After being introduced to the sport of basketball in the 7th grade, Jackie DiNardo’s athletic career blossomed. As a center on her high school team at Azle High School in Azle, Texas, Jackie earned All-League, All-State and All-District Honors. In her senior year, she was named as the Most Valuable High School Player in her region and she went on to play basketball at McLennan Community College for two years. At McLennan, Jackie helped her team earn a League Championship and she earned All-American honors. She went on play basketball at the University of Texas from 1978-1981 and had a stellar collegiate career. She was again named All-American, and she was named as the team’s Most Valuable Player. In 1979, Jackie was chosen to represent the United States in the Pan American Olympic Basketball games. Her team, under the leadership of legendary coach Pat Summitt, brought home the Gold and Silver medals.

After graduating from the University of Texas, Jackie headed to Baylor University, serving as the Head Volleyball and Assistant Basketball Coach for a year. From there she moved to Danbury, CT, where she coached volleyball and basketball at North Salem High School, North Salem, NY, for three years before she landed a job at Danbury High School in Connecticut. As a Physical Educator and Health teacher, Jackie was able to continue her passion for coaching in Danbury, serving as the Girls’ Varsity Basketball Coach and the Varsity Volleyball Coach for several years. In her coaching tenure for both sports combined, Jackie gathered 481 wins, 25 League Championships, and she brought her teams through several state tournament bids and tournament finals games. In 1999, Jackie took over as the Director of the Wescon Fillies Girls’ Basketball Amateur Athletic Organization and she still oversees the program for the 12 teams and coaches.

While at Danbury, Jackie pursued advanced degrees from Western State University and Sacred Heart University. She has since worked as a school counselor and administrator at Danbury High School. Her current position at Danbury is as the Reach/Endeavor Administrator for the school. In her tenure at Danbury, Jackie has been a part of many activities, from class advisor to organizing and founding the Danbury Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

Jackie has received many honors for her hard work over the years. She was named FCIAC coach of the year, went 25-0 which is a new school record for both boys and girls before being defeated in State Tournament, won 400 games in basketball, and won the FCAIC tournament (2011-2012) She was been named Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year (2001-02) and Girls Basketball Coach of the Year (2002-03) and was also awarded as the “Connecticut Teacher of the Year” by the Connecticut Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) in 1994. She was recognized as the Union Carbide Teacher of the Year in Danbury in 1988 and was recently named the Connecticut AAU Coach of the Year in 2010-2011. She was honored with the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Appreciation Award and she has received Coaches’ Awards from both the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference. Finally, Jackie was inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Fame in 2005, an honor of which she is most proud.

As a three-sport athlete at Dedham High School in Massachusetts, Linda Dirga was destined for success. After excelling in field hockey, basketball and tennis at the high school level, Linda went on to play field hockey and basketball at the University of Bridgeport’s Arnold College in Connecticut. While there, she played field hockey for Angela “Chickie” Poisson, led her field hockey team as captain, and earned the Constance B. Applebee Camp Scholarship.

In her first job at Bethel High, Linda started the school’s first field hockey team and also coached the girls’ basketball team. After two years she left to start a family, raising three children, Stacey, Jennifer and Rick. During that time, she became an official, umpiring both high school and college field hockey and basketball games up through the tournament level.

Linda’s basketball officiating career took off in the 1970’s and she was a member of the Bridgeport Connecticut Officials Board and the Southwest Connecticut Officials board through the mid-80s. She earned a national rating in the 1970s through the 1980s. Although she officiated throughout the state, she was predominately involved with the FCIAC and WCC conferences. Linda also served as a collegiate official, working games at Fairfield University, WCSU, Trinity College, Connecticut College and others. She was an official for many Conference Championship games and two state championships in the 1970s. One of the highpoints of her officiating career was when the Class L State Finals were showcased for the first time in the new Moore Field House at SCSU, and she was asked to referee. Those state finals games marked great development in the recognition of high school women’s basketball and Linda was thrilled to be a part of such a momentous occasion.

In 1984, Linda returned to teaching and coaching at Pomperaug High School in Southbury, CT. During an incredibly successful 26 year career as field hockey coach, Linda’s Pomperaug teams amassed a record of 437-44-22. Every one of her teams qualified for the state tournament-- winning 8 State Championships and Runners-Up 8 times.

Linda’s field hockey successes have brought innumerable honors. She has been inducted into many Halls of Fame, received seven coach of the year honors, and twice been named National Coach of the Year. Linda received the prestigious Pathfinder Award and was recognized as the Hartford Courant’s Best of the Century Great Coaches in 2000.

