https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/home daily 1.0 2026-02-06 https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/nomination-form daily 0.75 2025-10-29 https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/selection daily 0.75 2022-02-02 https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/committee daily 0.75 2025-10-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/1637628841605-DZK7Y003KHG6QXZ85G5X/Susan+RD+head+shot.jpg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/c6860d43-f829-45bb-b568-8206a50f1e76/IMG_9893+%281%29.jpg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/4148214c-abb4-4adc-be5b-3224223c48e9/image0+%281%29.jpg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/3b2c828c-dbb1-4b31-9d71-62cf01048964/image0+%2811%29.jpeg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/6fce783d-d7c8-4da5-99e7-5b3065dc411e/image0+%2812%29.jpeg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/de88d61f-2692-43d4-b3d8-780f8080cb94/image0+%2814%29.jpeg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/ed477595-842c-430d-bea1-83b399af3be7/Yolles.jpg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/0cbb52aa-fd5b-4e2d-ba8b-65b01f54e196/Lancaster.jpg Nominating Committee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/d0cdbe5f-28bb-4e80-b968-81b0d3d334c5/IMG_7863.jpg Nominating Committee https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4 daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/37ac3bd7-8a9c-4194-a0c6-834cea85af5f/marty+delivron.jpg Martin deLivron - Marty deLivron Between boys soccer and baseball, Marty spent nearly 40 years coaching in Avon. He first began the Avon Middle School soccer program in 1970 and coached the team for four years. After three years as the junior varsity coach, Marty took the reins of the varsity boys soccer program in 1978 and coached the Falcons for 22 years, winning 330 matches with 68 losses and 24 ties. He led the Falcons to six state championships (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 2001) and appearances in 11 state championship games. His 1988 team finished 20-0 and was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the National Soccer Coaches Association final poll. It is the only Avon boy soccer team to finish the season unbeaten and untied. Three times, he was named the state soccer coach of the year by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (1998), the National Soccer Coaches Association (2000) and the Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association (2004). Marty graduated from Girard College High in Philadelphia where he played soccer, wrestled, and played baseball. He attended Hofstra where he played on the varsity baseball team for one season along with stints on the freshman soccer and baseball teams. Marty co-started the middle school baseball team in 1971 and coached the squad for three seasons. He was the junior varsity baseball coach for four years (1974-77) before becoming the varsity coach in 1978. He coached the Falcons for 36 years, posting an overall record of 483-256 before stepping down after the 2014 season. Marty led the Falcons to nine league championships – three Northwest Conference Division II titles and six North Central Connecticut Conference titles. He was the American Baseball Coaches Association’s Region III Coach of the Year in 1999 and was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) Hall of Fame in 2016. Outside of Avon, he spent two years as an American Legion baseball coach (1978-79) and was the third base coach for the Torrington Twisters collegiate baseball team for nine years (1999-2008) in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. He also coached in the Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League for four years (2009-2012). Marty served on the CIAC Baseball Committee from 1995 through 2008 and was the assistant athletic director at Avon High from 2012-14. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/jason-fox daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/0b6757f6-9124-430c-b234-1eca948db660/Jason-E-Fox-at-W-P-Carey-WPC.jpg Jason Fox - Jason Fox Jason earned letters in four sports at Avon High, winning four letters in soccer, two in basketball, two in baseball and one in track and field. He played on three Avon High soccer teams that won state championships (1987, 1988, 1989) and one team that finished second in Class M (1990). The 1988 team finished 20-0 and was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the National Soccer Coaches Association final poll. It is the only Avon Boys soccer team to finish the season unbeaten and untied. Twice, Jason was named All-State and All-New England in 1989 and 1990. In 1990, he was named the state soccer player of the year by the Hartford Courant and the Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association along with being named to Parade Magazine’s All-American soccer team. Jason scored 57 goals at Avon, which is currently the third most in team history. He still holds the team record for most goals in a single season by a sophomore with 15 in 1988. He also played with the Oakwood Soccer Club in Glastonbury that won national indoor soccer titles in both 1989 and 1991. Jason was the MVP of the 1991 tournament and member of the All-Tournament team. Jason was a member of Avon’s outdoor track and field team that won a Class S championship in 1991. He was part of Avon’s 4x100 meter relay team that won a North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) and Class S championship. He played soccer in college for Notre Dame for four years. He was captain of the 1994 Irish squad and helped lead the Irish to the Midwest Collegiate Conference title as well as NCAA Division I tournament berths in 1993 and 1994. In his 74-game career with Notre Dame, he scored 10 goals and had nine assists. Jason graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering/Environmental Sciences in 1995 and received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2002. Today, Jason is Chief Executive Officer of W. P. Carey and is a member of the company’s Board of Directors. W. P. Carey is one of the largest publicly traded diversified net lease REITs (real estate investment trusts) that specializes in the acquisition of single-tenant properties in North America and Europe. Before joining W. P. Carey in 2002, he worked at the Spectrem Group, a consulting and M&A advisory firm in San Francisco. Prior to Spectrem, he spent two years teaching mathematics and physics at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. He is also a member of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Board of Directors. