Rapczynski the pick

Wilmington University men’s assistant tabbed as the new women’s basketball coach at Salem CC; one former Mighty Oaks player who has come under his wing gives high praise

UPDATED WITH NEW MATERIAL

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT — Wilmington University men’s basketball assistant J.J. Rapczynski will be the new Salem Community College women’s basketball coach, pending approval by the board at its meeting next week.

Rapczynski, a former Ursinus College guard, just completed his third season with the WilmU men’s team. He also was associate head men’s coach at Immaculate, and coached at West Chester, Widener and Neumann.

“I’ve known who he is for a long time,” Salem athletics director Bob Hughes said. “He comes from a long line of basketball people.”

The Mighty Oaks received 90 applications for the position. Rapczynski was among five finalists who included a longtime South Jersey high school head coach, two women’s assistant coaches from within Region XIX and a former Division I women’s player just starting her coaching career.

“He clearly had an understanding of recruiting in-state (and) knowledge of the region,” Hughes said. “He really seemed to the best fit … the one who the committee felt would work well here.”

Coach Rap scores high marks with one former Salem CC player, who predicts he’ll become a “historically great coach” with the Mighty Oaks. Akeem Taylor transferred to WilmU after leading the Mighty Oaks to a fifth-place finish in the 2025 national tournament and worked with Rapczynski on a daily basis.

“Coach Rap is a great coach with a high-level basketball IQ and a real understanding of the game,” Taylor said. “He’s big on player development and puts a lot of time into helping players improve their skills, confidence and overall approach. He holds players accountable, but also supports them, so you grow both on and off the court. He’s detail-oriented, communicates well and knows how to build relationships with his players.

“I think he will end up being a historically great coach at Salem and build a very successful program on and off the court.”

Rapczynski succeeds Brian Marsh, who stepped aside after a tumultuous 2025-26 season cut short with three games left when the arrest of four players left by the team without enough players to field a competitive team. Marsh coached the program through the first three seasons of its revival. He was 23-43 with a high-water mark of 11 wins last season.

Rapczynski brings a diverse collegiate coaching background to Salem, with experience across NCAA Division II and Division III programs on both the men’s and women’s sides of the game. He most recently served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Wilmington University, a position he has held since August 2023.

Prior to Wilmington, Rapczynski spent four seasons as the Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Immaculata University from 2019-2023. During that same stretch, he also worked with East Coast Power AAU as a National Coach and Skills Academy instructor, helping develop high-level student-athletes throughout the region.

His coaching résumé also includes a season as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Neumann University during the 2018-19 season, along with assistant coaching stops at West Chester University from 2016-18 and Widener University from 2012-16.

Rapczynski said he was “incredibly grateful” for the chance to become the Mighty Oaks’ head coach.

“I want to thank the college for the trust they’ve placed in me, and I cannot wait to get to work,” he said in a statement when the school announced his hiring Thursday. “I look forward to bringing enthusiasm and a strong culture back to the women’s program.

“One of the things that stood out to me most about Salem Community College was the momentum surrounding the school, the quality of the facilities, the positive campus environment, and most importantly, the people. I want our program to reflect that same standard every single day in everything we do. The people immediately made this opportunity feel special. From the administration to the staff, there’s a genuine sense of support, pride, and positivity throughout campus, and I’m excited to build a women’s basketball program that reflects that same culture.”