Shawn Bragg began his career in College athletics while earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Kean University where he was a Dean’s List and Lambda Alpha Sigma honors student. He holds a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, and he is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist.
“Shawn has extensive experience in the athletics industry and is well respected in all circles,”
Mr. Sisk said. “He brings a depth of knowledge of operations that will be invaluable as we grow the office and increase programming. Shawn is a natural leader who enjoys collaborating with students, colleagues, and community partners to provide resources for our student-athletes and I look forward to working with him for years to come.”
Bragg comes to HCCC from Saint Michael’s College (VT) where he served as Director of Athletics Internal Operations since 2024. Previously, he was Associate Director of Athletics for Operations and Compliance and served briefly as Interim Director of Athletics at St. Elizabeth University (NJ). Mr. Bragg was also Assistant General Manager for Student Recreation Center/Operations and Aquatics Supervisor at Division I Rider University (NJ). Prior to that engagement he split his time as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona, NJ and Recreation Coordinator with Atlantic Health System in Morristown, NJ.
“All of us at Hudson County Community College join in welcoming Shawn Bragg to our team,” said HCCC Interim President Dr. Lisa Dougherty. “We look forward to working with him and Jonathan as they prepare us for this exciting new chapter in the College’s 50-year history and the advent of our sports programs.”
Recently, HCCC unveiled its new team name and mascot, the Hudson Hornets. HCCC will compete as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 15 Division III, comprised of community college teams primarily from New York City, Long Island and surrounding areas, and New Jersey. Besides beginning men’s and women’s basketball games this Fall, HCCC plans to have men’s and women’s volleyball teams competing in Fall 2027, followed by additional varsity teams to be added over the next five years.
The Hudson Hornets women’s and men’s first home games will be played against the Essex County College Wolverines on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively. The games will take place at Hudson County High Tech High School, One High Tech Way in Secaucus, NJ.
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About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves more than 20,000 credit and non-credit students annually. The College offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs, including award-winning English as a Second Language; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management; Nursing and Health Professions; and Humanities and Social Sciences. The HCCC Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management program was ranked number six in the U.S. by Best Choice Schools. The College’s School of Continuing Education and Workforce Development offers cutting-edge, industry-recognized, stackable credentials in alignment with high-priority workforce needs.
HCCC has partnerships with major four-year colleges and universities in the greater New Jersey-New York area and beyond, accommodating seamless transfer of credits for further undergraduate and graduate education.
The College has received dozens of national awards throughout the years. HCCC was a finalist in seven categories of the 2026 American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) “Awards of Excellence” and earned 2026 Advancing Institutional Equity and Belonging, Faculty Innovation, and Faculty of the Year Awards, in addition to Dale P. Parnell Faculty Recognition. HCCC earned AACC 2024 “Awards of Excellence” CEO of the Year, Faculty of the Year, and Student Success Awards. In 2023, HCCC received the Outstanding Member-Institution Award from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).
For the sixth consecutive year, HCCC was selected as one of only a few community colleges in the United States to be named a “2026 Most Promising Place to Work in Community Colleges” by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). HCCC was one of 76 higher education institutions in the nation, and the only college in New Jersey, to be recognized by ModernThink LLC and the “Chronicle of Higher Education” as a 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022 “Great College to Work For®” and named to the 2026, 2024 and 2023 “Great Colleges Honor Roll of Distinction.”
HCCC is one of two colleges in the United States to be named a Top Ten Finalist in all three program categories for the nationally recognized 2023 Bellwether Awards, and received the 2023 Bellwether Award for the College’s cutting-edge “Hudson Scholars” program, which also won the 2024 Bellwether Legacy Award. HCCC also earned the 2026 Bellwether “Best in Showcase Award.”
The College’s exemplary work in advancing student success has been recognized with “Leader College of Distinction” designation by Achieving the Dream, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community colleges as catalysts for equity and mobility in their communities. HCCC also earned the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention in 2025, 2024 and 2023 for demonstrating leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion.
The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) named the College the inaugural recipient of the 2025 ACCT national “Impact and Success Award.”
