Category Archives: 2000
Lynn Spagnesi
Lynn began her volleyball career at Brien McMahon High School where she played from 1969072. she was team captain her senior year and her teams were undefeated during her junior and senior seasons. in 1972, they placed 3rd in the state tournament. during her high school career, she also was a member of the field hockey, basketball, track and field, badminton and softball teams.
Lynn continued playing volleyball in college when she went on to SCSU wand was a spiker for Louise Albrecht. She competed on the varsity squad from 1972-1976. The team won first place in the regional tournament in 1976 and qualified for the national tournament.
She received Outstanding College Athletes of America award in 1975. She was listed in the Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities in 1975.
After college Lynn continued to compete playing USVBA for the Connecticut Clippers and the New Haven Dippers for 1977-81. Her teams took first place in the USVBA regional championship in 1977, 79 and 81. She competed in the USVBA national tournament, held in Hilo Hawaii in 1977, representing the Eastern Zone. It was there she played against Olympians Flo Hyman and Debbie Green.
She was a member of the Greater New Haven board of volleyball officials from 1973-77. She also officiated basketball and was an ASA softball umpire.
Lynn also competed in AAU track and field, ASA softball, playing for the Raybestos Brakettes and was assistant women’s basketball coach at SCSU in 1977.
Louise Albrecht
Louise began her volleyball career in the 1960’s as a player in the Southern California USVBA league. When Lou came to Connecticut, in 1969 where she and Joan Joyce started the Connecticut Clippers USVBA team.
She started the volleyball program at California State University at Fullerton where she coached the team to a 20-9 record. She left California in ’69 to coach at Western Connecticut State University. In 1970, Lou moved on to Southern Connecticut State University where she posted a 57-8 record. She retired from coaching in 1975 but continued in volleyball as an official.
Lou’s role in officiating was multi-faceted. Her talents were well known as she was summarily invited to present at the Eastern Association for Physical and Health for College Women, CAHPERD and NAGWS. Under her direction, SCSU hosted the EAIAW volleyball tournament in ’74, ’75 and ’81. Lou also held the position of assignor for the EAIAW regional tournament in ’76 and ’77.
She held the position of chairperson of volleyball officials for the Southwest Board in ’71-’72. She officiated in the CIAC Volleyball Championships from ’69-’74 and the EAIAW regional tournament in 1972.
Having been honored for her many achievements as player, coach and official, Lou is a member of the National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, OK. She is one of the founders of the CT Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Northeast Hall of Fame for Women in Sport as well as the CT Women’s Basketball hall of Fame. Most recently, she was inducted into the CT Scholastic and Collegiate Softball Hall of Fame and she received the prestigious Katherine Ley Award from Eastern College Athletic Conference.
Louise served from 1985-1988 on the NCAA Council and from 1986-1988 she served on the Committee for Improvement of Women’s Officiating.
In 1992, Louise retired from her position as associate athletic director at SCSU.
Dr. Joan Barbarich
Joan began her volleyball coaching career at Carnegie Mellon University where she coached from 1967-72. She had her first undefeated season there in 1970. Soon after that she received a Doctoral Teaching Fellowship at Springfield College to coach the women’s volleyball team. She coached Springfield from 1972-74 where she had a 24-0 season and competed in the AIAW national tournament in 1972, and a 26-1 season in 1973 with the only loss coming at the hands of SCSU and Louise Albrecht.
In 1976 Joan began her career at SCSU where she coached for 10 years. During that time, her teams competed against Penn St, University of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland, UConn and URI.
During her first five years as coach at Southern, her teams were considered the reigning volleyball power in the east. This is astounding considering that she did not have one scholarship athlete on any of her teams. Her overall record at SCSU was 264-124 (64%).
While at Southern, Joan also started a USVBA team call the New Haven Dippers which she coached for eight years. While this team competed on the national level, no records were kept at that time.
Joan also coached at summer camps and presented clinics at high schools throughout the state.
She completed the USVBA coaching certification for Level I and Level II in California in ’77 and ’78.
Christine Kenyon O’Connor
Christine started her volleyball career at Farmington High School where she played from 1965 to 1968. Her team won state championships in 1966, 1967 and 1968. They were undefeated in regional format during those seasons.
After graduation from Farmington High, Christine went on to Ursinas College and then Central Connecticut State University where she competed on the volleyball team and graduated with a BS in Physical Education.
She coached volleyball at Farmington High School from 1974-79 and ’81, accumulating a record of 80-37. Her teams were four time Northwest Conference champions and they won the Class S state title in 1979.
Christine was the 1978 Connecticut High School Volleyball Coach of the Year.
She is presently the physical education coordinator at Irving Robbins Middle School.
Linda Hamm
Linda Hamm from SCSU with a degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1968. Upon graduation, she began her long and esteemed teaching and coaching career at Lewis Mills High School in Burlington.
She was the varsity volleyball coach from 1968-79 where she amassed a 142-53 record. During that time, her teams were Northwest Champions nine times.
In 1980 she took the position as head coach at Yale University. In 1981-83, she was the assistant coach at the University of New Haven. Then in 1984 she moved on to become head coach at CCSU.
Most recently, she started and coached the boys’ volleyball team at Lewis Mills in 1997-98.
Linda received her National Volleyball Officials’ rating in 1970 and continued in the capacity until 1975. She served as chairperson for the Connecticut volleyball officials from 1974-77. She was a member of the selection committee for the USVA All-American team from 1981-88. She has also been a past member of the Connecticut Board of Volleyball Officials.
As a player, Linda competed from 196901987 with the Connecticut Clippers. She played in nine national tournaments in the open team- A Division. She also competed with two A Division Master’s teams.
She was the CHSCA Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1976.
Joan Joyce
Joan began her association with the sport of volleyball when she attended the NAGWS 3th National Institute of Sport in 1966, which offered a sport institute to introduce the sport of “power volleyball” to various teachers and coaches. Returning from that clinic, Joan started a USVBA team in Trenton, NJ and was a player-coach using all the new techniques and strategies that she learned at the institute.
In 1968 Joan started a USVBA team in Connecticut called the Connecticut Clippers. Joan was the player-coach for the team. The Clippers traveled extensively throughout the country playing against many highly competitive teams. The team was the best in the region and represented the region at the USVBA National Tournament from 1969- 1974.
During those years, Joan became an official as well. She held NAGWS National rating and did many high school and collegiate matches. She officiated at the AIAW Large College National Tournament at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT in 1973.
In addition to officiating, Joan conducted many clinics for high schools, colleges and many industrial leagues throughout the Northeast. During her playing days, Joan received many individual awards and accolades for her performance on the volleyball court. She was one of the initiators of the modern game for all those associated with the game in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast.