Laura Arena

Posted on December 20, 2024March 20, 2025

Volleyball has been a part of Laura’s life since her high school days in Bedford,

New York. She went on to play collegiately at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Knowing when she started her career in education, that a career in coaching volleyball would be a big part of it. For the past 32 years our volleyball community has been fortunate to participate in Laura’s amazing journey here in Connecticut with 28 of those years at Farmington High School.

Laura’s career record is 519-172 (469-153 at Farmington High School). Highlights at Farmington High School include 2 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) State Championships (2014 & 2023) and runner up 3 times (2009, 2013 & 2016), 11 Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) titles, 2 International Volleyball Hall of Fame, Annual Girls VolleyHall Elite High School Tournament Championships held in Springfield, Massachusetts and a John Jay Invitational Championship in Cross River, New York.

Accolades recently awarded to Coach Arena include being chosen as the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2020 and a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) Coach of the Year in 2020 earning a fabulous experience in Nebraska. As a valued member of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference committee since 2013, Laura also has been the Chairperson for the CCC since 2012. Running a youth summer volleyball camp for the past 15 years, as well as coaching in the Husky Volleyball Club program are additional contributions made by Coach Arena.

Laura is most proud of the role she has played in growing stronger, healthier female student-athletes for the past 32 years, focusing on the larger picture beyond high school athletics. Each season she looks forward to building a rapport with her team and challenging them to achieve their goals. Laura has continued to inspire her student athletes over an impressive 3 decades.

High school coaches Mike Galu, Stu Wahl and Steve Powis are credited for profoundly impacting Laura’s career. The thought of playing soccer in college was removed through the wisdom and excitement that they shared with her about the “greatest team sport there is – I fell in love with volleyball” Laura shares.

Laura and her daughter Abby will be running the Tokyo Marathon in March which will complete the sixth star for the six World Major Marathons. They have already completed New York, Boston, Chicago, London, and Berlin. Laura remarks that, “It has been the most treasured, challenging, and wonderful experience and to share it with my daughter is the best!”.

Devon Michaelis

Posted on October 3, 2021May 6, 2022

Devon played Libero for the Farmington High School volleyball team for four seasons, winning the Class L State Championship in 2014. She also played for the Husky Volleyball Club and won the 18’s NERVA Championship in 2015.

As a multi-sport athlete, she also won two Class L State Championships in the Javelin throw and threw for a 4^th Place finish at the New England Open in 2015. She also holds the current Farmington HS School record in the event. Following high school, Devon walked on to the Boston College Varsity volleyball team which competes in the Power-5 conference. Starting as the Libero by the end of her Freshman year, Devon also achieved ACC-academic honors each season on the team. During her junior and senior years, she played for the Boston College Women’s Club Volleyball team, earning 9^th and 3^rd place finishes at NCVF Nationals.

In reflecting on my high school volleyball career, I can recognize the truly exceptional group of athletes we had on our team at Farmington High School. Especially during my junior and senior years, when every player on the court exhibited an unstoppable desire to compete, challenge themselves, each other and win. Particularly my classmates and fellow captains, Sophie Borg, Abby Arena and Sarah Lipinski who each played a huge role in leading our team to a State Championship. They pushed through every sprint, timed mile, practice, point and match, inspiring all others in the gym. I am fortunate to call them lifelong friends, along with so many others I have met through this sport, whether teammates, coaches, or opponents.

Additionally, I could never have accomplished as much in this sport if it was not for the support I received from Coach Arena along the way. Under her direction we learned to believe and reach beyond our limits, allow our failures to fuel our victories, and most of all trust one another. These lessons she instilled in high school have rung true in the years since, as I am sure they have played a part in my collegiate and professional success as well as that of my teammates.

Outside of athletics, Devon is pursuing a career in law. She is set to graduate from the UConn School of Law and sits for the Connecticut bar exam this Winter.

Christine Kenyon O’Connor

Posted on September 1, 2015November 22, 2016

Christine started her volleyball career at Farmington High School where she played from 1965 to 1968. Her team won state championships in 1966, 1967 and 1968. They were undefeated in regional format during those seasons.

After graduation from Farmington High, Christine went on to Ursinas College and then Central Connecticut State University where she competed on the volleyball team and graduated with a BS in Physical Education.

She coached volleyball at Farmington High School from 1974-79 and ’81, accumulating a record of 80-37. Her teams were four time Northwest Conference champions and they won the Class S state title in 1979.

Christine was the 1978 Connecticut High School Volleyball Coach of the Year.

She is presently the physical education coordinator at Irving Robbins Middle School.

Jean Hunt

Posted on September 1, 1998November 22, 2016

Jean graduated from Boston University and UCONN. She began her teaching and coaching career in 1952 at Litchfield High School where she coached soccer, basketball, field hockey and cheerleading. She left that position to continue her career at Farmington High School where she coached from 1957 until 1981. While at Farmington, Jean distinguished herself as an accomplished volleyball coach from 1965-1974. During that time her teams accumulated a record of 73-3. There were undefeated in regular season and regional competition.

There were the CIAC State Champions consecutively from 1966-1972. There were also runners-up in 1974.

Jean also coached badminton, basketball, field hockey, softball and track and field at Farmington where she led her teams to 11 state championships, 8 conference championships and 19 undefeated seasons.

In 1967, her field hockey, badminton, basketball and volleyball teams were all undefeated and that year the badminton and volleyball teams took home state championships. Her overall record is 509-139 with 44 ties. She has received numerous awards for her work in coaching and teaching. Most recently she was honored by the National of Girls and Women in Sport and was name a Project Acclaim Mentor.

Collinsville Press (obituary)