| Title: | Athletic Director |
| Phone: | 856-351-2239 |
| Email: | bbunnell@salemcc.edu |
Dr. Robert D. “Bob” Bunnell began his work at Salem Community College on September 4, 2018, with the assignment to revive an intercollegiate athletics program that had been eliminated five years prior, at the conclusion of the 2013-14 school year. With a new name (“Mighty Oaks” replacing simply “Oaks”, and a new logo (Alex the Acorn replaced the Salem Oak), the reborn athletics program debuted in the fall of 2019. Initial teams competing were men’s and women’s cross country (activity suspended since 2021), men’s basketball and baseball. Men’s soccer joined the program in 20-21 (Covid Year), softball was added in 22-23, with women’s basketball debuting in 23-24. Women’s soccer is on the horizon, with a number of other sports under consideration for implementation. The programs have been very competitive, with men’s soccer earning two Region 19 Tournament bids, and one each for men’s basketball and softball. Baseball has been very competitive as well, with several victories over top-ranked NJCAA Division 3 programs. The current athletics staff numbers 17 in all, with all 15 coaches part-time, although 3 of the head coaches are full-time SCC employees.
Bunnell has led efforts to create or overhaul the program’s athletic facilities, with the following:
Baseball field renovation at Carneys Point Recreation Complex
Creation of soccer complex at Oldmans Township School
Creation of Mannington Mighty Oaks Athletic Training Center
Replacement of basketball court in DuPoint Field House
New scoreboards at baseball, soccer and basketball facilities
Dr. Bunnell is no newcomer to collegiate athletics, or program building, with more than 46 years of experience in collegiate athletics, including 29 years as an athletic director. He has been athletic director at:
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (1977-81)
Kenyon College (1990-99)
Franklin & Marshall College (1999-2004)
Purdue University Calumet (2007-11)
Centenary College Louisiana (2016-18)
Salem Community College (2018-present)
In addition to his many years of experience in intercollegiate athletics, Bunnell served in a number of other academic and administrative capacities, including Professor, Department Chair, Dean, and Assistant Vice-Chancellor. He also served as a head or assistant coach at these colleges:
East Stroudsburg University assistant baseball coach (1973-77)
Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis head baseball coach (1977-1981)
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science head baseball coach (1982-87)
Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now Jefferson University) baseball coach (1987-90)
Kenyon College head baseball coach (1991-95)
Franklin & Marshall head softball coach (2003-04)
Chatham College head softball coach (2006)
The highlight of his coaching career was leading his Philadelphia Textile team to the 1990 NCAA Division II national tournament in Montgomery Alabama. That team established a school record for victories (34-15-1 record in 1990), which has stood to this day. Bunnell and the Rams 1990 team were inducted into the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He was also inducted into the SUNY Orange Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.
Dr. Bunnell received an Associates degree in Physical Education from Orange County Community College (1971), his Bachelors in Physical Education from SUNY Brockport (1973), a Masters in Health and Physical Education from East Stroudsburg University (1975), and Doctor of Education degree in Sport Psychology from Temple University (1977).
Dr. Bunnell is a native of Narrowsburg, NY, and currently resides in Brookhaven, PA. He is a very proud dad to his daughter Kerry, a third grade teacher in the Lancaster, PA school system.
