Mike Rappl Explained

Mike Rappl
Alma Mater:	Canisius
Coach Years1:	1980–2014
Coach Team1:	Canisius
Championships:	13x MAAC regular season (1993–1996, 1997–1999, 2001, 2002, 2006–2008, 2010) 12x MAAC tournament (1993–1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007–2009)
Awards:	7× MAAC Softball Coach of the Year (1992–1995, 1998, 2001, 2008) MAAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year (1992) Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame (2015)^[1]
Coaching Records:	Most MAAC wins by a coach in league history (253) Most Wins by a coach at Canisius (831) Most NCAA Tournament appearances by a MAAC coach (11)

Michael R. Rappl^[2] is an American former basketball and softball coach. From 1980 until 2014, Rappl was the head softball coach at Canisius College.^[3] While at Canisius, Rappl helped build the program from a club team into a perennial NCAA tournament team and is considered a legendary figure in Canisius athletics history.^{[4] [5]}

Coaching career

Softball

After graduating from Canisius in 1977, Rappl was tasked with building the school's softball program in 1980.^[6] After posting a 5–9 record in his first season as head coach, Rappl led the program to 22 consecutive winning seasons, spanning from 1981 until 2002. Rappl ultimately led the Golden Griffins to 27 winning seasons in 35 years, winning 831 career games.^[7]

Along the way, the Golden Griffins won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) regular season championship 13 times, as well as winning the MAAC tournament 12 times, both records. The team qualified for the NCAA Division I softball tournament 11 times. Rappl is one of two MAAC coaches to win a game in the NCAA tournament, the other being former Niagara coach Al Dirschberger.^{[8] [9]}

While at Canisius, Rappl was named MAAC Coach of the Year a record seven times, winning the award each year from 1992 to 1995, 1998, 2001, and for the last time in 2008. His teams qualified for the NCAA tournament 11 times, doing so each year from 1994 to 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, and each year from 2007 to 2009.^[10] Upon his retirement, Rappl was the most winningest head coach in any sport in MAAC history.^[11] He has since been passed in this distinction by former Siena baseball coach Tony Rossi.^{[12] [13]}

Basketball

While serving as head coach of the Canisius softball team, Rappl also was the head coach of the women's basketball team from the 1986–1987 season until the 1992–1993 season. He finished his time as a basketball coach with a 93–94 record, and was named MAAC Coach of the Year for the 1991–1992 season.^{[14] [15] [16]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame announces 12 new members. wgrz.com. 3 June 2015 .
2. Web site: Canisius College Softball. section6.e1b.org.
3. Web site: Rappl announces retirement as Canisius softball coach. July 28, 2014. Buffalo News.
4. Web site: MIKE RAPPL – Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. June 4, 2015 .
5. Web site: Tributes on Twitter for retiring Canisius softball legend Mike Rappl. July 29, 2014. Buffalo News.
6. Web site: End of an Era: Rappl '77 Retires from Coaching | Canisius College - Buffalo, NY. www.canisius.edu.
7. Web site: Base Paths: Canisius' Rappl will be missed. Doug SmithNiagara. Gazette. August 11, 2014. Niagara Gazette.
8. Web site: Griffs Rappl Steps Down after 35 Years. wgrz.com. 29 July 2014 .
9. Web site: Softball Postseason History. maacsports.com.
10. Web site: Legendary Canisius College softball coach Mike Rappl steps down. Amy. Moritz. July 28, 2014. Buffalo News.
11. Web site: Mike Rappl to Retire from Coaching. July 28, 2014. Canisius College Athletics.
12. Web site: Siena's Tony Rossi retiring after record-breaking tenure. Associated Press. March 7, 2023.
13. Web site: Tony Rossi, NCAA's longest-tenured DI baseball head coach, announces retirement | NCAA.com. www.ncaa.com.
14. Web site: WBB ALL TIME RESULTS THROUGH 2023 (PDF). Canisius College Athletics.
15. Web site: Mike Rappl (2009) - Hall of Fame. Canisius College Athletics.
16. Web site: Women's Basketball All-MAAC Awards .