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/lindsay-horbatuck daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/ad006099-81da-4117-886c-e4b8bc1da1aa/Horbatuck_Lindsay.JPG Lindsay Horbatuck - Lindsay Horbatuck For as long as Lindsay can remember, sports have been a significant part of her life. She was a three-sport, four-year varsity starter, earning a total of 12 varsity letters at Avon High School. Lindsay received All-State honors twice in basketball and once in Lacrosse. She was an All-Conference performer in soccer. Lindsay was a two-year captain at Avon with the girls’ basketball team, graduating as the leading scorer in school history (1,365 points) and with the most career rebounds (1,166), school records she still owns today. She was a four-time All-NCCC selection and a two-time All-State selection. She helped Avon win their first state championship in 2008 when the Falcons went 26-1 and she was named the Most Outstanding player/MVP in the CIAC Class M Tournament as a junior. In her career, Avon won three NCCC championships and four straight NCCC Tournament championships. As a senior, Lindsay helped lead Avon to a 26-1 record in 2009 when the Falcons beat eventual Class LL champion Norwich Free Academy during the regular season. In that season, Avon extended their team record winning streak to 47 games, one of the longest in state history. Lindsay was a Connecticut Gatorade Player of the year nominee and a McDonald's All-American nominee in 2009. In lacrosse, Lindsay was a four-year starter, captain, and an All-State player in 2009, when she scored 42 goals and had 27 assists for the Falcons. She scored 45 goals and had 11 assists in 2008. Lindsay was a three-time All NCCC selection and the league’s defensive player of the year twice once in 2008 and again in 2009. In addition to her other two sports, Lindsay was a four-year starter on the varsity soccer team and played the sweeper position. She earned NCCC All-Conference accolades as a senior. Lindsay earned a Division I scholarship to play basketball at Bucknell University, where she was a captain for two seasons and a four-year scholar athlete. In her senior year, she was named as part of the Patriot League Academic All-Conference team. She graduated with her degree in Elementary Education and English as a Second Language. After college, Lindsay played professionally in Bulgaria (2013) and in Australia (2014). In Australia, she played for Latrobe City Energy where she averaged 20 points and 21 rebounds a game. She won the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Leading Rebounder awards and was named to the All-Star Five Team in the Big V Conference. After retiring from her professional basketball career, Lindsay returned to the United States to begin her teaching and coaching career. She started teaching at Brunswick School in Greenwich, CT, where she taught second and fourth grade and was the junior varsity boys basketball coach. Lindsay then moved on to receive her master’s degree in Computing in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University while teaching at Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to teaching, she was also the associate head boys’ basketball coach. Lindsay is currently in her third year of working at Brimmer and May School in Chestnut Hill, Mass. While at Brimmer she taught third grade for two years and is currently teaching fifth grade. Along with her teaching responsibilities, she has held the position of head girls’ varsity basketball coach for the past three years. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/madison-kennedy daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/d76fbc27-5711-4dab-91bb-669bebda015f/Madison_Kennedy.jpg Madison Kennedy - Madison Kennedy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/d76fbc27-5711-4dab-91bb-669bebda015f/Madison_Kennedy.jpg Madison Kennedy - Madison Kennedy A five-event All-American in high school while competing as a part of the boys swimming program, Madison has represented the United States at three world championship meets, winning seven world championship medals in her career, including four golds. She swam four times at the U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing as high as third in the 50-meter freestyle in 2016. At Avon High, Madison was recognized by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association as an All-American five times in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle in 2003 and the 50 free, 100 free and 200 individual medley (IM) in 2004. She set school records in five events (50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly) while at Avon and as of her induction, she still holds the record in four of these events. As a freshman in 2002 and again in 2003, she earned points for the Falcons at the CIAC Class S championship meet. In her college career, Madison swam two years at Rutgers before going to Cal-Berkley for two seasons, where she earned All-American honors in nine events. She set school records in the 50 freestyle at both schools, with her Rutgers record finally falling in 2021. She graduated from Cal-Berkley in 2010. After college, Madison continued to compete on the national and international stage. She won the national championship in the 50 freestyle in 2015 and was second in the 50 free at the 2018 Winter Nationals. Madison won a gold medal at the 2014 world championships in Qatar on the U.S. 200 meter (4x50) mixed freestyle relay team that set a new world record that stood for three years. She also finished fourth in the 50 free. At the 2016 world championships in Canada, Madison was part of the American team that won a gold medal in the women’s 400-meter (4x100) freestyle relay team and brought home a bronze medal in the 50 freestyle. At the 2018 world championships in China where she was captain of the U.S. women’s team, Madison won gold medals swimming on the 200-meter (4x50) women’s freestyle relay and the 200 (4x50) mixed freestyle relay. She also represented the United States in the Pan-American Games three times (2011, 2015, 2019). She won a gold medal in the 400-meter mixed relay in 2019 along with two bronze medals in the 50 freestyle in 2011 and 2019. For the past three seasons (2019, 2020, 2021), Madison has competed for D.C. Trident in the International Swimming League (ISL). Madison and her husband, Eric, live in Charleston, South Carolina. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/victor-krasij daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/78b8f052-e1a2-4075-9f34-55c618e11e73/Victor+Krasij.PNG Victor Krasij - Victor Krasij Victor was an All-American Soccer Player Victor during his four-year Avon High career, earning both NSCAA All-American and Parade Magazine All-American honors in 2000. In 2000, he was the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year and helped lead the Falcons to the Class M state championship, completing his Avon High School soccer career having scored 37 goals along with 57 assists. Victor was a three-time All-State selection (1998, 1999, 2000) and two-time All-New England selection (1999, 2000). He still owns the school record for career assists (57) and complied the most assists in a single season, 24 in 2000. He also played with a club team at Oakwood Soccer Club in Glastonbury and was a member of the East Regional Olympic Development program. He played Division I soccer at Lafayette College where he was a three-year starter at midfield. He was a first team All-Patriot League selection in 2004, the same season he helped the Leopards qualify for the NCAA Division I tournament. He scored 10 goals and had six assists for Lafayette in his career. Today, Victor is a Senior Wealth Manager in the McLean, Virginia, office of BNY Mellon Wealth Management. In this role, he works directly with clients to address their investment and wealth management needs. Victor has 15 years of experience in investment management and research, with a focus on wealth management. Victor joined the firm from U.S. Trust where he provided clients with proactive, highly personalized advice across investment management and wealth planning. