2022 Whitman-Hanson Hall of Fame
Whitman-Hanson Athletics is announcing the newest class of Hall of Fame Inductees. These deserving men and women, along with two teams, will be inducted on Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 5:00pm at South Shore Country Club. Tickets may be purchased at www.whathletics.com. The inductees will also be presented to the community at halftime of the homecoming football game on Friday October 7th against Silver Lake. This is the second induction class for Whitman-Hanson Athletics.
Coaches
Bob Gay: Bob began coaching Whitman-Hanson wrestling in 1985 and led the program until leaving Whitman-Hanson in July of 2001 to become the Principal at North Attleboro High School. In his very first year at W-H, he guided a young team to a league title and, only a few years later, in 1988 he led the Panthers to the South Sectional Championship. The mid-1990’s saw W-H as one of the top teams in Massachusetts, setting a state record of 53 consecutive dual meet wins over three seasons. W-H won South Sectional Championships in 1994 and 1995 as Bob was selected as Coach of the Year. He was also the Div. 2 Boston Globe Coach of the Year in 1994. On 7/1/95, Bob became the Principal at Whitman-Hanson. In January of 1997, he recorded his 200th win at Wayland High School. In his 16 years as the W-H varsity coach, his teams’ record was 271-60-2. Bob’s teams won nine league championships and three sectional championships. He has coached nine individual state champions and more than 30 sectional champions. Bob now coaches at Bristol-Plymouth where he recorded his 400th dual meet win on 1/15/22.
Bob gives much credit to the outstanding coaches he has worked with: Paul Holmes, Gary Rabinovitz, Kevin Broderick, Dale Smith, Dave Armstrong and Nick Flynn. He is especially proud of the hundreds of wrestlers he has coached over the years for their dedication, hard work, competitive enthusiasm and good sportsmanship. Finally, and most importantly, he thanks his best friend, soul mate, and wife Linda for 45+ years of her support. Bob also thanks his wonderful children, Kristin and Kevin, for their understanding as to why Dad was seldom home in the winter months from 1979-2001.
Bob Teahan: Robert Teahan (Bob) was a member of what journalist Tom Brokaw called the “Greatest
Generation”, that is people who lived through the Great Depression and contributed to a conclusion of
World War II. Bob lived a life of service and leadership. As a twenty-year-old, his service began
when he volunteered for the U.S. Army to protect our democracy in World War II. His Division
engaged in four major European campaigns, including the Battle of the Bulge.
After the war, Bob attended Bridgewater State College (BSU) where he was the captain of both the baseball and basketball teams and the first President of the Varsity Club.
Bob taught in the Whitman and Whitman-Hanson Regional School Systems for twenty five
years. Along with the history and physical education classes he taught, Bob coached football
and was the Physical Education Director for the majority of those years. He had high
expectations for students and players and motivated them to perform to the best of their
abilities. His boys’ physical education program was spotlighted in the Boston Globe for his
development of a system in which different colored T-shirts showed a student’s individual
improvements and accomplishments. He gave his students skills to become fine young men.
As Head Football Coach for 20 years, Bob’s W-H Panthers won six Old Colony League
championships and one Class C title (1965). Three of Bob’s players went on to play professional
football: Dennis Lozzi, Tom Lynch and Steve Kingman. Bob spent many hours promoting his
high school players to college scouts who could provide college scholarships. Combining high
school and semi-pro football, Bob coached a total of 321 games.
From 1974-1978, Bob represented the towns of Whitman and East Bridgewater in the
Massachusetts Legislature. He surveyed his constituents to better understand their needs and
responded to calls for help from all citizens.
From 1979 until 1994, Bob was a college scout for the New England Patriots. The many years he
thoroughly studied and intensely analyzed football plays and players at Whitman-Hanson gave
Bob the experience, knowledge and skills he used to identify potential professional players.
While scouting, Bob gave players second and third chances to improve their speed, agility, and
accuracy scores on his scouting reports because he knew football was sometimes a way out of
poverty for these players. In all he did, Coach Teahan’s goal was to make life better for the next
generation.
When Bob died in 1997, he left his wife Kathy, his children Anne, Jeanie, Bob and John and his
granddaughter Jill, all of whom still miss him today.
Student-Athletes
Kevin Broderick: Kevin is a 1988 graduate of Whitman-Hanson where he was a standout football player and wrestler. He was a two-time sectional champion in wrestling (1987 and 1988) and was a state champion in 1988. He was the MVP of the 1988 sectional championship wrestling team. In football, he was the team MVP on the Super Bowl runner-up team in 1987 and won the Golden Helmet Award that season. Kevin was a Boston Globe All-Scholastic in wrestling (1988) and also earned Patriot Ledger and Brockton Enterprise All-Scholastic awards in wrestling (1987 and 1988) and football (1988). After graduating from Whitman-Hanson, he went on to play football at Holy Cross where he tore his ACL at the end of the season. He transferred to Stonehill where, three years and three surgeries later, he returned to football earning an All Conference honorable mention in 1992 and ECFC All Conference honors in 1993. Kevin defined what it meant to be a student-athlete in both high school and college—he graduated Suma Cum Laude while being named to the GTE COSIDA Academic All-American Team. He went on to medical school and now works as an urgent care doctor at Compass Medical in East Bridgewater. Kevin returned to high school wrestling as a coach with both Scituate and Whitman-Hanson before stepping down after the birth of his daughter, Hailey. Kevin and his wife Tracy reside in Hanson.
