BROCKTON, Mass. ---- The Massasoit Athletics Department announced its 2019 Hall of Fame Class, featuring former head men's soccer coach Nick Palantzas, the 1990 Softball Team and past student-athletes Mario Correia (men's basketball), Alison Hardiman (women's basketball), Kim Kelsey (women's basketball), Nick Lee (baseball), Dave Reinhart (baseball) and Paulo Teixeira (men's soccer).
The Massasoit Athletics Hall of Fame event will be held on Friday, May 17th at Joe Angelo's Café in Brockton, Mass. The event will start at 6 PM with a cocktail hour and dinner preceding the awards ceremony. Those interested in attending the event can contact the Athletics Department at 508-588-9100 x1437 or email Julie Mulvey (jmulvey@massasoit.mass.edu) or Ben Warnick (bwarnick@massasoit.mass.edu).
Nick Palantzas, Men's Soccer Head Coach (1981-93; 1995-96; 2000-05)
The all-time winningest soccer coach in school history, Nick Palantzas put the Massasoit men's soccer program on the map during a coaching career that spanned 21 years with the Warriors. Palantzas changed the landscape of soccer in New England, leading Massasoit to back-to-back NJCAA National Championships in 1986 and 1987, the first two national titles in school history.
Palantzas guided the Warriors to 13 Region 21 Championships and made a total of 11 appearances in the NJCAA National Tournament. He amassed an overall coaching record of 334-87-24, good for a 79.3 winning percentage and his 334 career victories rank 13th all-time in NJCAA men's soccer history.
Palantzas was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 1995 and retired from Massasoit in the spring of 2018 after working at the college for 37 years in a number of capacities, most recently as Senior Vice President.
1990 Softball Team
The 1990 Massasoit softball team made history as part of the 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame Class. Not only did the 1990 team win the softball program's first-ever Region 21 title, but becomes the first-ever women's team inducted into the Massasoit Athletics Hall of Fame.
Under skipper Rolly Blanchette, the Warriors won a then school record 24 games, a nine-win improvement from the previous season. Massasoit, which advanced to the Region 21 Finals through the loser's bracket, faced the daunting task of having to win twice against Manchester Community College. The Warriors rose to the occasion and did just that, earning 2-1 and 1-0 victories to capture their first Region 21 crown, behind the outstanding pitching of Karen Zanca and clutch hitting by Karyn Lane.
Massasoit went on to post a 1-2 record in its first-ever NJCAA National Tournament appearance, finishing the year with a record of 24-6 overall. Five members of the 1990 team earned all-region accolades: Lori Conway (1st), Lorraine Rooney (1st), Karen Zanca (1st), Kerri Coffin (2nd) and Colleen Needle (2nd).
The 1990 Softball Team members included: Kerry Coffin, Kim O'Brien, Christine Gurskis, Erin Henry, Katie Ullman, Karyn Lane, Brooke O'Meara, Laurie Dauphinais, Collen Needle, Colleen Mahoney, Donna Brand, Lori Conway, Lorraine Rooney, Karen Zanca, Assistant Coach Lisa Orlando and Head Coach Rolly Blanchette.
Mario Correia, Men's Basketball (2001-02)
In his one year at Massasoit, guard Mario Correia was a standout on the hardwood for the Warriors. The Cape Verde native nearly averaged a triple-double at Massasoit, recording 19.8 points, 10.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per contest. For his efforts, Correia was named an All-Region 21 First Team selection.
After an impressive freshman campaign, Correia earned a scholarship to then Division II Bryant University where he led the Bulldogs to pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including the National Finals his senior season.
Following his outstanding career at Bryant, Correia played professionally on the international stage until 2014. He also played and served as team captain on Cape Verde's National Basketball team. Following his playing career, Correia was named the President of the Cape Verde Basketball Federation (FCBB) in 2017.
Alison Hardiman, Women's Basketball (2010-12)
The career points leader in Massasoit basketball history, Alison Hardiman could fill up the box score during her two years with the Warriors. Hardiman finished the top scorer in Massasoit basketball history, men's or women's, with 1,146 points during her illustrious career donning the Green and White, which still stands today. She netted a school record 667 points during her freshman campaign and led the NJCAA in scoring, averaging 25.6 per contest that season.
A two-time All-Region 21 Second Team selection, Hardiman averaged 23.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists, while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 73.8 percent from the free throw line. Hardiman went on to earn a scholarship to play at Northwood University an NAIA program in Florida.
Kim Kelsey, Women's Basketball (1995-1997)
One of the top players in school history, Kim Kelsey was the spark in a strong Massasoit women's basketball squad in the mid-90s. Ranking third all-time in scoring, totaling 953 points in her two seasons in Brockton, Kelsey was named the program's first-ever NJCAA All-American during the 1995-96 season.
Under her scoring prowess, Massasoit posted a 37-6 record, including a 20-2 mark during her sophomore season in 1996-97. The 20-2 season marks the highest single season winning percentage (90.9) in program lore. That season, Massasoit ran off a 17-game win streak as Kelsey averaged 25.3 points per game. Kelsey was a two-time All-Region 21 First Team selection and twice led the Warriors to the Region 21 Championship game.
Nick Lee, Baseball (1997 & 1998)
A hard-throwing right-hander, Nick Lee was a draft-and-follow out of Brockton High School in 1996 by the Chicago Cubs in the 33rd round. Lee went on to be a two-year standout on the mound at Massasoit, earning NJCAA First Team All-American honors in 1998 for the Warrior baseball team. During his two-years on the mound for head coach Tom Frizzell, Lee was an ace in every sense of the work, compiling a 13-3 record and striking out 105 batters in 115.2 total innings.
He was twice named to the Region 21 All-Tournament Team in 1997 and 1998 and earned first team all-region honors during his sophomore season. During his sophomore campaign, Lee went a perfect 9-0 as part of a Massasoit team that went an impressive 37-7 on the season. During his two years at Massasoit, the Warriors compiled a 62-20 record and won both Region 21 and CSAC Championships each season. Lee went on to earn a scholarship to pitch at Florida Southern College.
Dave Reinhart, Baseball (1995 & 1996)
An NJCAA First Team All-American outfielder, Dave Reinhart was an outstanding all-around player for the Massasoit baseball team in 1995 and 1996. During his two years in Brockton, the Warriors went a combined 73-16 as he was twice named to both the All-New England and CSAC All-Star First Teams.
Reinhart finished with 110 career hits, 44 for extra bases, along with 80 RBI and 24 stolen bases. He posted a .390 career batting average and accumulated impressive OPS (on-base + slugging percentages) totals over 1.100 each season.
During Reinhart's freshman season, the Warriors captured the Region 21 Championship and advanced to the NJCAA National Tournament for just the second time in school history, finishing fourth overall.
Following his two years at Massasoit, Reinhart went on to play two seasons at Suffolk University.
Paulo Teixeira, Men's Soccer (2005 & 2008)
An impressive midfielder, Paulo Teixeira led the Massasoit men's soccer team to a pair of Region 21 titles during his stay in Brockton. A two-time Region 21 First Team selection, Teixeira averaged over a goal per game, finishing his two years with 27 goals in 25 games played. The Brockton native added 16 assists to total 74 points for the Warriors.
His sophomore season, Teixeira produced a breakout campaign, netting 21 goals on the way to 53 points assisting in not only gaining NJCAA All-American Second Team honors, but earning a scholarship to NCAA Division II Midwestern State in Texas. There he led the Mustangs to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including the Final Four as a senior. That season he earned all-region accolades.