By Rich Chrampanis
MIDDLETOWN – Former Mater Dei Prep head football coach Shannon Hoadley died Jan. 25 at the age of 54. His family shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook.
“It is with shock and unspeakable grief that we share the passing of an amazing husband, father, brother, and friend,” the family posted. “Leslie ‘Shannon’ Hoadley passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on Sunday. We appreciate the outpouring of love and prayers during this difficult time.”
Hoadley, a 1989 graduate of the now-defunct Mater Dei Prep, was the Seraphs’ head coach in 2015 after spending seven seasons as an assistant coach. In 2016, he handed the reins to Dino Mangiero and stayed on as assistant head coach. That year, the Seraphs won the school’s first football state championship with a dramatic 26-20 win over Holy Spirit that featured a last-second hook and lateral to Eddie Lewis to secure the state title.
“To think of where this program was six years ago, when we wanted to rebuild this program, to where we are now,” Hoadley told The Two River Times after the state championship win nearly 10 years ago. “After going through the school closing, the players could have left, the coaches could have left, but we stayed together. I’m so happy for the kids.”
Hoadley was an assistant coach at Keyport prior to coaching at his alma mater. He stayed with Mater Dei Prep through 2022, when the school ultimately closed its doors for good. Hoadley went on to assistant coaching stints at St. John Vianney and, most recently, Raritan.
“Coach Shannon was more than a coach, he was a mentor, a leader and family to his players,” the Raritan football team posted on social media. “He loved his guys like they were his own and poured his heart into every practice, every game, and every relationship. His impact on the Shore Conference football community and the brotherhood he helped build will never be forgotten. Coach Shannon’s legacy lives on through the players he shaped and the lives he touched. Forever remembered. Forever missed. Always a Rocket; Forever a Seraph.”
Hoadley made a profound impact on the kids he coached and was respected throughout the area.
“The Shore Conference has lost not just a great coach, but an amazing person,” the Rumson-Fair Haven football official social media account posted. “Shannon is one of the most dedicated and caring people you can find. Always willing to help whoever, whenever, and there are thousands who can attest. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Hoadley is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their two daughters, Mackenzie, 15, a sophomore at St. John Vianney, and Isabelle, 22.
The article originally appeared in the February 5 – 11, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