Samantha Coletti: Samantha is a 2016 graduate of Whitman-Hanson where she was a three-sport athlete competing in Cross Country along with Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field. As a Senior Samantha was Captain of each of her teams as well as Most Valuable Player. Samantha was also a Patriot League MVP, a Boston Herald All-Scholastic, and numerous-time Brockton Enterprise All-Scholastic during her high school career. Samantha rewrote the Whitman-Hanson record books and is the current school record holder in 10 events. She holds the Cross Country 5K record with a time of 18:18.7. She also holds Indoor Track records in the 600 Meter, 1000 Meter, Mile and 2 Mile runs along with the record as a member of the 4 X 800 Meter relay team. In Outdoor Track Samantha holds school records in the 400 Meter, 800 Meter, Mile and 2 Mile events. She was the State Divisional Champion five times as a Panther. Samantha was the State Division 2 Champion in the Mile as both a sophomore and junior. She also was the Division 3 Champion during her junior year in both the Indoor Track and Field 1000 Meter and Mile events. As a senior Samantha was crowned the Outdoor Division 2 Champion in the 2 Mile. Following graduation from Whitman Hanson, Samantha competed at the United States Military Academy as a member of Army’s Cross Country and Track and Field teams, where again she served as team Captain. Samantha held several school records during her time at West Point and remains a record holder as a member of the Track and Field Distance Medley team. Samantha is currently serving our country as a Lieutenant in the United States Army.
Liz Hassan: Liz is a 2001 graduate of Whitman-Hanson where she was a three-sport athlete playing soccer, basketball and track & field. She was recognized multiple times with All-Scholastic honors in track & field (Patriot Ledger and Brockton Enterprise 1999, 2000 and 2001) while also being named to the Brockton Enterprise All-Scholastic team in basketball in 2001 (Patriot Ledger honorable mention). Liz served as captain of all three sports, was team MVP in both basketball and track & field (two times), and was selected as a League All Star in soccer (two times), basketball (two times) and track & field (four times). She led the soccer and basketball teams in scoring her senior year. In track & field, Liz set many records: 100 Meter Hurdles (still stands today), 300 Meter Hurdles, 4x100 Meter Relay, 4x400 Meter Relay (still stands today – Courtney Kelly, Laura Billings and Bridget Anderson) and the Heptathlon (4,124 points – still stands today). She captured the state Heptathlon title in the spring of her senior year. Liz also was honored with a National Principal’s Leadership Award nomination and a National High School Heisman nomination. She was recruited to play all three sports in college but elected to focus on track & field, accepting a scholarship to compete for Boston College. It didn’t take long for Liz to make an impact at BC, breaking the school record in the Heptathlon her freshman year. She recorded top five all-time performances in the 60 Meter Hurdles, 100 Meter Hurdles, 400 Meter Hurdles, Pentathlon and Heptathlon. Liz was well-decorated with awards at Boston College, including Rookie of the Year (2001-2002), MVP (2004-2005), Team Captain (2004-2005), and All Conference (2005 Heptathlon). Liz currently resides in Denver, Colorado.
Tom Lynch: Tom is a 1973 graduate of Whitman-Hanson where he competed in football, basketball, indoor track and outdoor track. He was co-captain of the 1972 Old Colony Championship football team. Tom earned All-Scholastic honors from the Brockton Enterprise, Patriot Ledger and Boston Herald Traveler. He was the recipient of the YMHA Scholar Athlete Award and was selected to play the Harry Agganis All Star Game. Tom accepted a scholarship from Boston College where he was a three-year starter on both offense and defense while earning his letter all four years. He was named to the ECAC All Conference team in 1972 and that same season was recognized with the All Star Weekly Position Player of the Week in the victory over the University of Texas. Adding to his accolades, he was presented with the Thomas F. Scanlan Trophy for scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. Rounding out his career at BC he was selected to play in the 28th Senior Bowl. He was then selected 30th overall in the 1977 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He went on to have a stellar 8 year career with the Seahawks and Buffalo Bills and was named to the All AFC team in his second year in the league. In 1988, Tom was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame. Tom and his wife Donna have been married for 43 years and have three children, Brittany, Sean and Cody as well as six grandchildren. The family resides in Southern New Hampshire.