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/kia-mcneill daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/79a7cd96-7582-40b4-8235-db8d4ccbda32/Screen+Shot+2020-07-13+at+3.33.11+PM.png Kia McNeill - Kia McNeill Kia was a three-sport athlete at Avon High earning varsity letters in soccer, basketball, and track and field. But she excelled on the soccer field, leading the Falcons to three Class M state championships (2001, 2002, 2003). Avon lost in the state finals in 2000, one of just two games that the Falcons lost during Kia’s career (72-2-4). She graduated with the most career goals in school history (93) and with a record 30 goals scored in a single season (2002), records that she still owns as she is inducted in 2022. Kia was a three-time All-State and All-New England player. She was named to the NSCAA All-American team as a junior and senior and was named Gatorade’s national player of the year in 2003. As a collegiate student-athlete, Kia played at Boston College from 2004-07, earning Big East Rookie of the Year accolades in 2004 and third team All-America honors as a senior. She made four straight appearances in the NCAA tournament, advancing as far as the Sweet 16, and garnered the ACC’s prestigious post-graduate scholarship, the James Weaver-Corrigan Award. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human development (2008) and an MBA in general management (2015) from Boston College. Kia played professional women’s soccer for six seasons (2008-14) both internationally and in the United States. She played a season each in both Sweden and Russia, then spent four seasons in the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPS) and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the U.S. She was the No. 9 pick in the inaugural WPS draft in 2009 and won a WPS title with Philadelphia in 2011. She finished her career with the Boston Breakers of the NWSL in 2013 -14. Kia has been the head coach at Brown University for the last six seasons, leading the Bears to Ivy League titles and NCAA Div. I tournament berths in 2019 and 2022. The Bears were undefeated in conference play in 2019 (6-0-1), and 2021 (7-0) marking the Bears’ first undefeated conference seasons since 1994. Additionally in 2019 and 2021, McNeill received unanimous votes as the Ivy League Coach of the Year, was named New England Soccer Journal Coach of the Year, and she and her assistant coaches were voted the 2019 East Region Staff of the Year. In 2019, Brown set program records for wins in a season (14), home wins in a season (11), and shutouts in a season (13). McNeill was named Brown’s head women’s soccer coach on December 30, 2015. She came to Brown from Northeastern University where she was an assistant coach. Prior to Northeastern she was an assistant coach at Boston College, where she was also a standout student-athlete. As an assistant coach at Northeastern in the 2014 and 2015 seasons and at Boston College in 2009 and the 2011-13 seasons, McNeill helped those two programs make five NCAA tournament appearances in six seasons, including an Elite Eight and three Sweet 16 appearances at BC. “As a player she was a leader and outstanding offensive player, leading her teams by her amazing skills and desire to be a better player every day,” said Jim Murray, who coached Kia at Avon High. “She had a great college and professional career as a defender and now has demonstrated that she is an outstanding college coach at Brown University. Kia is a role model for young girls both as a player and as a coach.” https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/richard-migli daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/83eb808a-3322-4209-bece-4d02c9479d1c/Richard+A+Migli+.jpg Richard Migli - Richard Migli Dick grew up in Avon and played sports throughout his life, one that was cut short in 1993 when he passed away due to complications from Lou Gehrig’s disease. While at Avon High, Dick played football, basketball and baseball and earned 12 varsity letters. "There was nothing Dick Migli could not do in sports," his high school football coach, the late Glenn McLellan, told Patch Media in 2013. "He was a natural with great leadership ability, and everyone liked and respected him as an athlete and as a friend." As a sophomore, he was the starting outfielder on Avon’s state championship baseball team in 1968. Earlier in his sophomore season, he was a key member of the Avon High football team that became the first gridiron team in school history to finish undefeated (8-0) in 1967. In that undefeated season, Dick was 11-of-14 kicking extra points with one field goal. That lone field goal was a 26- yard field goal that beat Simsbury, 3-0. Only three players have kicked game-winning field goals for Avon since the program began in 1960 and Dick was the first to do so. In the opening game of the 1969 season, Dick had an outstanding day in a 18-14 win over Stonington. He ran 82 yards for a touchdown, kicked a school-record 36-yard field goal and passed for a two-point conversion. Dick also played for the Simsbury American Legion baseball team in 1970. Since his death, a golf tournament has been held in Dick’s memory with proceeds used to fund scholarships at Avon High School awarded to the most deserving young man and woman who competed as multi-sported individuals during their time at Avon High School but more importantly, who demonstrated the same zest for life Dick demonstrated, especially when on the field or court. “Dick Migli got more personal enjoyment from playing interscholastic sports than any other athlete I met in my 37 years at Avon,” said former Avon High Bob Summers to Patch Media in 2013. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/kelly-mccollum-sheetz daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/c874e3fa-4c2f-4011-acee-1956ccf7d229/Kelly+Sheetz+Hall+of+Fame+Headshot.jpg Kelly McCollum Sheetz - Kelly McCollum Sheetz Kelly was an exceptional athlete at Avon, earning 12 varsity letters while playing field hockey, basketball, and softball. She was named to the All-North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) team three times in softball and twice in basketball. Kelly was also a standout on the field hockey field where she led the Falcons to the Class S championship game in 1990, scoring a team-leading 28 goals. She was an All-State player in 1990 and a three-time All-NCCC player during her career. Kelly went onto play field hockey at Northwestern University in Chicago, helping her team reach the NCAA Final Four in 1994. She was a four-year starter for the Division I program, earning All-Big 10 and Regional All-American honors in 1993 and 1994, when the team was ranked No. 1 in the country for five consecutive weeks and won the Big 10 championship. She graduated from Northwestern with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering. After graduation, Kelly began her coaching career and was an assistant coach at the University of New Hampshire (1995-96) and Northeastern University in Boston (1997-99) where she earned a Masters in Business Administration. She returned to Northwestern in 2000 as an assistant coach. In 2004, Kelly was named head coach of the Wildcats, one of the youngest head field hockey coaches at a Division I program at that time. She coached the squad for five seasons. Kelly was inducted in the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. Since 2012, Kelly has been the director of the Department of New Business Development for the Chicago Park District, responsible for developing and managing corporate partnerships, advertising, promotions, and sponsorship opportunities. The Department looks to provide financial support for events, programs, and facilities to increase non-tax revenue and enhance program offerings. The Chicago Park District has more 580 parks, 31 beaches, 10 museums, nine golf courses and many more facilities. Kelly and her husband, David Sheetz, live in Chicago with their two children Connor and Kaylee. Kelly has remained active coaching her kids in their youth sports. “Kelly was such a gifted student athlete, but even more so, a top-notch quality person of genuine integrity, fair play, good old fashioned hard worker who earned everything she received,” said Terri Ziemnicki, her high school field hockey coach. