MCC Daily Tribune

Bruce "Murph" Shapiro, Athletics

Monroe Community College mourns the loss of retired Athletics Director Bruce “Murph” Shapiro. Mr. Shapiro passed away on August 28, 2021 at the age of 83.

Today, his family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Locust Hill Country Club, 2000 Jefferson Road. A celebration of his life will be held at noon today and will also be livestreamed.

Mr. Shapiro is survived by his wife of 57 years, Annette; four children, Kelly, Bethann (Jim Ord), Casey (Sarah Axelrod), and Corey (Stephen Aronstam); four grandchildren, Taylor, Charlotte, Carley, and Parker; brother, Sanford (Miriam); and sister, Sharon. He was predeceased by his brother, Warren, and grandchildren, Hannah and Jake.

According to his obituary, Mr. Shapiro was a life-long resident of Rochester as well as “a successful athlete, coach, referee, administrator, avid golfer, and, most important, a loving husband and father.”

After studying and playing basketball, football and baseball at the University of Miami, be began his high school teaching and coaching career at Eastridge High School in East Irondequoit. In 1964, he became a head coach for Monroe High School in Rochester.

In 1969, Mr. Shapiro began his MCC career as the men’s basketball coach under the leadership of the college’s first Athletics Director George Monaghan. Over the course of 16 years, Mr. Shapiro led the Tribunes to win 329 games while becoming basketball referee. He launched the National Youth Sports Program at MCC that served thousands of economically disadvantaged Rochester youth during the summer months.

In 1991, he became MCC’s athletics director. Under his leadership, the MCC Tribunes won 99 regional and 13 national NJCAA championships and MCC’s Athletics program among the top two programs in the nation. He will be remembered for inspiring and mentoring many athletes and coaches. He retired after four decades of service to the college.

Mr. Shapiro was named to the Section Five Basketball Hall of Fame, The Jewish Hall of Fame, Monroe Community College Athletics Hall of Fame, and the Frontier Field Walk of Fame. He received the NJCAA Athletic Director of the Year and the key to the City of Rochester.

He will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to University of Rochester’s Memory Care Program, UR Medicine Home Care, or Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester.

DeAnna Burt-Nanna
Office of the President
08/31/2021