Rocco Serafini (1987) - Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Rocco Serafini

Class

1981
Induction

1987
Sport(s)

Men's Track & Field

A 1981 graduate, Rocco Serafini was the first athlete in Bentley history to compete in an NCAA Division I Championship.

He did so at the 1981 Indoor Track Championships, which were held at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit. Although Rocco did not place, just meeting the qualifying standard was quite an accomplishment.

Rocco came to Bentley from Schenectady, N.Y. highly touted. As a senior at Niskayuna High School, he had finished third in the state in the 440-yard run at the outdoor championships and fifth in the 600 indoors.

Rocco did not compete during his first two years at Bentley, but once he returned to the track, it didn't take long for him to make his presence known, In fact, he set school records in his first four meets, including a clocking of 50.6 in the 400 meters in his collegiate debut, the Dartmouth Relays. Just three meets later, he qualified for the ICAAA Championships, a feat never before accomplished by a Bentley runner indoors.

Among Rocco's accomplishments during his career was winning the 600 meters in a school-record time of 1:12.64 at the 1981 indoor Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships. It marked the first time a Bentley runner ever won an event at the Easterns.

Other highlights of Rocco's career included being named MVP of the track team, placing third in the 400 at the 1980 Outdoor New Englands and competing in the 1980 NCAA Division Il Outdoor Track Championships.

The captain of the 1980-81 squad, Rocco still holds a number of school records, including the 400 and 500 meters indoors, the 400 outdoors and a pair of relays.

"Rocco was a great natural talent,' said Barry Harwick, who came to Bentley in 1980 and coached Serafini in his final season. "His qualifying for the nationals has made that a goal for our athletes ever since, while his success in the New Englands helped make the Bentley track program better known.