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/robert-summers daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/b7c9d3ac-1d8c-4537-a758-33cea640251a/Summers-AvonHOFpic.jpg Robert Summers - Robert Summers For nearly 40 years, Bob helped to provide opportunities for student athletes at Avon High. Initially hired to teach elementary and junior high students in September 1957, Bob moved to the newly opened Avon High in 1958 where he taught physical education and began to build an athletic program as the athletic director. In December 1959, the Falcons fielded their first athletic team with the basketball team hitting the floor. Baseball debuted in April 1960, and football made its debut in September of that same year. Bob also helped start the Avon High Booster Club during this period. Bob continued to serve as the athletic director at Avon High for 37 years through 1995 while also acting as a PE teacher for eight years, the director of physical education for 22 years, vice principal for eight years, adult education director for three years and summer school director for five years. Bob was the varsity baseball coach in 1960 and 1961 – the first two years of the program. At times, he served as an assistant coach in baseball, football, and basketball. Bob was the chairman of the CIAC Girls tennis committee and a member of the CIAC Boys gymnastics committee. He was a member of the CIAC wrestling committee for 25 years and a tournament coordinator of the CIAC wrestling tournaments for many years. Bob was secretary of the Northwest Conference for 11 years and a sports chairman for the Nutmeg State Games (1989-91). He was a member of the State Department of Special Physical Education Committee and secretary of the Connecticut Association of Administrators of Physical Education. In the community, he organized the Babe Ruth League in Avon. He was a member of the Harwinton Recreation Committee for nine years and was a Little League baseball umpire in Harwinton for nine years. His excellence was noted. In 1980, he was named athletic director of the year by the National Council Secondary School Athletic Directors. In 1983, he was recognized as Athletic Director of the Year by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association and received the Distinguished Service Award from the Connecticut Association of Athletic Directors. In 1989, he was named Athletic Director of the Year in Region I by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. In 2016, he was inducted into Connecticut Association of Athletic Director’s Hall of Fame. After retiring from Avon in 1995, he spent another five years as the athletic director (part-time) at Terryville High. In retirement, Bob is still staying involved and helping. In 2019, he was named the Connecticut State Golf Association (CSGA) volunteer of the year at the age of 90. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/bonnie-tyler-bt daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/b38147c9-a87b-4ce7-9cd6-661bd743c3e3/Bonnie_tyler.JPG Bonnie Tyler 'BT' - Bonnie Tyler ‘BT’ Bonnie’s time at Avon High was all about providing opportunities for girls to grow through athletics. She began her teaching career in 1965 at Winthrop (Maine) High School, where she began a field hockey program for girls and coached basketball and softball. When Bonnie came to Avon in 1969, she started a field hockey program and took over the girls’ basketball program. “In the years before 1969, the girls (basketball team) hadn’t scored in double figures,” Bonnie said. “I am proud to say we went on to become a very competitive and respected team in the valley.” The CIAC field hockey tournament began in 1973 and under Bonnie, the Falcons qualified to play in the tournament each year. Bonnie was a member of the CIAC Field Hockey Committee and the Northwest Conference Field Hockey Committee, serving as the chairperson in 1977. Bonnie coached the Falcons for 17 years, leading Avon to two state championships in 1983 and 1984 and three league championships in 1976, 1982 and 1984. The 1983 Falcon squad beat Old Saybrook, 3-2 in overtime in the title game, and was the first Avon High girl’s program to win a state championship. They became just the second Avon field hockey team to finish the season without a loss. Also, in 1983 they were the only team in the state (in all divisions) to go unbeaten and finished the season with a (15-0 -4) record. In 1984, the Falcons won a share of the North Central Connecticut Conference title in their first year in the league and beat Weston, 3-2 to win the state championship. Avon (17-1-1) set a program record for most wins in a season that still stands today. In addition to field hockey, Bonnie coached middle school basketball as well as track and field. Bonnie also coached an intramural volleyball program at the high school with over seventy students participating annually. She was named Connecticut’s physical education teacher of the year in 1990 by the Connecticut Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. In 1991, she was the Eastern District (Maine to Florida) physical education teacher of the year. In 2001, Bonnie was inducted into the New Agenda: Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments and contributions in the advancement of girls and women’s sports. In 2005, she was inducted into the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2009 at the 10th anniversary of the Connecticut Hall of Fame, Bonnie was one of the people selected as part of their “Commemorative Program” for having led the way in Connecticut field hockey history. “Bonnie would be the first to tell you that she always coached to win, but not at all costs as along with winning, she tried to coach her players to have good camaraderie, teamwork and as athletes representing their school to be positive role models on and off the field,” said Avon High field hockey coach Terri Ziemnicki, who played under Bonnie as a high school student at Avon. