Connecticut
5 Prominent Connecticut Sports Figures Tabbed For Prestigious Gold Key Awards By CSMA
SOUTHINGTON, CT — Five significant standouts from the Connecticut sporting landscape will be honored this fall with one of the most prestigious awards in state sports, as 2025 recipients of the Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance (CSMA).
The honorees are former Masuk High School and Louisiana State University softball pitcher Rachele Fico, former Stratford High School football star and Super Bowl champion Nick Giaquinto, longtime Yale University men’s basketball coach James Jones, World Series champion pitching coach Dave Wallace and NCAA, WNBA and Olympic champion Kara Wolters. They will be feted at the 83rd Gold Key Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 at the Aqua Turf Club in the Plantsville section of Southington.
Tickets for the Gold Key Dinner are $80, and are available by contacting CSMA president Tim Jensen of Patch Media Corp. at 860-394-5091 or tim.jensen@patch.com. Proceeds support the Bo Kolinsky Memorial Sports Media Scholarship, a $3,000 annual award named in memory of the noted high school sports editor of the Hartford Courant and past CSMA president, who passed away in 2003 at age 49.
Here is a brief look at the Class of 2025:
RACHELE FICO – A 2009 graduate of Masuk, the Oxford native had a virtually unparalleled career on the diamond, compiling a 105-3 record with a 0.07 earned-run average and 26 perfect games. She led the Panthers to Class LL championships in 2007 and 2008, and was twice voted the Gatorade state player of the year. After earning first-team All-American honors in high school, she continued to excel at LSU, winning 78 games with a .645 winning percentage, posting a 1.75 ERA and averaging better than a strikeout per inning. She was a 2-time first-team All-American for the Tigers, and was the number one overall draft choice of the Akron Racers of National Pro Fastpitch in 2013.

NICK GIAQUINTO – A 1973 graduate of Stratford, where he made the football All-State and National All-American teams, he went on to play football at UConn, establishing a still-existing single-game record of 277 rushing yards against Holy Cross in 1976. Undrafted out of college, he worked his way to the National Football League with the Miami Dolphins in 1980, then was a member of the Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins. In 1983, he was the first “H-back” in NFL history. Following his retirement from football, he embarked on a 29-year career coaching baseball at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, winning 631 games and participating in the 1992 College World Series.
JAMES JONES – Since being named the 22nd head coach in Yale men’s basketball history in 1999, Jones has guided the Bulldogs to 418 victories and a .567 winning percentage. The team has captured seven Ivy League regular season titles and four conference tournament championships. Yale has earned five NCAA tournament berths during his tenure, pulling off stunning upsets over Baylor in 2016 and Auburn in 2024. He is a 3-time Ivy League Coach of the Year, and was inducted into the New England College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

DAVE WALLACE – A 1965 graduate of Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury, where he was a 3-sport athlete, Wallace continued his success at New Haven College (now the University of New Haven). The right-handed pitcher compiled a 24-6 career record with a 2.18 ERA with the Chargers, then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization in 1969. He pitched professionally for a dozen seasons, making 13 major league appearances with the Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays. After his playing days, he became a pitching coach, reaching the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. In 2004, he was pitching coach of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, and earned a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo as pitching coach for Team USA.
KARA WOLTERS – The Somers resident came to UConn from Holliston, Mass. in 1993, and immediately teamed with Rebecca Lobo and Jamelle Elliott to form a devastating front line that would help put women’s college basketball on the map. As a sophomore, she was an integral part of the Huskies’ undefeated run to their first national championship, pouring in 31 points in the national semifinal game against Stanford. In 1997, she was named National Player of the Year and embarked on a 6-year professional career with the New England Blizzard. She was a member of the 1999 WNBA champion Houston Comets and the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, which won the gold medal in Sydney, Australia. She is one of only 12 women to have earned NCAA, WNBA and Olympic championships, and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
Connecticut
5 Connecticut towns to receive $2M each for infrastructure upgrades
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Five Connecticut towns will collectively receive $10 million in grants for infrastructure upgrades, according to a Monday announcement by Gov. Ned Lamont.
The Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) is awarding $10.7 million to Coventry, Guilford, Ledyard, Mansfield and Thomaston to modernize and rehabilitate housing for low- and moderate-income residents, the announcement said.
The funds are being released through the DOH’s Community Development Block Grant’s small cities program, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be eligible, a municipality must have fewer than 50,000 residents.
Cost Breakdown
Coventry: $2 million
Town of Coventry plans to use funds to upgrade, with a focus on making Orchard Hill Estates compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Guilford: $2 million
The Town of Guilford plans to use funds to design and build future affordable housing projects, consisting of up to 16 rental units and 8 homes.
Ledyard: $2 million
The Town of Canton requested funding for the first phase of affordable housing for people in Ledyard and the surrounding area. Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut is in the pre-development phase of the Colby Drive and plans to create 38 units.
Mansfield: $2.2 million
Funding will be used for upgrades to Wright’s Village, including roof replacements and sidewalk repairs.
Thomaston: $2.5 million
Funds will be used to make Green Manor ADA-compliant, including the installation of a new emergency call aid system.
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Connecticut
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Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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