Prout School celebrates two named ‘Coaches of the Year’

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WAKEFIELD — Two coaches from The Prout School were recently recognized by the Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) as 2018 Coach of the Year. Coach Mary Lou Morissette was recognized as the NFHS Coaches Association 2018 State Coach of the Year in Rhode Island for the sport of boys’ tennis and Coach Mike Traficante was recognized as the NFHS Coaches Association 2018 State Coach of the Year in Rhode Island for the sport of fast pitch softball.

Both coaches had a winning seasons last spring, with both The Prout School’s boys’ tennis team and the girls’ softball team taking home the Division II state title.

Morissette has coached the boys’ tennis team at Prout since 2001. This was only their second undefeated season and their first division title. The Crusaders last won the whole thing in 2006 when they were DIII champions.

Traficante, the athletic director at The Prout School for six years, also took on coaching the school’s girls’ softball team for the past two years. The team took home the Division II state title. It was the first state title for Prout’s softball team and their best record ever, at 14-3. In 2006 and 2007, they were DIII runners-up.

This coming spring, both teams will compete in Division I.

Andrew Bevilacqua, Prout’s current athletic director said, “We’re a smaller school, but when our coaching staff comes together with a team that has real potential, watch out. It’s a privilege to work with such dedicated and inspiring coaches.”