A local man has been inducted into the Cortland Sports Hall of Fame.

Joseph Bramante ‘71, M ‘74 - Football, Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Basketball, Baseball

At the official ceremony, inductees were introduced at halftime of the Cortland football game versus Delaware Valley. Seven new members will be inducted into the SUNY Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame during its annual ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 2. 

Established in 1969, the C-Club Hall of Fame recognizes Cortland alumni who competed as athletes at the College and who have since distinguished themselves in their professions and within their communities. Honorary members are recognized for their long and significant contributions to SUNY Cortland athletics. New C-Club members have been added annually and this year’s ceremony will bring the Hall of Fame roster to 289 alumni and 32 honorary members.

Joseph Bramante was a standout football running back at Cortland and a long-time teacher, coach and administrator in the Maine-Endwell (N.Y.) School District. 

A native of Newark, N.Y., he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cortland in 1971, a master’s degree in physical education from Cortland in 1974 and a Certificate of Advanced Study in School Administration and Supervision from Cortland in 1980 

Joe  competed in football at Cortland for four seasons (halfback on freshman team in 1967 and running back, all-purpose back, punt/kick returner and defensive punt team on varsity from 1968-70); also a lacrosse midfielder in 1969 and played freshman baseball and basketball 

He set a school record as a junior with 739 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns, six rushing and two receiving, and was considered for All-East and All-America honors as well as being nominated for Little All-America honors 

Joe finished with a then school-record 1,212 career rushing yards, despite missing the first half of his senior season due to injury; served as team captain as a senior and received NFL Draft consideration from the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers 

He was the Cortland Men’s Athletic Association treasurer in 1969 and president in 1970. 

A teacher, coach and administrator for more than 35 years, including 30-plus years in the Maine-Endwell Central School District. He was Maine-Endwell football head coach from 1974-79, girls’ track head coach from 1981-86 and director of physical education and athletics from 1997-2005, along with stints coaching modified boys’ basketball, girls’ tennis and boys’ and girls’ track 

Bramante’s football teams at Maine-Endwell had winning records each season and were ranked as high as third in the state. 

Joe was the  New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Section Four President in 2002-03 and Section Four Athletic Director of the Year in 2005. He started Maine-Endwell’s girls’ lacrosse program while director of athletics in 1998 

Joe was also Inducted into Maine-Endwell Hall of Fame in 2011 and Section Four Hall of Fame in 2021 

Joe was Assistant varsity football coach at Johnson City High School from 1980-85 and served as a teacher, boys’ lacrosse head coach and assistant football coach at Waterloo High School during the 1971-72 school year; he instituted and taught co-ed classes under Title IX while at Waterloo 

He Customized the “Four C’s” — Competence, Character, Civility and Citizenship — as an assessment tool for athletics; and integrated curriculum philosophy Athletics as an Extension of the Classroom, highlighting “Fair Play, Honesty, Consideration of Classmates” in K-12 physical education; Maine-Endwell received consecutive NYSPHSAA awards and was designated a model school for sportsmanship 

Joe’s  community service includes work with St. Anthony of Padua Church in Endicott from 1976-2005, the town of Maine from 1976-81, a variety of youth sports work in Endicott from 1989-99, and at the IDEAL Living Center nursing home from 2005-17.