Hall of Fame
As Deb Kopacko progressed through her freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years at California University of Pennsylvania, the Lady Vulcan softball team started rising to the top.
With a record of 22-21, the Lady Vulcans obtained their first-ever NCAA national ranking during her freshman year, Kopacko’s sophomore year included a PSAC West title and the team improved its overall record to 27-13.
She saw action in the team’s first-ever NCAA tournament as a junior. The 36-10 team Kopacko played on during her junior year at Cal also placed second in the PSAC Tournament and eventually placed second in the regionals for the NCAA tourney.
Finally, while Kopacko was a senior, the team finished with an incredible record of 47-11 and on the first PSAC women’s title ever for any women’s sport at California.
It is only natural that Kopacko would now be inducted into California’s Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the fourth class.
Kopacko grew up in nearby Republic and graduated from Brownsville High School in 1987.
While in high school, she earned four letters in softball and was a four-year MVP. She came to California and quickly became a four-year starting shortstop for the Lady Vulcans.
With a .352 career batting average, Kopacko earned all-conference honors three times.
She hit 36 doubles, 20 triples and 10 home runs during her four years. She also stole 29 bases and had 111 RBI.
The thing that Kopacko remembers the most is winning the PSAC championship. During the final game against Bloomsburg, Kopacko not only drove in the eventual game-winning RBI, but she also caught the final out preserving the 6-1 win over Bloom. She said that this was her “best memory” of California.
Kopacko didn’t only excel in women’s softball. In 1991, she became the starting goalkeeper for the California’s soccer team.
She also served a ski instructor at California for the Special Olympics in 1990 and 1991.
In 1991, Kopacko graduated from California with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management.
She works as a co-manager at a local fast food restaurant and was recently named as the assistant girls’ softball coach for Geibel High School.
With all of her great statistics and team accomplishments, Kopacko said she still didn’t expect to be inducted into the Hall of Fame so soon after she graduated.
“I was very surprised and shocked that I made it into the Hall of Fame. I remember reading about it last year when one of our pitchers (Paula Mastrean) made it in. I never thought for a minute that I would get inducted, and then I got the forms. I was very excited,” Kopacko said.
Deb Kopacko was a three-time, all-conference shortstop who played for the Lady Vulcan softball team from 1988 through 1991. One of the most feared hitters in PSAC, Kopacko finished with .352 career batting average (188 for 534) that included 36 doubles, 20 triples, 10 home runs, 29 stolen bases and 111 RBI.
One of the cornerstones behind Cal's rise as a national softball power, Kopacko caught the last out and drove in the eventual game-winning in Cal's 1991 PSAC title win over Bloomsburg (6-1) which was the first PSAC women's team title ever won by a Cal U athletic squad. Cal attained a first-ever national ranking in her 1988 freshman season and made the school's first three PSAC Final Four appearances and first two NCAA Regional appearances. Cal compiled records of 22-21, 27-13, 36-10 and 47-11 during the Kopacko era and placed fourth, second and first at the PSAC tourney and second and third at the NCAA Regionals. Kopacko was also the women's soccer team's starting goalkeeper in 1991.
Originally from Republic, PA, and a 1987 graduate of Brownsville High School, Kopacko earned her B.S. in business administration from Cal U in 1992. Kopacko, who was a basketball statistician for Cal sports information in the early 1990's, is a co-manager of a restaurant in Connellsville and is also the assistant softball coach at Geibel High School. She is single and resides in her hometown of Republic, PA.
