10/17/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Lackawanna College Athletics Department is saddened to hear of the passing of Guy Valvano, beloved sports historian, sports newspaper legend, and the first-ever Sports Information Director at Lackawanna College.
 
As reported by The Scranton Times-Tribune's Joby Fawcett, Guy passed away at the age of 96 on Tuesday, surrounded by his "adoring family."
 
"Though I did not have the opportunity to work with Guy personally, his reputation within both the athletics and the college communities speaks volumes," said Erik Larson, Director of Athletics at Lackawanna College. "He represented the college with professionalism, dedication, and integrity, contributing positively to our school's culture and standing.
 
"His impact in recognizing and promoting local athletics will surely be remembered."
 
Guy was an accomplished sportswriter, spending over four decades writing and covering local sports in northeastern Pennsylvania. Guy's wit and masterful storytelling capabilities shined through in everything he wrote, always in the pursuit of highlighting and showcasing the local athletes across our region.
 
When he retired in 1990, Valvano was the sports editor of The Scrantonian, and the assistant sports editor of The Scranton Tribune. He spent two years away from covering sports, but returned in 1992 to become the first-ever Sports Information Director at what was then Lackawanna Junior College.
 
Valvano would oversee communications and missives from the athletics department over the next eleven years, as Falcons athletics grew and thrived in the final decade of the millennium. Guy helped promote the launch of the varsity football team in 1993, and was there to keep the statistics and continue to promote the young program, as the Falcons quickly morphed into a national power.
 
Current head football coach Mark Duda, who was defensive coordinator in 1993 and became head coach in 1994, spent a decade working with Guy to promote both the program and the outstanding athletes that came through its doors.
 
"Guy loved sports and the people who played them. He traveled to all our games and always had a positive thing to say after a win or a loss," Duda said. "Guy was a very good man with the rare ability to paint a picture in a few sentences. I will miss him."
 
It wasn't just football that saw success, as Lackawanna's men's and women's basketball programs were regional powers at the time. In Guy's time, the women's program challenged for regional supremacy with the likes of Union College and Mercer County Community College, while the men's team evolved from a Region also-ran into a nationally recognized program. The Falcons won Region XIX titles in the late 1990's, earning the program's first-ever #1 national ranking in early 1999. The head coach for the men's program at the time was Eric Grundman, who spent seven seasons at Lackawanna College, amassing 153 wins. Grundman is now the Director of Athletics at Mercer County CC.
 
"Guy Valvano was far more than a Sports Information Director during my time at Lackawanna. Beyond his hard work and dedication to our program and student-athletes, Guy was a mentor to me," said Grundman. "He provided me with guidance and direction both on the court and in life. He was instrumental in any successes that we had.
 
"Guy always treated me like family and to this day, his family continues to treat me just as he did. He has left an indelible legacy on each and every person who has been fortunate to cross paths with him."
 
The women's basketball coach through much of Guy's time at Lackawanna was Mike Bartoletti, who doubled as the baseball coach until he left the athletics department in 2001. Bartoletti is now the head baseball coach at the University of Scranton.
 
"I cannot express in words how much Guy meant to me and how much I learned from him," said Bartoletti. "He taught me how to treat people. I learned from him that attention to detail was so important in every area of life. When we were together at Lackawanna, I obviously got to know him on a more personal level...I am a better person and coach because of Guy."
 
Guy's time at Lackawanna also intersected with that of his granddaughter, Jenna (Macciocco) Urban, who played for the women's basketball team from 1998 to 2000 with Bartoletti as the head coach. Jenna was one of hundreds of local athletes who had their stories told by Guy, whether it be through his own bylines and reports in the pages of the Scrantonian or The Tribune, or the releases he diligently fired away from his desk at Lackawanna College.
 
Towards the end of his time with the College, Guy brought on an assistant who had a similar passion for sports history and statistics, specifically when it came to Lackawanna athletics. Joe Paparelli, at that time a part-time employee of the school, learned under and worked with Guy for several years, eventually advancing with Lackawanna to serve as the main statistician, sports information director, and then as the Director of Compliance for the athletics department.
 
"Guy was a gentleman. He was a gentleman who always gave his time and effort to helping forward the College in the reporting of its athletic events," said Paparelli. "I enjoyed his company in the work we did, and he was someone who I felt comfortable with. I'm going to miss him."
 
That made it all the easier for Guy to step away into retirement in 2003, knowing that the Lackawanna records would be kept, and the stories would continue to be told. Guy spent his retirement telling some of his own stories, becoming a prolific author and chronicler of local sports. Valvano wrote books about high school sports in Northeast PA, telling the histories of Valley View Football, the 1973 Scranton Prep Basketball state championship, the relationship with legendary football coaches John and Jack Henzes, and the enduring legacy and history of the Lynett Memorial Basketball Tournament. Valvano also wrote about the history of the University of Scranton's men's soccer program, as well as a book about the greatest athletes in the history of the University of Scranton's athletics program.
 
Most recently, Guy authored a book chronicling a subject he knows very well: Himself. His final book, "Covering a Lifetime of Sports: An Autobiography by Guy Valvano," is about his life spent covering sports, starting as a copy boy at the Scranton Tribune in 1946, and making his way to running the sports pages in the late 1980's. The book is available for purchase on Amazon.
 
Valvano has had many awards for his years of service in sports, winning a PIAA District 2 service award and a PIAA District 12 Media Award, as well as the James A. Calpin Media Award and the Joseph M. Butler Award. Valvano was inducted into the Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, and the University of Scranton Wall of Fame in 1996.
 
Guy had spent his remaining years writing and cheering on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren through both their regular and athletic lives. He and his wife of 71 years, Marie, remained in Dunmore throughout his life. He leaves behind a legacy of excellence as a family man and a teller of stories.
 
The Lackawanna College Athletics Department extends its condolences to the Valvano family, and celebrates the life of Guy Valvano.