2017-18 Inductee Biographies

On Saturday November 17, 2018, the East Longmeadow High School Athletic Hall of Fame held its 8th Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Eight inductees and one team were enshrined at the Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow in front of nearly 150 attendees.

Nick Ahmed 2008

Nick Ahmed was a four-sport athlete while in high school participating in Golf, Football, Basketball, and Baseball. He was selected captain of both the basketball team and the baseball team in both his junior and senior years. He is a member of the 1000 point scoring club in basketball. Nick was a multi year All-Western Mass selection in both basketball and baseball. He was also voted the Western Mass Baseball Player of the year in the years 2007 and 2008. Nick continued to play baseball for three years at UConn until he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves. In January of 2013 he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks where he made his debut on June 29, 2014. He exceeded the rookie limits in 2015. As the starting shortstop in 2018 he batted .241 with 16 home runs, 68 RBI’s and 5 stolen bases. He becomes a free agent in 2019.

Gil Congdon 1962

Gill Congdon was one of the first athletes at ELHS participating in four sports - Soccer, Football, Basketball and Baseball. He was captain of both the football team and the basketball team during his junior and senior years. Gil was considered one of the best athletes in the school at that time. He was honorable mention as a basketball all-star, and was an all-star in baseball. School records during those first few years are hard to find, however archives in football show that he caught 9 passes for 105 yards, 7 kickoffs for 212 yards and 1 after touchdown extra point. This era was void of any Western Mass tournaments. Gil played basketball on the first ELHS team ever invited to a State tournament. He received both the Dartmouth Book Award and the John Stewart Memorial Award for his excellence in academics, sports and extra curricular activities. Gil graduated from Colby College and began a 46 year career in education including 33 years as a math teacher and coach, and 13 years as an adjunct professor at Bentley University before retiring in 2014. He currently resides in Reading MA.

Lynn DeNucci 1986

Lynn DeNucci competed in gymnastics her freshman through her junior years. She was the team MVP all three years and co-captained the team her junior year but was sidelined during her senior year with a back injury. She was selected All-Western Mass as a sophomore and a junior. Lynn was the Western Mass Champion on the vault her sophomore year, and Western Mass Champion on both the balance beam and the vault during her junior year. She was undefeated in the “All Around” during the regular season her junior year and was edged out of the Western Mass All Around by one tenth of one percent. Lynn was named Athlete of the Week, and received the Midas Touch award during her junior year. She continued her gymnastics career at Brown University where she competed for two years before retiring due to injury. While at Brown, Lynn was named team MVP during her freshman year, was Ivy League Champion on the balance beam and was named to the “All-Ivy” 1^stteam. Lynn currently lives in Longmeadow MA.

Craig DiFranco 2007

Craig DiFranco was a three-sport athlete participating in Hockey, Baseball and Golf. He captained both the hockey team and the baseball team during his senior year. In hockey Craig was selected to the All-Berry Division team three times and was a member of the 100 point club, scoring 48 goals and adding 52 assists. He was known to excel in penalty killing. In 2007 as captain of the baseball team he helped to lead them to the Western Mass Championship and was selected to the All –Western Mass second team. He compiled a 9-3 record as a pitcher over his career and played 8 different positions. Craig led his golf team to impressive seasons all four years and captained the team during his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was selected All –Western Mass three times and was a two-time Super 7 selection his junior and senior years. He continued his golf career at Springfield College where he was college athlete of the week 4 times and 1^stteam all-conference all four years. In addition, he was named 1^stteam All-New England his senior year, leading his team to their first ever conference championship. Craig lives in East Longmeadow, teaches middle school science and has brought his sport skills back to ELHS as the varsity baseball coach leading the team to a Valley League Championship this year with 6 of his players being selected All-Western Mass. He is also the assistant hockey coach at the high school.

Lauren Litscher 2007

Lauren Litscher was a four-sport athlete participating in Track, Indoor Track, Cross Country and Skiing. She was captain of both the Cross Country and Track teams during her senior year. Lauren was selected first team All Western Mass in her junior and senior years. She set school records in the mile, two mile and 1000M runs. Although most of these records have since been broken, Lauren remains the only runner to have won the Western Mass Championship in Cross Country Racing for ELHS, earning her Athlete of the Week honors her senior year. After graduating, Lauren ‘doubled down’ on her love for long distance running. She has completed 15 half-marathons and both the Chicago and Boston marathons. Lauren graduated from Dartmouth College in 2012 with a major in Computer Science. She currently works as a Technology Consultant in Boston and lives in Charlestown with her fiancé.

