Seneca Valley Alum Joseph Rankin Honored with HBCU Grant

Rankin, a Morgan State grad, played and coached at Seneca Valley and now coaches at Central Connecticut State

Seneca Valley alum Joseph Rankin has been selected to receive the Pioli Family Fund Grant for HBCU Coaches and Scouts. / Central Connecticut State University

A Seneca Valley High School graduate has received a prestigious honor from former National Football League front office executive Scott Pioli. 

Joseph Rankin Honored by Pioli Family Fund for HBCU Coaches and Scouts

Joseph Rankin, a former student-athlete at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, Maryland, has been selected to receive a grant from the Pioli Family Fund for HBCU Coaches and Scouts. 

Rankin, an assistant football coach at Central Connecticut State, becomes the ninth grant recipient of the Fund. 

Scott Pioli, with his wife Dallas, and their daughter, Mia, established the endowed fund in 2020 to create opportunities for men and women affiliated with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are football coaches or scouts.  

Rankin Played at Morgan State, as well as the NFL and CFL

Rankin, who played collegiately at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, enjoyed stints playing in the NFL and the Canadian Football League. 

Rankin, who coached football at his high school alma mater Seneca Valley before joining the coaching staff at Central Connecticut State, seeks to continue his climb up the coaching ranks and find a position in the NFL. 

Grant Will Help Rankin Progress in His Coaching Career

“In life, nothing is ever accomplished alone, especially in the pursuit of something as special as coaching college football,” said Rankin. “This game has changed my life, and to now be supported by Scott Pioli and this incredible initiative is a blessing I do not take for granted.” 

Rankin spent the 2022 season as head coach at Seneca Valley and was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the three seasons prior to his appointment as head coach. He joined the Blue Devils football staff in 2023 and is responsible for coaching the CCSU cornerbacks.  

“I am especially thankful for the opportunity to keep impacting the lives of my student-athletes, not just on the field, but off it as well,” said Rankin. “Helping them grow into great men, strong leaders in their communities, and, one day, great fathers and husbands, that’s what I strive for every day.” 

Rankin was a standout performer at Morgan State where he earned All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference honors before embarking on a career in professional football. He had stints playing with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Brown and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes. 

“I’m extremely happy for Joe. He was a terrific player at Morgan State University, and I respected the way he battled during his time in professional football,” said Scott Pioli, a five-time NFL Executive of the Year with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots and recipient of three Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. “Since then, he has committed himself to his family and his athletes while in the coaching profession. I’ve had the chance to see him coach firsthand at my alma mater, Central Connecticut State University, and he does an excellent job. It’s clear that his peers and his players learn from him and respect him.”