Erica Webster Kearney

Posted on November 29, 2016November 29, 2016

Erica played at Cheshire High School from 1996 to 1999. She was a three year starter.

In 1996, her team won the SCC – Southern Connecticut Conference title. In 1997, she was a defensive specialist amassing 149 digs and 42 serving aces. Her team won the Housatonic Conference Championship and the Class L State Championship.

In 1998, playing both offense and defense, Erica had 240 kills, 160 digs, and 50 aces. Her team again won the SCC Conference title and their 2nd Class L State Championship. In addition, Erica was named to the All-Housatonic Team, the All-State 2nd Team, and the New Haven Register named her to their All-Area Team.

In 1999, her senior year, Erica finished her outstanding career with 239 kills, 149 digs and 27 aces. Her team again won their conference title in which Erica was named the Most Valuable Player. They were Class L State Run-ners Up and she was named to the All-Housatonic Team. That year, Erica was named not only First Team All-State but the Senior All-Star Team as well. The New Haven Register named her to their All-Area Team and the Hartford Courant named her Connecticut Player of the Year.

In all, Erica’s career record at Cheshire was 93 and 6. Her teams won four Housatonic titles, three Southern Connecticut Conference titles, one Class L State Runner-Up title and two Class L State Championships. She was also named to two All-Housatonic Teams, two All-State Teams, two All-Area Teams and a Senior All-Star Team.

After her distinguished career, Erica played for Springfield College and was captain in her senior year.

Madison McCaffery

Posted on November 29, 2016November 29, 2016

Madison McCaffery played at Ludlowe in Fairfield from 2007-2010. She also played basketball and lacrosse but decided in her junior year to play on a travel volleyball team and concentrate on volleyball. Concentrating on volleyball cer-tainly paid off as Madison became the captain of her team. In both her junior and senior year, Ludlowe was the runner up in not only their FCIAC Confer-ence – but also in Class LL state tournament as well.

Madison had an outstanding high school career. She finished her career with 107 career aces, 92 career blocks, 471 career digs, and 603 career kills – a Lud-lowe school record. She was recognized many times for her hard work and ac-complishments. In 2010, she was named the “Blue Streak” Player of the week and the month in her conference. She was also awarded the Most Valuable Player for the Ludlowe team and was named to the First Team All-Conference squad. Also in her senior year, she played in one of her most memorable matches. It was the semi-finals of the state tournament. Ludlowe was playing Mercy High School. It was a tight match throughout and Ludlowe was up 2 sets to 1. Madison remembers a few bad passes late in the third set which could have led them to fall apart mentally, but they stuck together as a team and were able to fight through and eventually win 3 to 2. Ludlowe finished runner up that year but Madison was named the 2010 Most Valuable Player in the State Tour-nament and was named to the Class LL First Team All-State.

In addition, Madison was named to the Senior All-Star Game by the Connecti-cut High School Coaches Association and was the 2010 Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year for Connecticut.

Madison continued playing club volleyball at the University of Delaware. In her junior and senior year, she was president of the club.

http://www.gatorade.com/poy/assets/writable/12266/2010-11_VB_MMccaffery.pdf

Dorothy Franco-Reed

Posted on November 17, 2015November 22, 2016

Dorothy’s distinguished career began in 1972 when she entered Milford High School. At that time, athletic seasons were not as rigidly defined, so as a freshman, Dorothy was able to play four sports: volleyball, swimming/diving, basketball and softball. It was that year that she first walked into the gym to try out for volleyball, a sport she had never played, and she was nervous. She overcame her anxiety, and with determination and hard work she made the team. Just two weeks into the season, to her surprise, her coach, Edna Fraser moved her up to the varsity. Although there were no all-star teams for volleyball in the early 70’s, Dorothy was a standout for her team. She was an aggressive hitter, tenacious on defense and a powerful server. While at Milford, Dorothy earned 13 varsity letters. She was captain of the volleyball team her senior year, the tennis team her junior and senior years and the basketball team her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She competed in state tournaments in five sports: volleyball, basketball, swimming/diving, and tennis.

Dorothy received one of the first NCAA scholarships for women. She attended the University of Alabama on a volleyball and basketball scholarship. She was a four-year varsity volleyball player earning letters each year. She appeared in three AIAW National Championship tournaments.

In 1980, Dorothy started teaching in Milford, but left in ’81 to train for the Olympic Games (Team Handball). She made the team and represent the US in the ’84 Games. The team finished fourth, missing a medal by a goal.

After the Olympics, Dorothy began a 13 year college coaching career which took her at the University of Minnesota, Tulane University and the University of Alabama. After marriage and two children, Dorothy decided to discontinue her Division I coaching career and she returned to Milford to resume her teaching career.

Dorothy has been the Athletic Coordinator at Newington High School since 2001. She has been a sports commentator and color analyst for ESPN in 1997, broadcasting NCAA and international volleyball events. She lives in Rocky Hill with her husband Tom and children Ty and Kyley.

Marina Rose

Posted on September 1, 2015November 22, 2016

Marina Rose attended Coventry High School where she earned three varsity letters in track and field and four varsity letters in basketball and volleyball.

Marina’s greatest accomplishments were earned playing volleyball. She was named captain of the volleyball team in both her junior and senior year. During her four years on the team, Coventry won four consecutive Class S State Championships. In those championships, she was named the Most Valuable Player in three of the four state championship matches.

In 2013, Marina was named the Gatorade Connecticut Player of the Year, as well as the MaxPreps Small Schools High School Volleyball Player of the Year. Marina now attends Providence College and is a junior. She plays on the volleyball team and this year she earned the title of captain.

