Arguably one of the greatest female athletes to attend Williston Northampton, Katie Coffey excelled in three sports during her six years at the school.

A four-time letter winner in track, Katie was the New England Champion in the 200m and a bronze medalist in the 100m in her freshman year, earning team MVP honors. At the time of her graduation, she held school records in the 100m, 200m, and 4×100 relay.

Katie earned six varsity letters in basketball and was co-captain in 2003 and 2004, earning all-League honors in 2004 and a Team MVP award.

But it was in soccer that Katie experienced the most success. A five-time MVP, Katie also earned five All-league selections, four all-State honors, and three All-New England selections. This culminated in Katie being named the first girls’ soccer All-American as well as the 2003 Massachusetts Player of the Year and All-East Region selection.

Following graduation, Katie played at Boston College (earning All-Freshman Northeast Region honors) and at Amherst College. She also played for the New England Mutiny of the Women’s Professional Soccer League.

The Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, dinner, and reception were held on Saturday, June 6, 2015. Katie Coffey’s award was presented to her by Michael ’02 and Kelly ’07 Coffey.

Nominate your favorite athlete, team, or coach for the 2016 Athletic Hall of Fame here.

All through her long coaching career, Sue Barnett seemed to be one of those people with the amazing ability to be in multiple places at the same time. As a coach, this superpower served her well. Over her 43 years at both Northampton School for Girls and Williston Northampton (from 1967-2011), Sue coached soccer, field hockey, basketball, and softball, to name a few. At NSFG, she often coached two sports at the same time: soccer on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, and field hockey on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

In an interview for The Bulletin in 2012, Sue said that what she had loved best about NSFG had been “the kids.”

“I coached, I ran a dorm, I had PE classes,” she said. “I’m still in touch with hundreds [of students]. I’ve seen them grow up, fail, pick themselves up again, succeed, raise families. That’s what I loved from start to finish.”

Sue currently holds the Williston Northampton record for career wins in softball with 85 (54 losses). Even after she stepped down as the head coach, Sue continued to work with the team as an assistant. Even now, she can be spotted cheering the team on from the sidelines.

The Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, dinner, and reception was held on Saturday, June 6, 2015. Sue Barnett’s award was presented to her by the Rev. Mary Conant ’74.

Read Sue’s full acceptance remarks here. 

Nominate your favorite athlete, team, or coach for the 2016 Athletic Hall of Fame here.

Led by Coach Ray Brown ’55 (who was inducted into the 2013 Athletic Hall of Fame) and assistant coach Chris Edler, the 1986 girls basketball team posted an 18-3 record. That was en route to capturing the school’s first New England Championship in girls basketball.

The team was led by co-captains Connie Wilson and Mindy McLain Karakula. Missy Babyak was named New England Tournament MVP and Wilson was named all-tournament team.

Among the players were three of the top 12 scorers in Williston Northampton girls basketball history: Holly McBurnie Kissane (#6), Babyak (#8), and Wilson (#12). The team’s average margin of victory was almost 18 points.  

In the 1986 yearbook, the team is described as an “experienced and well balanced group of athletes.”

“High scores Missy Babyak and Holly McBurnie teamed with Anne Woomer to form a strong rebounding nucleus. Chris Trinceri, Devra Weisman, and Jen Hatch anchored a bench that was useful in giving the team quality minutes throughout the season.”

The 1986 team consisted of seniors Wilson, McLain Karakula, Trinceri, Weisman Kingman and Lisa Watroba DeVoie; juniors Woomer Bartoszuk, Babyak, McBurnie Kissane, and Penny Duda; and sophomores Jennifer Hatch Gubbins and Sue Colina.

The girls basketball team award will be accepted by Connie Wilson ’86.

The Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, dinner, and reception will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2015. Register to attend here.

Nominate your favorite athlete or team for the 2016 Athletic Hall of Fame here.

Roger Walaszek was such a strong athlete, that when varsity basketball and baseball were not enough of a challenge, he added varsity soccer to the mix. That was while earning academic marks high enough to put him in the Cum Laude Society, too.

Although he only spent two years at Williston Academy, Roger was elected both captain and MVP of the basketball team as a senior, earning All-New England honors. At graduation, Roger was awarded the Denman Cup.

He would continue his basketball career at Columbia University, where he played first on the freshman team, and then for three years at the varsity level. Roger earned All-Ivy League status in his sophomore and junior years and Honorable Mention All-American status as a senior.

Featuring such future NBA stars as Jim McMillan, Dave Newmark, and Heyward Dotson, Roger’s Columbia team was ranked as high as seventh in the nation. Roger was drafted by the NY Knicks of the NBA and the New York Nets of the ABA in 1969, but opted to attend law school instead, and earned his JD from Columbia School of Law in 1973.

In 2006, Roger was voted into the New England Hall of Fame, along with another Williston Academy alumnus (Ray Brown ’55). Both of Roger’s daughters, Emily and Rebecca, also attended Williston Northampton School.

The Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, dinner, and reception was held on Saturday, June 6, 2015. Roger Walaszek’s award was presented to him by Rick Francis.

Nominate your favorite athlete, team, or coach for the 2016 Athletic Hall of Fame here.