Category Archives: Search for Inductee

Patty Doolittle Giannattasio

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Patty began her volleyball career in 1974 as a freshman at Foran High School, coached by Edna Fraser. It was the first season that volleyball was played in the Fall. During her four years at Foran, her team finished fourth, third, second and won the state tournament. She lettered during her sophomore, junior and senior years and also captained the team her senior year. She was selected MVP her junior and senior years. In 1978 Patty received the Foran Athletic Assoc. Award, the Connecticut Scholar Athlete award and the Keystone Scholar Athlete Award.  She received an athletic scholarship to the University of Rhode Island, where she captained the team her Junior and senior years. She graduated with distinction with a BA in psychology.

Patty has coached volleyball at Jonathon Law High School and Fitch High School.  She initiated the volleyball program at Mitchell College in ’93 and has also coached at the US Coast Guard Academy.

Bill Cobain

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Bill was a women’s volleyball referee for over two decades. He refereed on both the high school and college level. He was an active member of the Connecticut Federation of Volleyball Officials and served for many terms as that organization’s secretary/treasurer. In addition to those duties, he serviced as an evaluator and scheduling coordinator for the board.

Bill’s enjoyment and enthusiasm for refereeing led to encouraging a number of his professional colleagues to become referees. Some of those friends remain active volleyball officials today.

Erika Beerbaum

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in 1969 Erika pioneered and developed the first volleyball and basketball programs at Lyman Hall High School in Wallingford.

over the next three years as area programs expanded, she played an important role in helping to organize the first women’s division in the Housatonic League. in 1971 she moved across town to the new Mark T. Sheehan High School and again built strong volleyball and basketball programs.

During her years of coaching volleyball, her teams suffered only three losing seasons and many of her athletes who received league and state honors went on to play on the collegiate level. Sheehan was the Housatonic League runner-up in ’73 and ’76. In the state competition her team reached the regional final in ’73 and placed second in the 1976 Class M State Championship. Erika retired from coaching in 1980.

Eva Esposito

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Eva started her volleyball career at Branford High School in her sophomore year. She earned a starting position the following year. In 1987 and ’88 she was selected to the All-Housatonic Volleyball Team and was selected as Branford’s MVP.  In 1988, the team was Class M runner-up and Eva garnered Class M All-State honors.  She led her team in kills, blocks and passing average. She was an honor roll student and was listed in the Who’s Who Among High School Students in 1989. She later attended the University of Hartford on a full basketball scholarship.

Eva presently teaches physical education at Eli Whitney Technical School and is head volleyball coach at East Haven High School.

F. Tyson Krause

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Tyson has a volleyball career rich in every facet of the game. Beginning with his days as a collegiate all star player at Springfield College, to coaching Boston College, Albertus Magnus and San Diego State University, where his teams consistently ranked nationally in the Top Ten in Division I. he received the FIVB Level 2 International Coaching certification as well as the USA Volleyball CAP 2 Coaching Certification.

Tyson founded and directed Score Promotions volleyball schools. At present he is founder and president of the Connecticut Junior Volleyball Assoc. The CJVA is a statewide program which has provided off season training for over seven thousand girls of varying skill levels. He is also owner of the Connecticut Sports Center in Woodbridge. The CSC is a 44,000 square foot facility dedicated to volleyball.

Kate Sullivan

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Kate began her volleyball career at Bloomfield High School where she competed for four years on the varsity level. She served as captain her junior and senior years. Upon graduation from high school in 1977, Kate studied at SCSU where she chose to try out for the volleyball team. She competed in the successful program for four year, as the team went 103-26.  She served as captain during her junior and senior seasons. She was also named athlete of the week numerous times at SCSU.

Kate also played for the New Haven Dippers for eight seasons where she competed in two national tournaments. In 1981 and ’82 Kate worked at SCSU as the assistant volleyball coach to Joan Barbarich. She ran numerous high school volleyball clinics and was involved in coaching summer volleyball camps.

Barbara Gioncarlo

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Barbara graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1974 where along with her academic studies, she played volleyball, basketball and softball. Upon graduation, she accepted a teaching position in the Waterbury School system as well as a coaching position in 1975 at Naugatuck High School where she became the school’s first girls’ volleyball and basketball coach.

During Barbara’s 12-year volleyball coaching tenure, her team complied a 203-26 record. This includes one state championship season (17-0), five trips to the state tournament, one with a quarterfinal finish, two as semifinalists and two as runner-up. Barbara has coached eight all-state volleyball athletes and she was named the CHSCA Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1981.

She is presently a 6th grade Principal at West Side Middle School in Waterbury.

Dr. Ann Fariss

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Dr. Fariss began her professional teaching career at the University of Bridgeport in 1969. She has an incredible record of contribution and achievement in the areas of physical education and athletics. She was published many articles on sport and participation. She has held numerous positions on committees and AAHPERD and CAHPERD.

Some of Dr. Fariss’ achievements in volleyball include:

  • The organization and administration of the first women’s collegiate volleyball team at the University of Bridgeport;
  • Coach of the women’s volleyball and basketball teams at UB;
  • State officiating coordinator for volleyball;
  • DGWS volleyball rules interpreter;
  • Officiating judge for volleyball ratings clinics;
  • National official at six state volleyball tournaments;
  • National official at exhibition match for Women’s Sports Institute.

 

Dr. Jean Mee

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Dr. Mee began her officiating career in 1975 during her senior year SCSC. She began officiating college volleyball in 1976 after being rated by CAIWBO as a state official. She has officiated at all Connecticut state colleges and universities including regional championships, as well as high school regular season and tournament play.

During her time as a volleyball official, De. Mee held memberships in NAGWS-CABO/CAIWBO (National Assoc. for Girls and Women’s Sports/Connecticut Affiliated Board of Officials and Connecticut Affiliated Intercollegiate Women’s Board of Officials) and she served as president of CAIWBO for two years. She also helped organize training and rating sessions for volleyball officials at high school jamborees for many years and hosted many rule interpretation sessions for volleyball officials.  She continued her officiating career until 1990.

Kathleen Kimball

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Kathleen’s first volleyball experience began at Wheeler High School in North Stonington where she played for coach Larry Gula.  Upon graduation in 1991, Kathleen moved on to play for Pinky Crabtree at ECSU from 1992-95 where she was a four-year letter-winner, and was team captain for 3 years.  Kathleen ranked first in the ECSU volleyball team program for total blocks (383), second in kills (1,362) and fourth for total attacked (2,772).

She was the first player from ECSU to achieve the first team Division III All-American status. At that time, Kathleen was only the second player from New England to receive that honor. She was also selected three times each as an all-region and all-New England teams. She was twice selected as the teams’ MVP.

Kathleen is presently teaching middle school Physical Education in Darien, CT; she coaches Junior Olympic volleyball in southwestern Connecticut and still finds time to play volleyball twice a week during the winter and grass doubles in the summer.