Anthony Alfaro, who coached Catholic Youth Organization basketball at American Martyrs, Bayside, for nearly 20 years, spent the past season as the head women’s hoops coach at Five Towns College, Dix Hills, L.I. He previously coached at Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, and Cristo Rey Brooklyn H.S., Flatbush, in addition to other coaching stops.
St. John’s University, Jamaica, men’s basketball freshman guard Julian Champagnie was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team. The Bishop Loughlin H.S., Fort Greene, graduate averaged 10.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in his first collegiate season.
Cathedral Prep and Seminary, Elmhurst, held a special banner presentation in the school’s gymnasium to honor this year’s CHSAA league and city championship-winning varsity bowling team. This year’s team was made up of juniors Joseph Ambrosino and Anthony Mastroianni and seniors Anthony Ciappetta and Matthew Sacktig – all of whom received commemorative T-shirts to recognize their accomplishments. Mastroianni was named league MVP, and he and Sacktig qualified for the state championship.
Phil LaSpisa, a 1976 graduate of St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, was honored at the seventh annual New York City Soccer Gala at the New York Athletic Club. LaSpisa had a decorated career as a midfielder on the Terriers men’s soccer team. He was named an All-American in 1974 – the same year he helped lead the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
Kelly O’Donnell, a junior guard on the St. Joseph’s College Brooklyn, Clinton Hill, women’s basketball team was named to the D3hoops.com All-Atlantic Region First Team. A graduate of St. Edmund Prep H.S., Sheepshead Bay, O’Donnell is the only student-athlete in program history to receive first-team honors after landing on the second team last season. She averaged 21.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season.