[Updated] Students from West Hartford’s Conard High School who plan to continue their athletic careers at the college level participated in a recognition ceremony Wednesday.

Conard students who plan to continue their sports in college at a recognition ceremony on Wednesday. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

A ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon at West Hartford’s Conard High School to recognize the seniors who plan to continue participating in sports at the collegiate level.

This year there are 24 Conard students who plan to become student-athletes in college, attending Division I, II, and III schools, Athletic Director Jason Siegal said – up from 11 last year.

“It’s a tremendous accomplishment and we could not be more proud of you. We know how much time, energy, and effort goes into getting here,” Siegal said. He also urged the students to give their parents a round of applause to thank them for the sacrifices they made to support their children in their athletics – time, money, and lots of dirty laundry to wash.

Nineteen of the students attended the initial part of the ceremony, although two baseball players had to leave for an away game before the formal photo was taken. Principal Julio Duarte and a large contingent of family, and friends were also in attendance. Coaches Steve Blanchfield, Steve Chase, Adam Linker, Meg Cersosimo, Lee Kumpa, Jared Leghorn, Brett Franklin, and Matt Cersosimo also attended and speaking to the audience about their specific team members, and wishing all of the students good luck for the future.

Students attending the ceremony, pictured above were (back row, from left):

• Aidan O’Brien, soccer, Central Connecticut State University
• Luke Carroll, golf, Bryant University
• Christopher Chukwura, football, Amherst College
• Delaney Connors, basketball, Mount. St. Marys University
• Gillian Haverty, lacrosse, UConn
• Abby Capone, crew, UConn
• Ben Hollerbach, lacrosse, Clark University

Front row, from left:

• Luke Serdechny, lacrosse, Western New England University
• Rachel Chozick, basketball, Lesley University
• Vincent Conelli, soccer, Emmanuel College
• Tim Simplicio, football, Bates College
• Casey Shane, basketball, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Max  Schweitzer, tennis, Clark University
• Nora Policelli, field hockey, Wesleyan University
• Libby McMahon, track and field, Yale University
• Jesus Luna, soccer, Western Connecticut State University
• John Kirklin, football, Dickinson College

Nick Gaglioti (third from right in photo of students seated in row) will play baseball at Assumption College and Colby Jones (second from right in photo of students seated in row) will play baseball at Central Connecticut State University. Both had to leave before the formal photo was taken.

Missing from the photo was Alex Chernysh who will swim at UConn and was among the Conard students recognized in November when they signed National Letters of Intent. Also missing from the photo were Tanner Bruttomesso who will play club ice hockey at the University of Louisville, Jessica Frigon who will swim at Union College, and Ryan Orlowski who will play football at Worcester State University.

An earlier version of this story did not list Matt Flanagan. Athletic Director Jason Siegal confirmed Thursday morning that Flanagan will play soccer at Central Connecticut State University.

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