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/1968-baseball-team daily 0.75 2023-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/010cf399-c0d6-46cc-a0d6-d8217d8ac76d/baseballteam.jpg 1968 Baseball Team - 1968 Baseball Team Coach Richard Kelliher came to Avon High in 1967 and assumed the head coaching duties for a languishing baseball program that season. He brought with him his own College World Series experience as a player for the University of Maine and the wisdom of legendary University of Maine head baseball coach Jack Butterfield. The Falcons were crowned the 1968 Class C state champions with a record of 16-3 in Coach Kelliher’s second season. The 1968 Falcon roster, captained by Dennis Daly and Paul Potanka, included 10 seniors, eight of which were returning lettermen from Coach Kell’s first AHS ’67 team. Richard Migli returned as a sophomore. The roster was balanced out with an additional two juniors and three sophomores. Avon, a Class C school, had recently joined the Northwest Conference which was comprised of larger Class B schools including archrivals Simsbury and Farmington. The Northwest Conference played nine inning games while other the Class C conferences in the state played only seven inning games. Regardless of the nine-inning format, the Falcons won the Northwest Conference championship with a record of 13-3 and qualified for the Class C state tournament. Four senior players, Kevin McMahon, Ray Heath, Paul Potanka and Bill Loeffler, dominated the All-Northwest Conference team voting. Coach Kell’s winning approach quickly shaped the team into a spirited and balanced unit by carefully blending starting veterans and role players. With no idle time at practice, fundamentals were reinforced, and defensive situations endlessly simulated. Coach Kell showed the team how to make the routine plays, how to win, and importantly how to have plenty of fun doing it. The powerful offense scored 118 times with the solid defense holding opponents to just 60 runs. With a team batting average of .254, the battling Falcons had five come-from-behind victories and were shutout only once in 19 games. Three starting hitters batted above .300: Kevin McMahon (.353), Bill Loeffler (.311), and Paul Potanka (.306). Bill Severni, a pitcher, batted .412. Bill Loeffler hit safely in 15 of 16 games including a 10-game hitting streak and had team leading highs of 23 hits, 17 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. The entire pitching staff of only three players finished the 16-3 season with a staff ERA (earned run average) of 1.53, featuring Ray Heath (9-1, 1.29 ERA, 84 innings pitched, 86 strikeouts), Tom Griffin (5-0, 1.39 ERA, 39 IP, 35 SO) and Bill Severni (2-2, 1.89 ERA, 43 IP, 29 SO). All three pitchers started games and pitched in relief. Catcher Paul Potanka managed the staff that struck out 150 while walking only 41 in 166 innings. Meanwhile, Potanka threw out 60% of base runners attempting to steal (6 of 10 attempts in 166 innings). They just wouldn’t run on Potanka. The Class C state tournament saw the Falcons run the table with three straight wins enroute to the championship. Outscoring opponents by a combined score of 13-2, the Falcons defeated Bolton, 2-1, Washington High, 8-0, and Cromwell, 3-1. Washington entered the tournament undefeated, and Cromwell was returning to the title game for the third time in three years. Pitcher Ray Heath tossed all three tournament wins over a 10-day period. Heath threw three complete seven inning games, giving up just one earned run in 21 innings of work. These included a no-hit victory against Bolton, a two-hitter against Washington, and a four-hitter against Cromwell in the state final. The championship game at Muzzy Field in Bristol was clinched with a bases-clearing double by Bill Loeffler. Nine of ten graduating seniors went on the attend four-year academic colleges, including Kevin McMahon, who played in the 1972 College World Series for the University of Mississippi. Team Roster Dennis Daly Senior IB, Co-Captain Paul Potanka Senior C, Co-Captain Ray Heath Senior P Kevin McMahon Senior 2B Bill Loeffler Senior SS Gordon Britt Senior 3B Paul Salvatore Senior LF Jack Hollfelder Senior RF Myles Glynn Senior IF / OF Don Farnell Senior IF Tom Griffin Junior P Bruce Thompson Junior IF Richard Migli Soph. CF William Severni Soph. Pitcher George Clarke Sophomore C / OF Tom Gaisford Sophomore IF Head Coach Richard P. Kelliher Team Manager John Brunoli https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/2022-induction-event daily 0.75 2024-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/c9518997-a73a-428d-b6d6-c125d7f9d6db/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB5177.jpg 2022 Induction Our inaugural class! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/e33bef8d-5483-4746-8b0d-8014fd9680fc/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB5166.jpg 2022 Induction Our 1968 Falcon baseball team is still ready for all comers! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/3fcf1fc2-fcb8-44a4-8f47-06af9a933383/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB5026.jpg 2022 Induction Madison Kennedy was all smiles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/9dea93b2-3bcd-4e74-9e15-0eaa97dbbda6/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB5149.jpg 2022 Induction Coach Kelliher talks baseball with host Karl Ravech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/2151436a-a5f9-464d-8ee0-e366824744d7/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB4784.jpg 2022 Induction Marty deLivron and his family taking in the evening https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/8332b43a-97e3-4a0d-bb46-1f395f15a63a/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB5181.jpg 2022 Induction Kelly, Bob, and Bonnie are all smiles for the paparazzi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/59efb04a-2757-4202-97bc-ae1b030fda43/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB5048.jpg 2022 Induction Kia McNeill receives her award after sharing her amazing journey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/38670472-9687-4316-a1e1-af74be62c028/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB4795.jpg 2022 Induction Lindsay Horbatuck and her parents are all smiles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/b54ac2f9-4135-43e0-9cf7-9333fcf18a99/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB4979.jpg 2022 Induction Jason Fox shares a laugh with the room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/e36d9bca-75a5-4190-bfd5-aab842f368e5/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB4757.jpg 2022 Induction Victor Krasij impressed his family reliving his Falcon exploits https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/9a7eb1f4-26c1-4c51-80cf-f7ad76a314cf/2022_Hall_Of_Fame_Avon_HS_KHB5175.jpg 2022 Induction Bonnie Tyler and Coach Terri Ziemnicki share a moment https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/7af179be-dbd9-4596-a352-26c759efea18/karen.png Karen Bachman - Karen Bachman Karen was a four-year starter in basketball and volleyball who earned All-State honors twice in both sports. Karen helped the Falcons win four NCCC league titles in basketball and volleyball before going on to play collegiate basketball at New York University. Karen played basketball from a young age but didn’t take up volleyball until she was a freshman at Avon High School. She was good enough to start as a freshman and earned All-NCCC honors all four years and was a three-time All-State selection – twice in Class M and once in Class S. Karen helped the Falcons win four straight NCCC championships, finish the 2002 regular season with a 20-0 record and twice advanced into the Class M semifinals. Karen ended her career with school records for most kills in a single season (311 in 2002), kills in a career (976) and blocks in a career (151). On the basketball court, Karen was also a four-year starter and a two-time All-State selection. She finished her career with 1,357 points, which is second in girls school history. She also found time to produce 640 rebounds, 187 assists, 178 steals and a school-record 260 blocks. During her Falcon basketball career, the team won four straight NCCC championships and four consecutive NCCC Tournament titles. Despite being heavily recruited by a number of notable Division I programs to play volleyball, Karen decided to pursue basketball and played four years at New York University, leading her squad to the NCAA Division III Final Four semifinals in 2007. As a senior, Karen led NYU with 112 assists, 77 steals and 62 blocks while averaging 28.3 minutes a game. She started all 31 games that season and averaged 9.