Pioli Family Fund Endows Opportunities for HBCU Coaches and Scouts

Scott Pioli, a 1988 CCSU graduate and Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame member, along with his family have established an endowed fund to create opportunities for men and women in football who are affiliated with HBCU's. The program is a continuation of his close work with the Black College Football Hall of Fame and the foundation's work to increase opportunities in football across race and gender.

COMPLETE RELEASE

Pioli is a member of the Advisory Board for the Black College Football Hall of Fame which has a close association with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The partnership between the Pioli Family Fund and the Pro Football Hall of Fame began in 2016 and has resulted in a collaberation on numerous initiatives and events that include several annual events highlighting HBCU's and the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Funds from the Pioli Family Fund will be used to reimburse recipients for job-related expenses related to advancing their careers in college or professional football.

Pioli was inducted into the CCSU Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005 and was also recognized with the Kaiser Award, given to distinguished former student-athletes, in 2016. As an undergraduate at Central, he was a three-time All-New England selection during his career with the Blue Devils. He was the 1985 Defensive MVP and the first ever recipient of Frank Marietta Award for leadership. He totaled 222 tackles and 22 sacks during his Blue Devils career. He coached four seasons at the college level before going on to help lead the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl Championships in four seasons. He is a two-time honoree as The Sporting News NFL Executive of the Year and the 2004 recipient of the JB (James Brown) Award for Executive Leadership by Fox Sports and the NFL Players Association.

He has helped launch a number of efforts to fund scholarships at CCSU and in football. The Scott Pioli Football Enrichment Fund helps support grants-in-aid to student-athletes on the CCSU football team. A fund was also established to support an endowed academic scholarship for first generational college students at CCSU through a partnership with College For Every Student. The Pioli Family Fund for Women Football Coaches and Scouts was established in 2018 in partnership with the Women's Sports Foundation.

More information on the Pioli Family Fund for HBCU Coaches and Scouts can be found HERE.