Press release:
The Notre Dame High School family will be honoring the legacy of excellence of Notre Dame Basketball Coach Mike Rapone (Class of ’71) with a reception in the school cafeteria following the boys Section V playoff game on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
Coach Rapone currently has 697 career victories as he coaches in his 40th season here at Notre Dame. The 697 wins make him the all-time leader in Section V coaching victories with the second place coach more than 150 wins behind.
He began his coaching career at his grade school alma mater, Holy Family School in Le Roy in the 1972-73 season. During his four years at Holy Family, he guided the team to four straight Parochial School League championships.
Hired as the JV coach at Notre Dame at the beginning 1976-77 season, he led his teams to three winning seasons including the only undefeated season ever produced during our time in the Bishop Smith League in Buffalo.
Rapone took over the varsity team for the 1981-82 season and promptly won the first of his record nine Section V Titles in his opening year.
As impressive as Rapone’s coaching resume is, what is even more impressive is his love for Notre Dame and all its students. This is evident through his daily commitment to our school, and his constant effort to ensure that each student has the best possible high school experience.
We hope that you can all join in the celebration on Feb. 25 at Notre Dame, 73 Union St. in Batavia.
Highlights of Mike Rapone's 40-year Varsity Basketball Career:
- #1 in NYS active coaching victories – 697;
- #1 in Section V coaching victories – 697;
- #1 in Section V coaching championships – 9;
- Has guided ND to the highest winning percentage in all classification of Section V since 1975;
- Only coach in Section V history to win championships in 4 different classifications;
- 2 New York State Championships 1992 & 2001;
- 31 Genesee Region League Championships;
- 18 Section V title game appearances with 9 championships;
- Section V Tournament #1 seed 17 times;
- 5 NYS Far West Regional Championships;
- 81 percent career winning percentage;
- Averaging 17.5 per year wins over 40 seasons;
- 18 of 20 teams have earned NYS Scholar Athlete recognition;
- Has coached 21 of the Top 25 Scorers in ND history;
- 2013 Team was Board 60 Sportsmanship Award Winner;
- 1996 Inducted into Notre Dame High School Athletic Hall of Fame;
- 2016 Inducted into Section V Basketball Hall of Fame.
Basketball Coaching Timeline of Mike Rapone
- 12/05/1980 First Coaching Victory vs. Attica
- 03/07/1981 First Section V Championship vs. Romulus
- 01/07/1986 Victory #100 vs. Holley
- 01/15/1992 Victory #200 vs. Pembroke
- 03/21/1992 First New York State Championship vs. Bishop Grimes
- 03/16/1996 Inducted into Notre Dame High School Hall of Fame
- 12/18/1996 Victory #300 vs. Kendall
- 03/17/2001 Second New York State Championship vs. Hamilton
- 04/06/2001 Named Section V All-Greater Rochester Coach of the Year
- 12/19/2001 Victory #400 vs. Elba
- 01/14/2008 Victory #500 vs. Kendall
- 03/03/2010 Victory #546 Breaking Section V Record vs. Arkport.
- 01/29/2013 Victory #600 vs. Kendall
- 11/05/2016 Inducted into Section V Basketball Hall of Fame
- ??/??/2020 Victory #700
(File photo of Notre Dame Coach Mike Rapone taken in January 2017 by Jim Burns.)