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a game for NYU during a stellar year in which they went 27-4. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/c0f76605-4b6c-4564-b146-1272121d1505/jeff.png Jeff Hyman - Jeff Hyman Jeff won seven individual state championships in cross country and track and field during his amazing Falcon career. He won a Class M championship in cross country in 1981 and captured the State Open title a week later. A season later, Jeff won the Class S title in the 3,000 meters in indoor track and field. In outdoor track and field, he won 3 separate Class M titles on a single day in 1982 by sweeping the 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meters. He added a State Open championship in the 5,000 meters a week later. Jeff was named the state track athlete of the year in 1982 by the Connecticut Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association. Jeff’s school record in the 800 meters lasted 38 years before being broken in 2021. In fact, heading into the 2023 track season, Jeff still holds the school outdoor record in three outdoor events (1,500, 3,000, 5,000 meters). Jeff also won a pair of Northwest Conference titles in cross country and the 5,000 meters (1982) and 3,000 meters (1981) in track at the NWC championship meet. In 1981, Jeff finished second at the Northeast Regional cross country championship race with runners from New England, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, resulting in him being named third team All-American in cross country for that season’s performance. In college, Jeff was a two-time NCAA Division III national champion at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jeff won the national title in the 5,000 meters in 1986 and in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 1987. He was second in the 3,000 steeplechase in 1986. Jeff was inducted into the University of St. Thomas’ Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. After completing his education, Jeff continued to run competitively. In 1992, he was sixth among Americans at the New Haven Road Race and competed at the U.S. national championship race at 20 kilometers (12.2 miles). He’s also competed in the Manchester Road Race, including a 12th place finish in 1989. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/09141799-22a2-42e6-a3dc-d2a99f14e1ea/katie.png Katie Keefe - Katie Keefe Katie has always believed the youngest child has an advantage when it comes to sports. For as long as she can remember, she would play basketball in the driveway with her older brother who blocked every shot and sister who would never play easy on her. She also vividly remembers playing with “Big Bertha” the garbage pail that her Dad set up to practice on when her siblings moved away for college. She credits her family for instilling a mindset to think big, play big and compete big. Katie earned a total of 12 varsity letters at Avon High School in basketball, volleyball and softball. She was All-Conference for basketball 4 years in row and All-State for two years. She was also All-conference in softball and volleyball and All-State in Volleyball. Katie led Avon to its first ever NCCC regular basketball season league championship, first ever league tournament title and to the semi-finals of the Class M state tournament in her senior season. Katie also set two records during her high school career: Becoming the first girl to score 1,000 points and the first player to score on the wrong basket to send a game into overtime. There is still debate whether those 2 points counted towards her overall total! After graduating, Katie attended Providence College. Playing pickup basketball with the boys one day, the men's basketball coach saw her and encouraged her to try out for the women's team. After initially declining, the women's coach showed up and also invited her to try out. With sweaty palms and anxious thoughts, she agreed. After a week of early morning tryouts, she made the team. After two years of hard work, she was granted a 2-year full scholarship and named captain for both her junior and senior seasons., earning the hustle award her senior year. Her favorite moment was competing against Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi who played for UConn at the time. After college, Katie went on to be a teacher in NYC and eventually moved to Europe to support her husband with his professional hockey career. In 2014 and after a 10-year career in teaching special education, she embraced entrepreneurial life. Today, she is a thought leader, entrepreneur, and author of A Simple Seed, a journal of growth, gratitude & giggles. Katie speaks at training events, schools and is developing several business ventures. A Simple Seed has been ranked a best-seller on Amazon and the journal has been featured on The TODAY show, NBC, Entrepreneur Magazine and various podcasts. She was recently invited back to Providence College to share her story with the female coaches from the athletic department. She and her sister, Erin, are currently co-writing a mindset journal for athletes which Providence College plans to help launch. Among her successes, Katie credits her most rewarding role as that of mom to her 4 wild and fun-loving kids and being a fire-wife. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/04fd4aef-d46d-4d27-869e-e77b60cc0f05/Anne.png Anne Lindsay - Anne Lindsay Anne won 12 varsity letters during her Falcon career as a student-athlete running cross country, playing basketball and competing on the track and field team. She won the State Open title in the discus for three consecutive seasons from 1973 through 1975, held the state record in the event for more than 20 years and finished fourth at the national AAU championships in 1975. Anne still holds the school record with a throw of 136 feet 8½ inches at the State Open in 1975. She also played basketball at Avon and earned Class C All-State honors in 1975 after averaging 20 ppg, the first year that girls were recognized with All-State selections by the New Haven Register. In college, she attended Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, where she played varsity basketball for five years and was team MVP in 1978, 1979 and 1980. In 1980, she helped Dalhousie win the Atlantic University Sport championship against 11 other Canadian universities in the eastern portion of the country before finishing second in the CIAU national tournament, losing to the University of Victoria 64-59 in the finals. Anne was named to both the All-Tournament team and the first team All-Canadian squad. After college, Anne coached women’s basketball at Kings College, Acadia University and Mt. Saint Vincents College, all in Nova Scotia. In 1991, she was named the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association coach of the year at Mt. Saint Vincents. She was twice named the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) coach of the year. Anne was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, and continues to enjoy golf. She has won the women’s club championship at the Chester Golf Club in Chester, Nova Scotia several times and was the first women to be elected club president. