Hancock Women's Basketball Coach Cary Nerelli Inducted into NSBCART Hall of Fame

After nearly 40 years of coaching at the high school and community college level on the Central Coast, Cary Nerelli, head coach of the Allan Hancock College women's basketball team, was inducted into the Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table (NSBCART) Hall of Fame during its annual awards banquet on Wednesday evening. The NSBCART honors student-athletes on a weekly basis during the academic year.

"It was extra special to be honored by the Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table because these are people who I know and respect – coaches, athletes and community leaders," said Nerelli, who has won 529 career basketball games over 31 seasons as head coach at Morro Bay High School and Hancock. "I spent the better part of my career trying to beat teams from north county and to be welcomed into their family is especially gratifying."

Nerelli was inducted Wednesday along with Kristina Santiago, a former basketball star for Righetti High School and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; and the late Joni Gray, who passed away last November. Gray, a long-time community leader, served as president of the NSBCART.

"I've known Kristina since I coached against her and followed her historic career at Cal Poly and overseas," said Nerelli. "As for Joni Gray, without her, there is no Round Table. I feel blessed to be honored with two legends."

Since taking over as head coach five years ago, Nerelli has rebuilt the Hancock women's basketball program into one of the most respected in the state. Hancock finished the 2017-18 season with a 15-11 overall record and 7-3 mark in Western State Conference play. The Bulldogs secured their third straight winning season for the first time in 23 years and completed the program's first winning conference record in 17 seasons. Two years ago, Nerelli guided the Bulldogs to a 17-win season and the program's first regional playoff appearance in almost 20 years. In five seasons, Nerelli has posted an overall record of 73-62 with a .541 winning percentage. For some perspective, Hancock went 4-22 overall and 0-10 in conference play the year before Nerelli was named the head coach.

"The college, our student-athletes and community are so fortunate to have a coach and mentor like Cary Nerelli. His dedication to helping students succeed on the court and in the classroom is second-to-none," said Kim Ensing, Hancock's associate dean and athletic director. "He established a legacy and winning tradition at Morro Bay High School and is doing the same at Hancock."

Nerelli has extensive experience helping student-athletes earn scholarship opportunities to four-year institutions. More than 30 of his players have moved on, including various to Division I programs. While at Hancock, Emma Weinreich, Justine Roland, Celina Calderon, Destinee Garcia, Karly Beyers and Hannah Walls have signed with four-year universities. Weinreich signed with Southern Utah to become the program's first Division I signee.

Prior to Hancock, he spent 26 years as the head coach of the girl's varsity basketball team at Morro Bay High School. Nerelli won five league titles, and three California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championships. He was named the Los Padres League's Coach of the Year six times, including his last three seasons. The Pirates reached the CIF playoffs in 26 of his last 28 seasons. Nerelli left Morro Bay High School with a 456-219 career record. At the time, he ranked No. 23 in state history for most career wins. As the boy's and girl's cross country coach at Morro Bay High, he won 33 league titles and seven CIF championships. In October 2014, Nerelli was inducted into the CIF-Southern Section's Hall of Fame for his dedication and decades of service as a basketball, cross country and track coach at Morro Bay High School.

The 70-year old says he still enjoys coaching as much as he did his rookie season.

"I feed off the energy that students bring to class and to basketball practice and I think it helps keep my young at heart," said Nerelli, whose coaching philosophy is based on 'Four Cs' -character, competitiveness, chemistry and commitment.

Also during the banquet, NSBCART honored Hancock's best and brightest student-athletes. Men's basketball player Shane Carney and women's basketball player Grace Rosa (pictured above, far left) were recognized as Hancock's Male and Female Athletes of the Year. Baseball player Chad Jones and women's basketball player Karly Beyers (pictured above, far right) received Hancock's Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards.

Hancock men's soccer player Migel Gomez and softball player Bailey Killough received the 2018 Jim Glines Scholarship Award. Killough was named the Western State Conference's Player of the Year after she hit .430 with eight home runs and 52 RBI. The two-time all-state player also went 11-5 with a 2.70 ERA. Gomez was named the Western State Conference's Player of the Year in 2017, the first Hancock men's soccer player to win the honor in 15 years. He led the conference with 47 points and a program-record 19 assists. The Cabrillo High School graduate tied for the conference lead with 14 goals.