Establishment of New Ice Hockey Alumni Scholarship Fund Coincides with Program’s 50th Milestone Year

A Steering Committee made up of Nick O’Brien 1976, Bill Cummings 1978, Bill Riegelmann 1978, Mike Sequino 1979, Scott Albraccio 1981 and Charlie Corvi 1981 garnered donations from 14 fellow ice hockey brothers to set up this special initiative, which will be called the Ice Hockey Alumni Scholarship Fund. Bill Carroll 1979 chaired the committee and coordinated the effort.

Established during the 1975-1976 school year, Hamden Hall’s ice hockey program and the first several teams have a storied legacy. Former Headmaster Jerry Whitson labeled the first squads “Giant Killers” as the powerhouse teams had to seek competition from prep schools outside of their league. Games were played against Swedish and Finnish All-Star teams and the Toronto Marlies Junior A team. In 1977-1978, the Hamden Hall Ice Hockey Team was invited as the lone American team to participate in the Cape Breton Metros Invitational High School Hockey Tournament in Nova Scotia. There, the Hamden Hall team competed against champion high school teams from each of the Canadian provinces and ultimately finished in fourth place. During the same season, the Hornets defeated local powerhouse Hamden High School by a score of 11-0. The public school, which was coached by legend Louis Astorino, had previously won the hockey state championship for four consecutive years from 1973 through 1976.

In 2018, the 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979 ice hockey teams were honored with Hamden Hall’s prestigious Athletic Hall of Fame recognition. More than 40 players were acknowledged along with former coaches Ralph O’Connor, William Murdoch, and Robert Schroeder. Coach Schroeder served as Hamden Hall’s ice hockey coach for nearly two decades and revived the program in 2006-2007. Since that time, the school has suited up both boys and girls to compete in the Fairchester Athletic Association league. Our current Varsity team is coached by former collegiate ice hockey standout Dante Tomassini who played at Assumption College from 2015-2019.

The new scholarship fund will help with recruitment for future teams. Regardless of financial capabilities, ice hockey players of outstanding prowess will have the opportunity to play for the Hornets and receive a Hamden Hall education.

Scholarship Steering Committee Chair Bill Carroll told the 20 former players who helped establish the fund that they had “made history with their charitable gifts and should be incredibly proud of the milestone achievement.”

“The team delivered a full-court press when the call came for service,” he said. “Each individual donor demonstrated a true passion for the sport, team spirit, and an appreciation for the education that the school provided.”

Head of School Bob Izzo also commended the initiative and noted that several of the former alumni players involved are also Hamden Hall past parents.

“The impact of this new scholarship fund cannot be overstated. We have committed to our ice hockey program – even scheduling games at Quinnipiac University’s premier arena in a show of support – and this type of funding will ensure that we continue to enroll promising scholar-athletes to our team,” he said.

The following alumni of the Hamden Hall Ice Hockey Program are responsible for establishing the new Ice Hockey Alumni Scholarship Fund:

Mike O’Connor, brother of alumnus Brian O’Connor, donated in memory of his father who was the founding coach for the first two seasons. A portion of each of the gifts was donated in honor of Bob Houley 1977 and Brian McKiernan 1977 and in remembrance of departed teammates Ted Shay 1977, Chuck Harvey 1978, Steve Brown 1979, and Joe Cuomo 1979.

To make your own gift in support of the newly established Ice Hockey Alumni Scholarship Fund, please click here or contact the Office of Advancement at 203.752.2616.