Kristie Mewis: Kristie is a 2009 graduate of Whitman-Hanson where she played four years of varsity soccer, two years of basketball, and one year of track & field. She was a two-time team MVP in soccer (2005 and 2006) while earning multiple All-Scholastic honors (2007, 2008 and 2009 by the Patriot Ledger and 2008 and 2009 by the Boston GlobIe). She was a three-time NSCAA All American, 2009 Parade All American First Team, 2008 NSCAA Youth Player of the Year and US Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year. Kristie was also a three-time Eastern Massachusetts, State and New England All Star. She finished her career at Whitman-Hanson with 74 goals and 34 assists. Her accomplishments at Whitman-Hanson are even more remarkable when you consider she was playing for the National Team at the time as well. She was the co-captain of the 2008 U17 Women’s World Cup team, which was runner-up. She was honored with the Bronze Ball Award for that tournament. While she only competed one season in indoor track, she left her mark by setting the school record in the 300 meter—a record which still stands today. Kristie went on to have a remarkable career at Boston College where she was a four-year starter scoring 39 goals and recording 38 assists. She was named to the ALL ACC Freshman team and later was a three-time selection to the All ACC Team and three-time NSCAA All American. Kristie has played professionally for 10 years in the National Women’s Soccer League playing over 150 games with various teams. She has also played professionally in Australia, Japan and Germany. She has had two stints with the United States National Soccer team (2009-2014 and 2019-present) and was a member of the Bronze medal winning United States Olympic soccer team.
Tim O’Brien: Tim is a 1991 graduate of Whitman-Hanson where he excelled in football and track & field. He was a member of three league championship football teams in 1988, 1989 and the undefeated squad in 1990. In 1989 he helped guide the Panthers to the Super Bowl championship. His trophy case is filled with awards from that 1990 season when he was named a Boston Globe, Patriot Ledger and Brockton Enterprise All-Scholastic. He also earned Atlantic Coast League All Star honors for that season. In the spring of his senior year he was named to the Shriners All Star Team and was also presented with the National Football Foundation Eastern Massachusetts Chapter Scholar Athlete Award. Tim also excelled at the Discus in track & field, breaking a 27 year old record (which was broken by his good friend Kirk Lincoln later that same day!)and was named to the 1991 Atlantic Coast League All-Star team. Tim went on to play football at Boston College where he won numerous awards, including the 1995 BC Coaches Award for Character and Performance. In 1995 he played in the Blue Grey All Star Game and was named to the Eastern College Athletic All Star Team. He also earned the 1995 Honda National Scholar Athlete Award, the Gridiron Club of Boston Scholar Athlete Award as well as the National Association of Athletic Directors Scholar Athlete Award. Just like at Whitman-Hanson, Tim brought a winning culture to his teams, leading the Eagles to three bowl games (two wins) during his time at The Heights. Tim and his wife of 25 years Meghan have four kids: Michael, Sean, Molly and Nora. Tim has been coaching youth basketball for the last 15 years at various levels. His three oldest are currently in college, at UNH, UMass, and University of Colorado. He has worked in the banking industry for 25 years in Boston. His Mother still lives in his childhood home on Gorwin Drive in Hanson which brings him back to Panther Country frequently.
Teams –
2001 Football: Patriot League Champions, Super Bowl Champions
Captains Ryan Armstrong and Ryan Griffith
Beat undefeated Gloucester, 49-35 in opening round tournament game
Won the Division 3 Super Bowl at Boston University by defeating Norwood, 15-14 on Tim Pimental’s last second kick. The win snapped Norwood’s state best 27 game winning streak.
Finished with a 10-1 record
Won 17th straight Thanksgiving Day game over Abington
Dedicated the season to their late Assistant Coach Rick Rodman
Head Coach Bob Bancroft
2011 Girls Cross Country: Undefeated Patriot League Champions, Eastern Massachusetts State Champions and State Champions.
- 8-0 undefeated Patriot league Champions
- 1st at the Patriot League Meet
- 1st at the Bay State Invitational
- 2nd at the Brown Invitational
- Eastern Mass Champions
- First ever State Champions
- 7 Patriot League All Stars (Gianna Cacciatore, Abby Baker, Rachel Baker, Jenny Dimascio-Donohue, Kelsey Tierney, Caroline Mulrey, & Casey Egan).
- 6 Brockton Enterprise All Scholastics (Gianna Cacciatore, Abby Baker, Rachel Baker, Jenny Dimascio-Donohue, Kelsey Tierney, & Caroline Mulrey).
- Team Captains: Casey Egan, Emily Newman, Shanel Roy
- Team MVP: Abby Baker
- Head Coach Keith Erwin
2019 Inductees
Student Athletes-
Dennis Lozzi, Class of 1970
Mike Frisoli, Class of 1989
Robert Clifford, Class of 1991
Shayna (Ross) Micol, Class of 1996
Sean Conover, Class of 2002
Noel James, Class of 2009
Samantha Mewis, Class of 2011
Coaches-
Bob Bancroft, Football/Athletic Director
James Daley, Girls Basketball/Athletic Director
Kevin Black, Cross Country, Indoor and Spring Track and Field
Contributor- Susan Moss, Student-Athlete, Teacher, Coach, Athletic Department
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