Category Archives: High School Player

Mia Malafronte

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mia

Until her freshman year at Amity High School in 1987, Mia Malafronte played basketball and softball and in the fall was a field hockey player. Her parents wanted her to try volleyball so she made a deal with them. She would attend a two week summer camp with CT Volleyball Hall of Fame member Kathy Symonds with the understanding that if she did not like volleyball, she would to not have to play. She fell in love with volleyball and the rest, as they say, is history.

Mia was a varsity outside hitter her sophomore year. That year her team was undefeated going into the State Championship Finals but lost a heart breaker to Maloney – 3 games to 2. The underclassmen vowed to never lose a match again. Her junior year, they defeated Maloney in the State Final and completed an undefeated season. In her senior year, they lost only two games the entire season and both were in the same match to Fitch High School. They met Fitch again, this time in the State Championship match, and won three games to none. They honored their vow and during her three year varsity career, her team was 65 and 1. Mia then played intercollegiate volley-ball for Albertus Magnus.

Mia’s awards and honors are too numerous to mention but include being a member of the 1989-90 Jr. Olympic Team Champions in the Nutmeg State Games. She was named to both the 1st Team All-Housatonic and 1st Team All-State Volleyball teams and was inducted into the Amity Athletic Hall of Fame. She was the Head Coach of the French American School of New York and presently is both the Assistant Head Coach and Junior Varsity Coach at Amity High School.

Sandy Hastings Reichel

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Sandy Hastings played High School volleyball at Cheshire from 1976-1978. Her teams won two state championships in both 1977 and 1978. Sandy also played on the Junior National Volleyball Team in 1978 and 1979.

Sandy played Division I collegiate volleyball at Rutgers University from 1978-1980. In her first year, her team played in the National Championships at the University of Alabama. She also played at San Diego State University in 1980 and 1981. They were ranked #4 in the country both years.

Sandy also played both USVBA and AAU volleyball in 1979 and 1980 and her teams were nationally ranked.

Jill Tomasello

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Tomasello

Jill was an outstanding and versatile athlete at Westhill. She was a 3-sport standout, earning recognition in volleyball, basketball and softball. A three year starter for Hall of Fame coach Winnie Hamilton, she was an outside hitter her junior and senior years. By her own admission, at 5’6” Jull was not the tallest hitter but she made up for her lack of stature with tremendous power and skill. During her junior year, Westhill started the season without the services of 5 of 6 starters from a 26-0 season and she was the tallest player. With dedication and drive, that team lost only 3 matches. Jill was a big part of that success. She was named the team’s Best Offensive Player and selected to the All-City team.  As a senior, Jill was team captain and her leadership and aggressive play was instrumental in bringing Westhill to the CIAC Class LL finals. It would be the team’s only loss that season. Jill was named her team’s MVP for the third time and she was an All-City selection again. She was also selected to the All-County and All-State teams. Jill was also a 3-year starter in basketball at Westhill. She was team captain and All-City her senior year. She was a 4-year start in softball. She was captain, All-City for 2 years and an All-County and All-State selection her senior year. In 1983, Jill received Westhill’s award for Most Athletic Female.

After graduation Jill spent one year at UConn where she played softball. Her sophomore year she transferred to Quinnipiac College where she was instrumental in starting their varsity volleyball program. She was setter for 2 years and was team captain. Jill received a softball scholarship at Quinnipiac and started 3 years at first base. She was team captain and named to the All-ECAC team.

Jill is still actively involved with sports. She was a volunteer volleyball coach at Westhill from 2000-04 and a volunteer coach at Darien High School’s summer volleyball camp. From 1986-89 she played touch football in the North American Women’s Touch Football League.  She was quarterback for three years, leading her team to three Super Bowl wins and she was named Super Bowl MVP three times. Jill played fast pitch softball for the Stamford Flames Class A Fast Pitch Travel team from 1980-89, her team taking 5th place at the National Tournament. In 1990 Jill started to play slow pitch softball. She played for 6 years, ending her career after her team won a 2nd national championship. Then in 1996 Jill joined the Stamford Storm Women’s ice hockey team. She has played goalie for 12 years, earning numerous team gold medals and MVP awards in USA and Canadian tournaments. She has been team captain for 19 years.

Peg Scofield

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Peg started her volleyball career in 1976 at Westhill High School in Stamford where she was coached by Winnie Hamilton.  She competed on the varsity level for three years and was selected as team captain in her senior season. While playing for Westhill, they enjoyed county championships and the team was the Class LL runner-up. She was selected to the All-FCAIC team. She also lettered in basketball and was county and state champion in the high jump while on a member of the Westhill track and field team.

Peg was honored by becoming the first female athlete to have her number retired in Stamford (#10).

After graduation from Westhill, Peg continued her academic and volleyball carer at Rutgers University where she received the Scholar-Athlete award, was a two-time MVP, and was selected to the all-conference team four times.  While Peg played for Rutgers, they won the Atlantic-10 conference championship. Her squad also qualified for the NCAA Championship tournament.

Presently, Peg is the Head volleyball coach at Yale University where her teams have compiled a 227-128 record during her 13-year tenure, including six 20-win seasons.  She serves on the editorial board of Coaching Volleyball magazine and still competes on a USVBA/USA women’s AA club team.

Yale Daily News: Scofield reaches 300-win plateau

Doreen Paul

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Doreen played for Cheshire High School and was coached by Cynthia Hitchcock from 1975-1977.  In 1975 her team captured the Housatonic League championship, as they did the 1976 as well.  Also in 1976 they won the Class M state title.

Doreen was named to the All-State team and later participated in tryouts for the US Olympic volleyball team.  In July 1976 she toured Poland playing exhibition volleyball with the Cheshire High School team.  By 1977, Doreen was captain of her team and once again they won league and state championships.

During her years on the team, teh Cheshire Hish volleyball team enjoyed a 62-match winning streak. Doreen coached volleyball at Saint Rose of Lima in New Haven from 1991-1992. She is presently self-employed and working out of New Haven.