Pulkkinen becomes member of Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame

By Matt Pascarella

Both Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen’s basketball teams have put up impressive numbers in the past couple years winning multiple state championships. He was Coach of the Year in 2024 and in March achieved 100 career wins. Pulkkinen’s latest honor came when he was inducted into the Saint Joesph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame at Saint Joseph’s College on Friday, Oct. 17.

Windham High varsity boys' basketball coach Chad
Pulkkinen, left, was greeted during his induction into the
Saint Joseph's College Athletics Hall of Fame by SJC
Athletics Hall of Fame member John Wassenbergh 
during ceremonies held at Saint Joseph College on
Friday, Oct. 17. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

“I never even thought it possible – it’s hard to be a hall of famer here, it’s a storied basketball program. It’s an honor to be a part of that Hall of Fame class,” said Pulkkinen. “It’s definitely something that my family can be proud of especially my parents and my brother and sister who were my biggest support growing up. I think sharing (this) with my family, my friends and teammates, that’s the thing that makes me the happiest.”

Each inductee was interviewed by someone who had had an impact on their time at Saint Joseph’s College. 1996 graduate and 2007 Saint Joseph’s College Hall of Famer John Wassenbergh interviewed him.

When Pulkkinen was around 10-years old, he would watch the men’s basketball games at Saint Joesph’s College and quickly found a friend in Wassenbergh. That friendship has lasted over 30 years. Wassenbergh coached him during the summer and watched him develop as a player. Pulkkinen looks up to Wassenbergh, but Wassenbergh said he also looks up to Pulkkinen.

“There are moments in your life that you just don’t forget; this’ll be one of them,” said Wassenbergh, in reference to the ceremony. I’ve known him since he was 10 years old. Chad is the epitome of hard work, perseverance, dedication, doing it the right way. He overcame two surgeries in his college career. He gives it his all every single time. He kept fighting (when injured), which is a testament to his character. I see his son today and it brings me back to the spitting image of a kid running around our gym when I was playing here. He came to every single game; I would throw him the ball during the layup lines and there was a great connection.”

In his freshman year at Saint Joseph’s College, Pulkkinen tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Less than a year later, he tore his ACL again in what he described as “extremely dark moments” for his first two years playing college ball. Being injured was a life lesson for him. It took away everything he loved. He said he thought it was the best thing for him because he looked at the game differently; he appreciated it differently, especially after the second injury.

There were doubts from people that maybe it was time for him to stop playing, but this was motivation for him to fight harder and come back stronger than before. He loved playing for Saint Joseph’s College, and after returning had his strongest season in his graduate year.

He watched players like Wassenbergh and Carl Howell go overseas and thought maybe that could be him someday. Pulkkinen started a dream through them. After college, with his BS in business, he went to play for the Northampton Neptunes in the European Basketball League.

Almost all of Pulkkinen’s coaching style can be attributed to Saint Joesph’s College and the best basketball coach in Maine, Rick Simonds. He got a kickstart his freshman and sophomore years when he was injured. Having Simonds his freshman year and Rob Sanicola his sophomore through graduate years really set him up with the Monk standards and traditions that he and his coaches work to pass on to Windham teams.

“I want Windham alumni to be proud and hopefully my experiences including failures and successes can help my current players,” said Pulkkinen.

Former Saint Joseph’s College men’s basketball coach Rob Sanicola said one word defines ever player over the course of their career; for Pulkkinen, that word is perseverance. Not just in his strong stats, but in the unseen battles and long rehabs. He kept pushing, rising and believing. He didn’t just play through adversity; he became the definition of how to overcome it. During his time as a Monk, he was a fighter, a teammate, and the heart of St. Joesph’s College basketball. Sanicola said this was a well-deserved honor and more than that, he’s proud of their friendship to this day.

“As coaches you’re constantly asking your players to come back as better versions of themselves,” said Windham varsity assistant boys’ basketball coach Geoff Grigsby. “Coaches have to work and come back a better version as well. That may be Chad’s best quality, he’s never content with where things are; he works to be a better dad, husband, coach, business owner, better community member. His players respect him and want to do well for him and be like him. He worked even harder to come back from multiple knee surgeries and still have a great career and be the best version of himself in his last year here. There’s nobody that has better character than Chad.” <