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Community Corner

Milestone Reached: GCC Basketball Coach Starts Final Year with 200th Win

Deptford Twp. – Gloucester County College women’s basketball head coach Tom McCormack captured his 200th career win on Tuesday, Nov. 19 when the Roadrunners defeated Atlantic Cape Community College 55-50. Presently, the Roadrunners possess a 3-1 record.

“I didn’t even realize that it was my 200th win as head coach. I don’t view wins that way,” said McCormack. “I look at the day to day progress of the players. I admit I’ve had my good years and bad years.”

McCormack has guided a number of his teams to regional and national tournament playoffs. Throughout the tenure of his collegiate coaching career, he has worked with eight NJCAA All-American athletes.

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The 1999 season culminated with the lady Roadrunners winning the Garden State Athletic Conference title and placing fifth in the NJCAA national tournament — and him receiving the Region XIX Coach of the Year award. In 2001, the team finished with a 24-9 record. The Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association honored him as the Russell Athletic District Coach of the Year.

“Coach McCormack has had a long and outstanding career guiding the Gloucester County College women’s basketball team,” said Athletic Director Ron Case. “As he enters his final year of coaching it is really great that he is able to post his 200th victory in this role.”

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To McCormack, the wins are all in a day’s work, as his laidback coaching style is to take the season a game at a time. He says his true achievement is starting the women’s basketball program at the college 16 years ago. The lack of formal playing leagues for his two daughters Shannan and Tara prompted his desire to start community teams for girls as well as college athletes.

“Women’s sports are just as important as men’s. It provides women opportunities to gain self-confidence, self-esteem and a healthy appreciation for competition and teamwork,” said McCormack. “Eight former athletes have gone on to coach at other places. This is my true measure of success, not wins.”

Aside from coaching, McCormack has taught at the college for 42 years in the Division of Business Studies. He is an associate professor specializing in business law and accounting. An alumna of Shippensburg University, he obtained his MBA in 1969 after successfully completing his undergraduate studies and four seasons as a football player.

Gloucester County College’s 250-acre campus is located in Deptford, right off Exit 56 of Route 55.

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