Gary Bucci, a 1976 Ithaca College graduate and a two-sport student-athlete, returned to South Hill to serve as an assistant coach for the football program prior to the start of the 2017 season. Bucci was previously an assistant coach at IC for 11 years over two different stints – 1977-1983 and 2001-06.
During his time as an assistant coach to Jim Butterfield and Mike Welch, Bucci worked with the receivers. He was a staff member on the 1979 National Championship team and the 1980 runner-up squad, as well as an assistant on three NCAA teams as an assistant to Welch from 2001-06. From 2002-06, IC garnered seven Empire 8 All-Conference honors – Justin Esposito (2003-05), Jeff Welch (2003-04), Pete McCaffrey (2002) and Kelly Gordon (2006). He also coached Jim Duncan in 1980, who was named an All-American at season's end. Most recently, Bucci coached Kendall Anderson, an All-Liberty League selection in 2018, Jalen Hines, the 2021 Liberty League Rookie of the Year and Jake Williams, who scored 15 touchdowns in 2022 and was named second team in the Liberty League.
As a two-sport student-athlete in football and baseball, Bucci was a three-year starter for both sports. He played on three national runner-up teams, two for football (1974-75) and one for baseball (1976). As a defensive back, Bucci recorded 13 interceptions in his career, and played quarterback one season. On the diamond, he hit .278 in his career with eight home runs, 37 RBI, 50 runs scored and 50 walks. He was named to the All-World Series Team in 1976, as he batted 6-for-10 with five RBI and four runs scored.
Bucci was inducted into the Ithaca College Hall of Fame as a member of the 1979 football team in 2014 and was individually inducted in 2019.
