, being at the forefront of the College’s partnership with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. For five days in mid-January, Blake Arena turns into a learning laboratory for current students representing multiple academic programs, while also becoming a beacon for alumni networking and engagement.

“Over the years, it’s been so rewarding to see how much of a positive impact the Hoophall event has had on our students and the College,” explained Smith. “We have built such a strong relationship with the Basketball Hall of Fame, and it’s so rewarding to see our students have the opportunity to gain valuable real-world work experiences, and build connections that assist them throughout their careers.”

During the event, Smith leads a staff of more than 50 students, while also working with faculty members representing academic programs representing Sport Management, Communications/Sports Journalism, Athletic Counseling, and Athletic Training. Along with Coordinator for Conferences and Special Events Kerry Ernst D'Amours ’07, Smith truly appreciates how much of a team effort it takes to successfully run the event. With the help of hard-working Springfield College employees in facilities, public safety, information technology, and media services, marketing, and admissions, it truly does take a village to ensure each year that the College shines on the national stage.

“This year’s event was another huge success, as we worked once again with multiple academic programs, which seems to increase by number each year,” explained Smith. “The students working the event are able to network with teams and individuals representing a wide range of professions. With the help of all of our great colleagues on the campus, we welcomed more than 11,000 attendees to the College throughout the weekend.”

The Hoophall Classic not only provides experiential learning for current students, but it also brings back to campus generations of alumni who have been a part of the Hoophall experience. Smith and her team continue to witness an increase in the number of Springfield College alumni who make it back to Alden Street for the event.

“You can definitely see how impactful the Hoophall has been on our students and families because every year alumni come back and want to network with the current students,” explained Smith. “We have alumni who now have their kids enrolled at the College, and are taking part in the Hoophall experience.”

Current Springfield College Alumni Council President Nate Harris ’08 described how the Hoophall Classic was an important building block for his career. It provided a foundation that has led him to continued success as the current general manager for the The Greater Richmond Convention Center (GRCC), the largest meeting and exhibition facility in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Harris has more than 15 years of experience in venue management, marketing, and business development, a foundation that all started at the Hoophall Classic.

“I was a team liaison my freshman year at the Hoophall, and myself and Candido Diaz ’08 were the first-ever supervisors from the Sport Management program,” explained Harris. “I remember helping develop that supervisor position, learning how to work with high-profile individuals, how to problem solve, and learning that hospitality is just as important as the game experience.”

For alumnus Brian Gogerty ’10, he travels up to the Hoophall each year from his home in New Jersey to work as a game official. As a former head supervisor at the Hoophall during his student days, Gogerty never turns down an opportunity to get back on campus and witness the success of the current students leading the event, while also enjoying time with classmates.

“It’s satisfying to see the current students still gaining that hands-on learning experience during the Hoophall,” explained Gogerty, who along with being a high school and collegiate basketball official, he remains a health and physical education teacher in Fair Lawn, N.J. “The Hoophall is just a great experience for everyone involved, and it was great to see some classmates during the event as well, that always makes it extra special.”

For alumnus Jay Knowles ’99, he is the assistant principal at Swampscott (Mass.) Elementary School and he coaches high school basketball as well. With his team playing in a tournament in the Springfield area Hoophall weekend, he used this year’s event to make the weekend an extra special experience for his players.

“As a coach, you always want to try and build these bonding moments, and this trip allowed for us to do that,” said Knowles, who was a Physical Education major as an undergraduate student. “To be able to come back to campus, it’s special. Springfield College was a great experience for me.”

When it comes to exciting storytelling that highlights the accomplished athletes and coaches competing at the Hoophall, Communications/Sports Journalism (COSJ) alumni Danny Priest ’21, Joe Arruda ’22, and Gage Nutter ’19 sharpened their skills as student reporters. Hoophall weekend is circled on their calendar each year as Arruda hosts Priest at his home, while Nutter continues to cover the event for Masslive.com. Back in 2020, Priest helped lead a partnership with the Basketball Hall of Fame to publish a special edition of the Springfield Student newspaper during the Hoophall Classic. It’s a project that continues on with the current COSJ students.

“It really is one of my favorite weekends, being able to come back into Blake Arena and continue to build great relationships that started at Hoophall when I was a student,” described Priest, who is the senior marketing manager at 3STEP Sports in Andover, Mass. “It’s been great to see that partnership with the Hall of Fame and COSJ still going strong, and I think the current students have done a great job as well.”

For Arruda, he continues to sharpen his journalistic skills at the Hartford Courant newspaper serving as the beat writer for the University of Connecticut basketball and football teams. He has recently covered national championship seasons for the Huskies.

“As a sophomore in college working the Hoophall, it was my introduction to working a big-time event, and it trained me well to be prepared to cover events like the NCAA National Basketball Tournament and not be overwhelmed,” said Arruda. “The Hoophall experience taught me how to handle that stress of writing for a tight deadline, and be surrounded by so many national media outlets, and have me be comfortable in that setting.”

And when it comes to showcasing how experiential learning can lead to full-time careers, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame staff features multiple Springfield College alumni who continue to be a part of a team that leads the planning and execution of the Hoophall Classic. For Greg Procino ’05, G’07; Jennifer Tempone McManus, G’12; Jeremy Therrien ’21; Brendan Tassy ’20, G’23; and Aymen Tayoubi-Idrissi ’23; they are five examples of former Springfield College students who used their experiences working the Hoophall Classic, to network their way into successful professional careers with the Hall of Fame.

“What’s been so rewarding is the opportunity to work with so many great student-leaders over the last two-plus decades. I have been able to watch them develop their skills and continue on to have such impactful careers,” explained Smith. “The weekend really has become almost a family reunion of alumni, and you can feel the excitement when people return and share their stories. It’s just another example of what makes Springfield College a special place.”