Rose Marie Battaglia
April 26, 1929 ~ November 22, 2020
Dr. Rose Marie Battaglia, died peacefully at home in Wall, NJ on November 22, 2020. A women's basketball pioneer and 2018 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Dr. Battaglia is considered a legend in the world of basketball, both in her passion for the game and mentorship of her players. She coached women's basketball for 38 years in Bergen County with more than 700 victories at the high school and college level. Dr. Battaglia led Paramus Catholic High School to two consecutive state champions and Bergen Community College to 10 Garden State Athletic Conference Championships, four Region XIX Championships, and four NJCAA Final Four appearances. She received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Garden State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Award; NJCAA Region XIX Coach of the Year Award; 1998 WBCA Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award; 2000 New Jersey Collegiate Basketball Coaches Association Lifetime Achievement Award; 1979 Stayfree National Coach of the Year Award; 1999 NJCAA Hall of Fame inductee; and 1996 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame inductee. Most recently, the Paramus Catholic High School gymnasium was renamed in her honor, recognizing her alongside her former player and dear friend, Anne Donovan.
Rose Marie was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Louise; her sister Marjorie; her brother Frank; her brother-in-law Dominick; and her nephew Michael. She is survived by her lifelong friend Agnes. Other family members include: sister-in-law Carmela; nieces and nephews Jody, Dean, Catherine, Regina, Maryann, Christine, Frances, Rose Marie, Joseph, and Louis and their spouses; great-nieces and great-nephews Alexa, Julia, Mary, Tommy, Sophia, Mark, Megan, Daniel, Tara, Lori, Sarah, Loren, Marissa, Craig, Nick, Kerry, Dylan, Carly, Catherine, Shawna, Mario, Kristin, Joseph, Frankie, Matthew, and Gia; and great-grandnieces and grandnephews Cassandra, Trae, Caden, Scarlett, Kevin, Liam, Wyatt, Madison, Sidney, Jakob, Carter, Judah, Reign, and Grayson.
She will be remembered by those who knew her as a caring, generous, and open-hearted person. The joy she brought to the lives of her family and friends was unwavering and everlasting. Mass and memorial to follow in 2021. For information call (201) 944-0100 or www.frankpatti.com
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As sported editor of The Elizabeth Daily Journal, I was president of the NJ College Basketball Writers Association for 11 years late 1970s-late 1980s, so I got to know Rose pretty well.
In addition to being a great coach, winning championships at the high school and college levels, she was a wonderful person.
Sadly, it has been many years since I last communicated with Rose, but she left me with many happy memories of our weekly meetings which included team reports from all of the coaches in attendance..
I am proud to have come to know Rose Battaglia. May she rest in peace.
Bill Kennedy, Otisfield, Me.
To the Battaglia family,
Our sincere condolences to your family on your loss. I have known Rose Marie since I was a kid and remember her well. You must be very proud of her and the accomplishments she achieved. She was a very special person and a great friend to my Aunt Agnes.
To the Battaglia Family,
Very sorry to learn of Rose Marie's passing. I graduated from Bergen Community College while she was a professor there
and was on the men's basketball team in 1970. I always remembered her for her kindness, compassion and
friendliness. She was a pioneer in the basketball community achieving success in all her endeavors. May she
rest in peace. God Bless Rose Marie and her family.
Sincerely,
Paul Rizzo
So sorry to hear of Coach Batagglia‘s passing. I worked with her in the 1970s at Pocono Invitational Sports Camp. I was just a high school kid but she shared her knowledge of the game and demonstrated every day what a great person, leader, and coach should be.