Springfield College and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Present Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Scholarship 2022
At left, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva, Springfield College sport management majors Grady Short, Sophia Bucal, and Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper.
Springfield College and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame presented the ninth annual Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Scholarship to Springfield College sport management students Grady Short and Sophia Bucal. The formal presentation was made during the 2022 Spalding Hoophall Classic at Blake Arena.
Both Short and Bucal were key contributors during the 2022 Spalding Hoophall Classic, the leading high school basketball tournament in the country showcasing the nation’s top recruits. As part of their responsibilities, Short and Bucal assisted with more than 75 student event staff workers and more than 30 student liaisons during the event. They were part of training sessions for volunteers of the event; collaborated with Springfield College Office of Conferences and Special Events, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and ESPN to coordinate schedules of events; and were part of all event operations during the five-day tournament.
Short is a Verona, N.J. native, and currently posts a 3.86 grade point average. He has earned dean’s list for academic excellence on a regular basis during his semesters at Springfield College. Short also assisted at the 2020 Hoophall Classic serving as a team liaison during the event. While on campus, he leads as a supervisor at the Springfield College Wellness Center, and is vice president for fundraising for the Sport Management Club. Short has earned both his sport marketing essential and athlete marketing essential certifications from Front Office Sports.
A native of Milford, Mass., Bucal currently has earned a 3.7 grade point average, and has been a regular member of the Springfield College dean’s list for academic excellence. She has assisted at the Hoophall Classic since her first year on the campus, including serving as a volunteer during the 2020 event helping enhance the guest experience. Bucal currently serves as the secretary for the Sport Management Club where she has introduced innovative programs to help enhance engagement and attendance. In addition, she has worked with the Springfield College Department of Athletics since 2020 as an event staff contributor.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Scholarship is presented annually to both a male and female junior majoring in the School of Physical Education, Performance and Sport Leadership at Springfield College, who has maintained a successful grade point average and demonstrated a combination of service to Springfield College and the Hoophall Classic. The recipients are each awarded scholarship funds to be used during their senior year at Springfield College.
