Lineup of Honorees Set for 83rd Gold Key Dinner in October

Connecticut Sports Media Alliance
2 days ago
2 min read

A total of 21 sportsmen and sportswomen, ranging in age from 18 to 95, will be honored for their contributions to the state's sporting landscape at the prestigious 83rd Gold Key Dinner, presented by the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance (CSMA).

This year's extravaganza is slated for Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. at the Aqua Turf Club in the Plantsville section of Southington. Tickets are $80, and may be reserved by contacting CSMA President Tim Jensen of Patch Media at 860-394-5091, or tim.jensen@patch.com.

Dating back to 1940, when the original class of honorees included baseball icon Connie Mack and golfing legend Bobby Jones, the Gold Key Award remains one of the highest athletic honors in Connecticut. Among the variety of notable standouts who have received the award are Willie Pep, Gordie Howe, Geno Auriemma, Joan Joyce, Dwight Freeney, Bill Rodgers, Kristine Lilly, Joe Cronin, Lindy Remigino and George H. W. Bush.

Gold Key recipients for 2025 are:

Rachele Fico, star softball pitcher at Masuk High School in Monroe and Louisiana State University
Nick Giaquinto, Stratford and UConn football standout and 1983 Super Bowl champion
James Jones, longtime Yale University men's basketball coach
Dave Wallace, Waterbury native and 2004 World Series champion pitching coach with Boston Red Sox
Kara Wolters, one of just 12 women to win NCAA and WNBA women's basketball championships and an Olympic gold medal.

Other honorees will be:

President's Award: Peter King, Enfield High School graduate who was lead NFL writer for Sports Illustrated for nearly 30 years
Doc McInerney High School Coaches of the Year: Anne Burrows, Bloomfield girls track and field; John Reiser, Manchester boys basketball
Hank O'Donnell Female Athlete of the Year: Brooke Strauss, Glastonbury High School cross country/track and field, indoor mile national champion, UConn commit
Bill Lee Male Athlete of the Year: Magnus Manley, Ridgefield High School cross country/track and field, high school All-American, Yale commit
Hal Levy High School Achievement Award: Fred Williams, Northwestern Regional High School girls basketball coach with state record 745 wins
Bob Barton Excellence In Media Award: Wayne Norman, WILI sportscaster for more than half a century
Bob Casey Courage Award: Matt Buckler, longtime sports journalist and auto racing announcer
John Wentworth Good Sports: Rick Evangelisti and Bill Neller (Litchfield Hills Road Race); Ray DaCosta (CT Northstars youth basketball founder), Skip Falcone (West Haven Twilight Baseball League), Alex Palluzzi (Branford Parks and Recreation, Hall of Fame) and Bruce Wilhelm (Enfield and regional youth soccer administrator)
Bo Kolinsky Special Recognition Award: Dolores Sawchuk, Colchester, champion of Bacon Academy athletics for nearly 80 years
Bo Kolinsky Memorial Sports Media Scholarship: Kyle Clark, Rockville High School