BROCKTON, Mass.—University of Hawai'i head softball coach Bob Coolen was inducted in to the Brockton High School Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 19 at the Shaw Conference Center in Brockton, Mass.
 
Coolen, who graduated in 1976, was one of 10 members selected to the Boxers' Hall of Fame's Class of 2011. While at Brockton High School, Coolen earned nine varsity letters—three in football as a split end/slot back; three in baseball as a pitcher; and three in swimming as a freestyle sprinter. He was voted the Most Valuable Player of the state baseball tournament. Coolen was also selected to the all-state 200-medley relay team in swimming which earned him all-scholastic honor--the highest accoldade in the state. It is the 26th induction ceremony for the Brockton Hall of Fame.

Coolen then metriculated to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., where he again was a three-sport athlete. He played four years each on the football and baseball teams as a receiver and pitcher, respectively. He also was a sprinter on the swimming team for two seasons. He captained the football and baseball teams his senior season of 1979-80 and led his baseball team to the “Little-Three” Conference title in 1980. Coolen earned his B.A. degree in 1980 in government with an emphasis in public-policy analysis. He went on to do his post-graduate work at Boston University where he earned his M.Ed. in human movement in 1986.
  
Coolen enters his 23rd overall season and 21st season as head softball coach of the Rainbow Wahine in 2012. He is UH's all-time winningest softball coach with a 754-446-1 record. Coolen has guided the 'Bows to four conference titles (1-Big West, 3-Western Athletic Conference), nine NCAA tournament appearances, two NCAA Super Regionals, and most memorably UH's record-setting run to the 2010 Women's College World Series, when UH finished the season ranked 7th in the nation while shattering the NCAA team home run record.
 
This year's honorees are:
Mark O'Reilly – Class of 1966 – Citizen/Coach
Eric Ampuja – Class of 2001 – Hockey, Football
Robert Coolen – Class of 1976 – Baseball, Football, Swimming
Quandra Harrison – Class of 2000 – Basketball, Volleyball
Glen Reagan – Class of 1980 – Football
Richard Reagan – Class of 1984 - Football
Robert Rubicine – Class of 1958 – Baseball, Football
Nick Tempesta – Class of 1997 - Baseball
Brent Warren – Class of 1993 – Football, Basketball, Outdoor Track
Michael Winston – Class of 1994 – Indoor Track, Outdoor Track
 
The Rainbow Wahine open their 2012 season with the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic, Feb. 9-11, featuring Missouri-Kansas City, Seattle, and DePaul.