Longtime Community College of Rhode Island women’s soccer Head Coach Dennis Grassini and Associate Head Coach Kathy Bannan are set to be inducted into the New England Soccer Hall of Fame next month.

The two Warwick residents coached the Knights from 2000-2016, amassing an impressive 226-64-11 record, and took home the school’s only NJCAA National Championship in 2002 when the club finished 22-0. The Knights made it to the National Championship the following year but lost to Dixie State College.

The two coaches helped guide the Knights to another Elite 8 appearance in 2009, and coached numerous All-New England players and over 30 All-Americans. Grassini was named NSCAA Northeast Regional Coach of the year in 2000 and Bannan later received the award in 2008.

The 2002 National Championship team went on to be inducted into the New England Soccer Hall of Fame and Grassini was named the NJCAA Coach of the Year. Bannon was eventually inducted into the CCRI Hall of Fame in 2005, and Grassini was named to the NJCAA Hall of Fame last year.

“It was pretty surreal, we were shocked. For us, we spent 17 years coaching together so this was kind of the cherry on top. Last year I was fortunate enough to be a NJCAA inductee and that was fantastic because to me, there are so many great coaches in the NJCAA. We always built a quality schedule and we always competed with those people. It’s just a nice thing to get,” said Grassini of the news.

Grassini is proud to share the honor with his former sidekick, and appreciated the time he spent on the sidelines with her.

“We always worked hard, success is not an accident. She’s unbelievable, she’s such a knowledgeable soccer individual. We did everything together, we were a team just like the kids were a team. I have the utmost respect for her. Hiring her was a no-brainer at the time,” said Grassini.

More than anything, Grassini is proud of the lives he touched during his tenure at CCRI, and has enjoyed seeing many of his former players enjoy success in their lives post-CCRI.

“We’ve had many great players and without them we wouldn’t’ be getting these awards. They did a great job,” said Grassini. “We did the best that we could do to prepare them, not just for soccer but for life. We have former players that are state troopers, doctors, teachers. We like to think that we had a part in that in some way. Some of those players are now starting to have kids that are playing soccer, it’s crazy. It’s very rewarding to see those things.”