Lauren Raimondi 2007

Lauren Raimondi was a three-sport athlete participating in Basketball, Indoor and Outdoor Track. She was selected All-Western Mass first team 5 times. Lauren continues to hold the school record for the 100M high hurdles and was Western Mass Champion in both the 100M hurdles and the high jump while going undefeated during her senior year. She was voted best athlete that year as her team finished as the Western Mass runner-up. Lauren was selected to participate in both the All-State and All-New England tournaments. Lauren was part of three record breaking teams; the 4x200M outdoor relay, 100M high hurdles shuttle relay and the high jump relay. Each of those records still stands today. She reached the State finals in the 55M hurdles, 300M hurdles, high jump and 4x200M indoor relay. Lauren went on to compete in college at UMass Lowell where she garnered multiple NE-10 Conference titles in the 100M hurdles and the high jump. In 2009 she was ranked 6^thin Division II for high jump and was awarded the East Region Field Athlete of the Year by the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association at the National Championships.

Chris Setian 2008

Chris Setian was a three-sport athlete participating in Football, Basketball and Lacrosse. He was three-time All-League and All Western Mass in football. As captain, Chris helped his team to the Western Mass Championship and as runners-up in the State tournament. As a senior Chris won the Western Mass Dagenais Award as MVPwhere he led Western Mass in rushing yards (2,023), TD’s (29) and tackles (95), earning him All-State 1^stteam honors. He was three-time All-League in lacrosse and led histeam as captain to the Valley League championship. In lacrosse, during his senior year, Chris led the league in points (81) and was selected to the All Western Mass 1^stteam. He set school records in most goals and most assists in a season and most points in a career. Chris went on to play football and lacrosse at Suffield Academy, thenwent on to earn a bachelor’s degree in physical education while lettering all 4 years in football for the University of New Hampshire. While there, he led his team to 5 straight FCS playoffs including UNH’s first ever appearance in the Div. I National Championship. He had coached football at Yale and UNH before moving to Providence as the running back coach for Brown University.

Kelby Zimmerman 2007

Kelby Zimmerman was a two-sport athlete participating in cross-country and swimming. She broke the high school freshman course record in her freshman year at the Minnechaug HS meet. Kelby co-captained the swim team with her good friends Jillian Santer and Megan Flood. She was awarded All-American status in 2007 for her championship swim in the 100 yard breaststroke. In addition, Kelby held school records in the 200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke and 200 medley relay. Kelby continued to swim while attending the University of Pennsylvania. Kelby earned her Juris Doctorate after college and clerked for the New Jersey Superior Court. Since then, she has focused on more creative pursuits, moving to Vermont where she enjoys photography, writing, and brand development. She currently lives in New Hampshire with her husband and their new baby boy.

1975-1976 Boys Swim Team

The 1975 – 1976 Boys Swim Team, the winningest team in the history of E.L. Sports was coached by Dick Bolles with Janet Kerr as the diving coach. They were Co-League Champions with a 13-1 record. Captained by Jay Chipouras, Ken Lewis, Rick Parker and Steve Wiezbicki., they went on to win the next three post-season tournaments, Western Mass, State, and New England

They shattered 8 School records:

· 200 medley relay 1:438.6 – Steve Wiezbicki, Gary Pomeroy, Ken Lewis, Alan Bagg

· 200 freestyle, 1:54.3 – Rick Parker

· 200 individual medley, 2:12.9 – John Burney

· 50 freestyle, 22.6 - Steve Wiezbicki

· Diving, 503.85 - Jay Chipouras (Still stands today)

· 500 freestyle, 4:59.0 - Rick Parker

· 100 freestyle, 50.3 - Alan Bagg

· 400 freestyle relay, 3:25.2 – Alan Bagg, John Burney, Steve Wiezbicki, Rick Parker

Diver Jay Chipouras also crushed the Western Mass record (Still stands today), was 1^stin the State, tournament and 2^ndin New England tournament. Jay, undefeated in the dual meets that season was also selected All-American in diving.

E.L.H.S P.E. teacher, Janet Kerr, women’s team coach and diving coach deserves a lot of credit for the job she did as the boys diving coach instructing our divers. Many of her divers went on to become great college divers.

Seven team members earned Western Mass Championship honors:

Jay Chipouras, Ken Lewis, Rick Parker, Steve Wiezbicki, John Burney, Alan Bagg and Gary Pomeroy.