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/99bb9093-1fcf-4ecd-a3a2-4da64cd55e20/glenn.png Glenn McLellan - Glenn McLellan Glenn was hired by the Avon Board of Education in 1966 to teach physical education and coach the Avon High School Football team. At the time he probably did not imagine this opportunity turning into twenty eight years as a coach of four sports and becoming the leader and mentor to the thousands of student athletes. McLellan’s own playing career started at the Gilbert school in Winsted and included football and baseball. While at Gilbert, he set a football scoring record that lasted 20 years until it was finally broken in 1972, and his performances there earned him a membership in the Winsted Athletics Hall of Fame. After high school, Glenn went on to become a standout student-athlete at the University of Connecticut. He was a fullback for the UConn Huskies football team that won the Yankee Conference in 1957 and 1958, and was also a catcher on the Huskies baseball team that made it to the College World Series in 1957. McLellan’s accomplishments at Avon High School are lengthy. He led the football program from 1966-1991, then again in 1994. During his tenure as head coach he amassed 130 wins, four North West Conference championships (‘67,’71,’80 and ‘83) and five North Central Connecticut Conference championships (‘87,’88,’89,’90 and ‘91). His 1967 football team was the first in Avon school history to go undefeated at 8-0. The ‘67 team was awarded the CIAC Merit award, presented to the best team prior to the CIAC conducting any official state championship. His 1971 team was also awarded the same Merit award. In 1980, the football team scored a school record 345 points in a season, one that stood for 20 years. In addition to football, Glenn started the wrestling program at Avon High School and coached it during the first four years. In his time as the wrestling coach, his teams went 44-7 highlighted by the 1971 squad who went 13-0 and became the school’s first undefeated wrestling team while winning back to back conference championships. McLellan also coached the boys track team from 1988 to 1991, compiling a record of 47-7. In 1991, his track team won both the North Central Connecticut Conference championship as well as the Class S State Championship with Glenn coaching championship performances from Dushawne Simpson in the 200 and 400 meter events as well as Jeff Cavanaugh in the 5,000 meter race. Glenn’s true impact was never just about the wins and losses, but his ability to mentor Avon’s student-athletes and impact their lives during his lengthy career as both an educator and coach. Glenn McLellan is truly a legend at Avon High School. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/c1c13cfc-7a9c-4f25-8f2b-0428de422763/frank.png Frank Nascimbeni - Frank Nascimbeni Frank was a three-sport athlete who played on Avon’s first varsity football, basketball and baseball teams. Known to most as “Chuck”, he was a captain for all three Falcon teams during his senior year. On the baseball diamond, he was a member of the Falcons 1962 state championship team that beat Coventry, 8-2 at Muzzy Field in Bristol in the Class C final. Chuck went 3 for 4 in the title game with a grand slam home run, a triple and four RBIs. He hit over .300 in each of his three seasons for Avon, including a team-leading .455 in 1962 after hitting .405 as a junior the year prior. Chuck had at least one hit in each varsity game of his scholastic career and was an All-Charter Oak Conference selection as both a junior and senior. In basketball, he was the starting guard as a junior on the Avon High team that went undefeated in the regular season (16-0) and won the Charter Oak Conference Southern Division title. Coming back for his senior season, he averaged a team-high 16.0 points a game and earned All-League honors. On the football field at Avon, Chuck was a two-year starter on both sides of the ball for the Falcons playing guard and linebacker. During his senior season, he led the team in tackles. After finishing his exemplary Falcon career, he attended the University of Hartford where he played on the freshman basketball and baseball teams. Once out of school, he continued playing baseball for many years in the Greater Hartford Mens Twilight League. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/bd6cfa3b-c049-4182-9d5c-3f3c3b3f69f5/CO.png Colleen Olsen - Colleen Olsen Colleen was a four-year starter in both field hockey and girls lacrosse at Avon High School. She earned US Lacrosse All-American honors twice and was the Hartford Courant’s state player of the year in 2005 when she scored an amazing 52 goals. Colleen helped the Falcons win the NCCC girls lacrosse championship in 2006 and earned All-State honors while setting new single season records for both goals and assists. She was also a four-year starter in field hockey where she was a two-time All-State player (2004, 2005) and finished her scholastic career with 13 goals and 29 assists. After her stellar Falcon career, Colleen played four years of lacrosse at Dartmouth, starting all four seasons while competing for the Big Green. She was an All-Ivy League second team selection in both 2009 and 2010. As a defender, she scooped up 120 ground balls, won 90 draws and caused 68 turnovers in her four year career while leading the entire Ivy League in ground balls and caused turnovers in 2009 and 2010. She also scored nine goals with three assists, graduating from Dartmouth in 2010. In 2009-10, she earned a spot on the national development team, leading to her selection for the U.S. women’s national team as a defender in 2010-2011. She’s recently returned to Avon and has regularly volunteered her time to work with the current Falcon girls lacrosse team. