Pima Community College men’s soccer coach David Cosgrove was named Thursday to the inaugural class of the NJCAA Legacy Award, presented by Nufabrx — a recognition of him as one of the most successful junior college coaches in history.
Cosgrove, the Aztecs’ coach since 1998, earned the honor along with nearly 200 coaches across 28 different sports. They were nominated by their respective colleges.
Pima athletic director Ken Jacome nominated Cosgrove.
“They put me into the class; it was surprising,” Cosgrove said in a Pima press release. “It always feels good to be recognized for your dedication and time. I’ve been fortunate to have the staff and the players and the support of Pima and the administrators.”
This is the first time in the near 90-year history of the NJCAA that coaches have been recognized with a Legacy Award.
Cosgrove recently completed his 27th season at Pima, where he is 433-124-40 in his career.
He has sent more than 125 student-athletes to four-year universities.
The Aztecs have won two NJCAA national championships in 2018 and 2021, a Division I national runner-up finish in 1999 and national semifinal finishes in 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2024.
Cosgrove and his staff were selected the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division II Coaching Staff of the Year and the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division I Coaching Staff of the Year.
The Aztecs finished the 2024 season at 20-1-1, earning the most single-season wins and ACCAC wins since 2018.
Pima won the Region I championship this season and qualified for its eighth straight appearance at the NJCAA national tournament.
Cosgrove said he was happy to be put in the class, especially with many coaches he respects.
“Some of my sports’ all-time greatest coaches are on the list — guys who have won multiple national titles,” he said. “Jim Kelly from the (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) College of Dupage, he was around when I was a player. Charles Inverso, from (West Windsor, N.J.) Mercer County Community College; to be in a class with them in our sport, I feel like the young guy. The best of the best were considered and it’s one of the greatest acknowledgments of my career.”
Cosgrove was selected to the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame and the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame in 2013.
“When I got into coaching, it was to help some local kids short-term and I never thought it would be a 27-year career,” Cosgrove said. “For the first 15-20 years, I never thought I’d get a sniff of a national championship. I never envisioned I’d get these accolades and be put in a position with these great people.”
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