Marina studies Health Policy and Management at Providence College and wants to pursue medicine after her years at Providence to become an Obstetrician. Her younger sister, Emma is currently playing volleyball at Iona College and is a freshman. Marina loves to play beach volleyball doubles with Emma and enjoys coaching when she can.

Tessa Smolinski

Posted on September 1, 2015November 22, 2016

Tessa Smolinski played scholastically at RHAM High School, where she was the school’s Scholar Athlete-of-the-Year as a senior. She became the program’s first Gatorade Connecticut Volleyball Player-of-the-Year when she led the Sachems to an undefeated season and a third straight Class “M” state championship. Smolinski was a two-time Most Valuable Player of the state title match and a two-time first-team Class “M” All-Stater.

After high school, Tessa attended Springfield College where she participated in four NCAA Division III tournaments and won two New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) post-season tournaments. She had a career 1556 kills and 1355 digs while at Springfield. As a senior, she was chosen as the NEWMAC Player-of-the-Year, and repeated as a second-team AVCA All-American. She is also the recipient of the NCAA Elite 89 Award, which is presented to the player at the national championships with the highest GPA, as she graduated with a 3.99 GPA.

Smolinski is an experienced clinician at various volleyball camps and clinics. She is now an assistant coach under Megan Silver-Droesch at the University of Connecticut, while pursuing a Doctorate in Audiology at the University.

Kate Whalen

Posted on September 1, 2015November 22, 2016

Kate Whalen attended Cheshire High School where for all four years; she was a three sport athlete. She played volleyball, basketball and softball. While she was recognized in all three sports for her accomplishments, it was in volleyball that she truly excelled.

In 1981 Kate was named the Most Improved Player. In 1982, she was named team Captain and later, her Team’s Most Valuable Player. In her career, she received both league and state honors. She was named to the 1st Team All Housatonic League, and the All State Class L 2nd Team.

Kate attended the University of New Haven on a volleyball/softball scholarship. In her senior year, she credits her coach Debbie Chin with influencing her career, resulting in her current position as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics at Adelphi University.

Becky Corb Thomas

Posted on September 1, 2015November 22, 2016

Becky Corb played volleyball at Bunnell High School from 1998-2001 under head Coach Dave Jockle, another inductee this evening. During her career, Becky’s teams won three Conference Champion-ships. In her senior year, her team won the State Championship and Becky was named to the First Team All-Conference, and the First Team All-State. In addition, she was named to the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team and to the Hartford Courant’s All-Courant Team. Also in her senior year, she was named the New Haven Register’s Player of the Year.

Becky played collegiately at Loyola College from 2002-2006. In her junior year, she led her team and was 2nd in the Conference with 434 kills. She also had 210 digs, 8 solo blocks, 35 total blocks, 10 assists, and led the team in service aces with 31.

In Becky’s senior year, she was named to both the Patriot Invitational All-Tournament Team with 47 kills and the Spring Hill Suites Classic All-Tournament Team with 69 kills and 39 digs, and was named Loyola College’s Volleyball Most Valuable Player.

Becky became only the second player in Loyola’s history with 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. When she graduated, she held the school’s career kill record with 1,629.

Heather Washburn

Posted on September 1, 2015November 22, 2016

Heather Washburn played high school volleyball at Morgan High School from 1994 through 1997. When she played, her team won! In her high school career, their team record was 85 and 3. They not only won their league title all four years, they also won the state championship all four years.

Heather averaged 20 kills and 8 digs per match and her serving percentage was 90%. She was named 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-State, and the New Haven Register’s All-Area Athlete.

Heather went on to attend Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York where she played volleyball and softball and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a minor in chemistry and in 2007, earned an advanced degree in veterinary medicine from Ross University.

Susan Holcombe

Posted on September 1, 2015November 22, 2016

Susan Holcombe played at the Gilbert School in Winsted from 1983 to 1986 and was a three year varsity starter. She played middle hitter for coach Mary Ellen Vaccari, a CT Women’s Volleyball Hall of Fame member.

In her sophomore year, Susan’s team was the Berkshire League Champions. In her junior year, they successfully defended their League Championship and Susan was named to the 1st Team All-League, and was Honorable Mention for the 1st Team All-State.

It was Susan’s senior year however that was the most memorable year. Her team repeated to become three time Berkshire League champions, and she was again named to the 1st Team All-League. Then they also won the Class S State Championship and Susan was named to the 1st Team All-State as well as being awarded her team’s MVP Award.

Susan went on to play at Clarion University of Pennsylvania for Coach Cindy Opalski, who is also a CT Women’s Volleyball Hall of Fame Member. From 1992 through 1994, Susan was a Division I assistant coach at Bucknell University.

Holly Oslander Ismail

Posted on September 1, 2015December 29, 2017

Holly played at North Branford High School from 1985 to 1988. She was a four-year varsity player, starting as a freshman. In her junior and senior years, her teammates recognizing her leadership ability, elected her captain.

For her entire career, Holly led her team in passing, hitting, kills, and blocks. For her career she averaged 85% in hitting, 12 kills a match, and four blocks a game. She also had 106 service aces in her senior year.

Holly was named MVP in her freshman, junior, and senior years. She was on the all-Shoreline team all four years and was named to the all-state team her sophomore, junior and senior years. In 1986, ‘87, and ‘88 her team reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

Holly was offered a full scholarships to play volleyball by Division I schools, however as an outstanding basketball player, she chose to play basketball at Syracuse, ending her outstanding volleyball career.

The Day: North Branford Alum Holly (Oslander) Ismail to Be Inducted into Volleyball Hall of Fame