Dean College men’s basketball head coach Rico Cabral has announced he is stepping down after seven years at the helm of the program. He will remain on staff as a volunteer assistant coach.
The family atmosphere at Dean College takes true meaning within the men’s basketball program as Rico passes the head coaching torch to his son Joe. Not only has Joe been under Rico’s tutelage on the sideline for five seasons as an assistant and associate coach but has been groomed to be a leader and coach for 31 years by his father.
“I am looking forward to continue to watch the program succeed and grow this season with an experienced roster,” said Rico. “I’d like to thank the campus community for an incredible amount of support for our team over the past seven years of my tenure. It is truly a special place to coach. Go Bulldogs!”
“First I want to thank Rico for his dedication to Dean College and the leadership and guidance he has provided to our basketball student-athletes over the past seven years,” said Director of Athletics George Martin. “He has worked tirelessly to create an outstanding program and is leaving it in a position to be successful for years to come. I am pleased that he will continue with the program as a volunteer assistant coach.”
Rico, who has amassed a career record of 576-403, registered an impressive 105-54 record in six playing seasons (there were no games during his seventh) with the Bulldogs. Among those 105 wins, on November 22, 2015, was the 500th of his legendary 40-year coaching career.
Under his watch, a pair of student-athletes moved on to Division I as full scholarship student-athletes and both earned National Junior College Association of America (NJCAA) All-American accolades.
In his first season with the Bulldogs, Rico guided Dean to the 2015 Region XXI Championship and in 2017, he led his squad to the United States Collegiate Association of America (USCAA) National Tournament.
Prior to his arrival at Dean, Rico spent 22 seasons as the head coach at Mount Ida College in Newton, Mass. While with the Mustangs, Rico took them from the junior college level all the way to full NCAA Division III membership.
Under his tutelage, the Mustangs captured their first-ever (and still only) conference crown in 1999-00, when Mount Ida went 18-7 overall and 8-0 in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC), culminating a two-year stretch where they went undefeated against league competition (15-0).
Overall, Rico won 281 games with the Mustangs and is the program’s all-time winningest coach.
Prior to his time at Mount Ida, Rico spent five seasons stalking the sidelines at Massasoit Community College (Brockton, Mass.) where his teams went a combined 108-50 and won 20 or more games in four of those five seasons.
Rico also served time as an assistant coach at Division I institutions, beginning at Saint Bonaventure in Olean, N.Y. and continuing to Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
A former two-year star on the court at Massasoit from 1969-71, Rico moved on to Boston State where he played for Boston Celtics legend Jim Loscutoff, serving as captain before graduating in 1976.
Rico has received numerous honors throughout his coaching career, including being inducted into the Sharon (Mass.) High School Hall of Fame, the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and the respective Hall of Fames at Massasoit and Mount Ida. In addition, he was named the NJCAA Region XXI Coach of the Year six times and was named NAC Coach of the Year in 2000.
Joe will take over the head coaching duties this winter after spending the previous five seasons one seat down on the bench.
“I grew up idolizing my dad as a coach,” said Joe. “I was then able to play for him at Mount Ida. Five years ago, I was fortunate enough to return to Dean and join his staff. Throughout the years observing my dad, I have learned the importance of treating players, assistant coaches and support staff the right way and with class. We will continue to build the program centered around finding quality young men with high character that will represent us well both on the court and in the campus community. I want to thank Dr. Rooney, George Martin, Cindy Kozil, Sandra Cain and the rest of the Dean community for believing in me.”
“I would like to congratulate Joe on being named as the next head coach of the Dean College men’s basketball team,” said Martin “He is already a proven winner on our campus as evidenced by leading our men’s cross country team to back-to-back conference championships. His work ethic, passion for the sport and his desire for student-athletes to excel will lead to more success on the court. I am thrilled that he is able to build upon the foundation that Rico established over the past seven years and that the Cabral family remains at the helm of our men’s basketball program.”
Joe’s coaching career began at Dean during the 2012-13 season as the recruiting coordinator for the Bulldogs. During his first stay with Dean, he helped the Bulldogs advance to the NJCAA Region 21 Championship game and finish the season at 17-6.
He then went to Lasell for two seasons where he served as the recruiting coordinator as well as an assistant coach. He helped guide the Lasers to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship game and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England championship contest.
After a one-year stint at Rhode Island College, Joe returned to Lasell for the 2016-17 season where he recruited six student-athletes who went on to become all-conference performers.
Joe was a four-year letter winner at Mount Ida College, where he was team captain for three seasons. He started 71 games for the Mustangs during his playing career and appeared in 100 overall.
A three-time GNAC Academic All-Conference selection, Joe was a member of the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society for business students.
Joe also serves as the Dean College men’s and women’s cross country head coach. Under his guidance, the men’s team won back-to-back New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championships (2018, 2019).