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/f35bc1d5-8370-4b9f-b6b5-4b52264770a5/barb.png Barbara Startup - Barbara Startup Barb was both a coach and the athletic director at Avon High School. During her long and influential tenure, she led successful teams in volleyball, tennis, soccer, girls basketball and softball. Her varsity teams at Avon combined to win 368 games, including eight Northwest Conference titles in softball. Her volleyball teams at Avon qualified for the CIAC tournament 12 times in 15 years and posted undefeated regular seasons in 1984 and 1985. Her basketball teams won two Northwest Conference titles in 1979 and 1980 and qualified for the state tournament 12 times in 14 years. In 1988, she left Avon to be an assistant principal in Vernon. After a short stay there, Barbara spent six years as the coordinator of physical education, intramurals and athletics in Enfield before returning to Avon in 1995 as the director of Student Activities. In 1998, she was hired as the director of athletics in Glastonbury, a position she held until her retirement in 2007. Startup spent 20 years as the CIAC tournament director for girls volleyball and was also the director for the State softball tournament for seven years. She also represented Connecticut athletics directors on numerous sport committees as well as served on the CIAC Board of Control during her career. In addition to the impact she had as a teacher, administrator, athletic director and coach, Startup was also recognized as an exceptional volleyball official at the high school and collegiate level, working multiple CIAC championship games as well as Division II and Division III collegiate tournaments. She was also a member of the National High School Federation (NHSF) volleyball rules committee. Barbara trained volleyball officials, served as president of the Board of High School and College Officials, and was eventually inducted into the Connecticut Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2011. Barbara was also honored with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2004, and in 2019, Barbara was inducted in the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) / Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Hall of Honor to recognize individuals who have made significant long-term contributions to CAS and the CIAC. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/d4a8fca4-433e-4958-9503-aa0237e29891/greg.png Greg Ward - Greg Ward Greg was an exceptional three-sport athlete at Avon, earning All-State honors in both football and baseball while also playing basketball for the Falcons. During his time on the baseball field, Greg was a two-time All-State selection. He finished his junior year hitting .441 with eight home runs, 37 RBI and 10 stolen bases, then followed that up with a senior season in which he hit .362 with four home runs and 19 RBI. Greg earned All-State honors in football from both the Hartford Courant and the New Haven Register, one of just six Avon players to be selected to a Register All-State team. He played quarterback and defensive back for the Falcons and also served as the kicker, handling punting and also kicking extra points and field goals for the team. He was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in the 12th round. Greg decided to sign with the franchise and played 2½ seasons with the Braves organization before retiring from pro baseball to return to school. Greg decided to attend Trinity College, where he rekindled his love for football and was a three-year starting quarterback for the Bantams. In 2002, Trinity went 7-1 and won the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title. He finished his career at Trinity passing for 23 touchdowns and 4,045 yards, second in school history at that time, and also ran for six touchdowns during his collegiate career. https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/team-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/fd201e0e-fc62-45de-afd8-41f8a133612b/soccer.png 1988 Boys Soccer Team - 1988 Boys Soccer Team The 1988 Avon High boys soccer team went undefeated with a 20-0 record, winning the North Central Connecticut Conference title with a 16-0 mark and capturing the ClAC Class M championship with a 2-1 win over Stonington. It was Avon’s fourth state title in five years and second in a row. In 1988, the Falcons scored a program-record 97 goals and allowed just 10 goals, posting 11 shutouts. Avon finished the year with 31 straight wins and plenty of awards: The team had three All-State players (J.D. Kosakowski, Chris Conte, and Peter Ellef) and two selected All-New England (Ellef, Kosakowski). Head coach Marty deLivron was named state coach of the year. The team was ranked No. 1 in the final Hartford Courant state coaches poll and No. 2 in the final poll by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Kosakowski scored a school-record 35 goals that season, including five goals in a win over East Granby, still a record. Brian Brown had 13 goals , while Jason Fox added 12. Twice during the regular season, the Falcons beat defending Class LL champion E.O. Smith of Storrs by a score of 2-1. Avon also beat defending Class S champion Granby, 5-1. In the state tournament, Avon opened with a 4-0 win over Jonathan Law, with Kosakowski scoring three goals. That was followed by a 6-2 win over Plainville in the Class M quarterfinals, with Kosakowski again scoring twice. Avon got two goals each from Fox and Brown in their 6-1 semifinal win over RHAM, and in the title game Kosakowski had both goals in their 2-1 win over Stonington, the first loss of the season for the Falcons previously undefeated opponent. Five members of this team went on to play soccer at the Division I level in college. Kosakowski played at Harvard, Ellef played at Maine, Brown played at Pennsylvania, Fox played at Notre Dame and Conte played at Stetson University. Prior to completing their high school careers, both Brown and Fox earned individual All-American honors. Team Roster: Paul Akerlind, Scott Beardsley, Jay Beaulieu, Brian Brown, Chris Conte, Peter Ellef, Jason Fox, Rick Guarnaccia, Jason Janetzke, Mike Loudermilk, Travis Lytle, JD Kowsakowski, Rico Perez, Pat Ruddy, DJ Stradley, Paul Tarasuk, Mark Toomey. Coach Marty deLivron https://www.avonfalconshalloffame.com/2022-induction-event-2 daily 0.75 2024-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/dc00b9b6-a36d-421f-a5dd-35600afc039e/all_inductees.jpg 2023 Induction The Class of 2023 Strike a Pose! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/509af64a-31e4-460c-ae90-ca19b90e7229/anne.jpg 2023 Induction Anne Lindsay arriving to be honored https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/4bbbe7f2-154c-4f6c-acf4-eeddcbf71e8f/barb.jpg 2023 Induction Barb Startup https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/0e0b96b6-8d42-4508-8330-8e651bfe6573/colleen.jpg 2023 Induction Colleen Olsen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/66f7a737-0215-492e-a079-1b67ace14ca0/soccerstories.jpg 2023 Induction The 1988 Soccer Team remembers some tough practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/203d106f-7a62-4747-921b-f9de8e4827af/frankandguests.jpg 2023 Induction Frank Nascembeni and his crew are all smiles! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/5a249abb-b969-4ff8-8ef8-e8201943114f/greg.jpg 2023 Induction Greg Ward https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/c318c968-451e-4765-90cb-ba600870c967/mcclellan.jpg 2023 Induction Sharing a great family story on Glenn McLellan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/0bd1087e-b28f-4dee-8d73-7ed607378144/barbkiddingme.jpg 2023 Induction You can't be serious, Barb! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/0f86f296-4c7c-457d-b06c-bcd0b2b7866e/jeffandfamily.jpg 2023 Induction Jeff Hyman and his family https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6187f601fa3df062dd845a31/d121fa98-7bfc-45d6-af39-90217d0d93b4/karenandsage.jpg 2023 Induction Karen 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