Linda has provided many years of professional service at the local, state and national level. She has served as a field hockey and basketball official for over 40 years and she continues to give back to the sports she loves, even though she has officially retired from her work as a coach. Linda intends to always be involved in the promotion of women’s sports and the games she loves so much. Presently she enjoys being with her seven grandchildren (Abby, Ryan, Emily, Katie, Liv, Ian and Colin) as they grow and become involved in sports. It is especially rewarding for Linda to see her four granddaughters learning and loving the sports of field hockey and basketball.

As one of six girls growing up in Trumbull, Beryl Piper often entertained herself by playing neighborhood basketball. Her older sister Bonnie was the only other family member who played the sport, but she was playing when games for girls were 6 v. 6 and she wasn’t allowed to shoot the ball. Beryl was lucky to participate in the more modern version of the game as she grew older, and she did everything she could to develop her skills, even if it meant waiting desperately on the sidelines of a guy’s pick-up game at an open gym night.

By the time Beryl graduated from Trumbull High School in 1982, she had made her mark in the varsity field hockey, basketball and softball programs. After graduation, she headed to Central Connecticut State University to play for legendary coach Brenda Reilly. At CCSU, Beryl continued her successful athletic career, serving as a captain of the women’s basketball team. In her senior year, she helped lead the Blue Devils to a 24-4 record and her team reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. That team set the record for most wins and best winning percentage in school history. Beryl received the Gail Rutz Award as CCSU’s Outstanding Senior Female Athlete and she also received the Rebecca McCord Award for Athletic and Academic Excellence.

In 1986, Beryl joined the ranks of professional basketball players and she helped lead her team, Team Blarney, to a national championship in Ireland. Piper returned to CCSU after playing in Ireland and graduated with her B.S. in Physical Education and Athletic Coaching. She later earned a Masters Degree in Health Education from Southern Connecticut State University.

Beryl Piper began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford, CT in 1987. In 1989, Beryl began coaching in the AAU program. For ten years she worked with the U16 players, leading them to a final 16 finish in 1994 and 1996 and a 7th place finish in the country in 1995. Piper took over as head coach of girls’ basketball at New Britain High School in 1988.

As head coach at NBHS, Piper had four regular undefeated seasons (‘98, ‘01, ‘03, ‘06), won two CCC North Championships (2006 & 07), and 7 CCC South Championships (1998-2004). She brought home three Class LL State Championship trophies (1998, 2006, 2007). In her nineteen year tenure, Coach Piper tallied 293 wins and 147 losses, building the program from an initial 0-20 season to a state powerhouse. She was named Coach of the Year by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association in 2007 and also presented with the 2007 Merit Award by the CIAC Girls Basketball Committee. In addition, she was named the 2007 Connecticut Sports Writer’s Alliance Doc McInerney Coach of the Year in a female sport.

In 2008, Beryl returned to her alma mater as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Central Connecticut State University. In her past three years as head coach, Beryl has guided the Blue Devils to consecutive Northeast Conference Tournament semifinals in 2009 and 2010. Over the last two seasons Central has recorded 30 wins, including 20 conference victories. The 30 wins over two years were the most for a Blue Devil squad since the 1988-1990 seasons. In her second season, CCSU finished with the best turnaround record in the nation, improving from 4 wins in 2008 to 18 in 2009. That season also marked the first time in the school’s NCAA Division I history that the team qualified for post conference tournament playoff action when they were selected to play in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

Beryl Piper’s athletic talent and coaching prowess have earned her many honors and she is set to earn many more as her career only continues to blossom. In addition to her many coaching honors, Beryl has also been inducted into the Trumbull High School, Central Connecticut State University, and the New Britain Halls of Fame.

As a young girl growing up in the 1950’s, Elaine Biercevicz was baffled by the fact that she and her friends weren’t allowed to play sports like the boys. Her interest in basketball blossomed in her physical education classes, yet in her freshman and sophomore years of high school, Elaine was only allowed to participate in basketball playdays when the boys’ basketball teams were away. In her junior year, she and her teammates recruited a rookie English teacher, Bernice Nicolari, to coach a basketball team for the girls. This proved to be one of the most important experiences of Elaine’s life, since her participation on her high school basketball team opened the door for other athletic experiences. Elaine’s life has revolved around athletics ever since her ambitious days at Shelton High School.

Playing at forward on Shelton High School’s first ever girls’ basketball team in 1962-3, Elaine tallied 371 points in her two year career. For both her junior and senior years, Elaine served as a team captain and was the Most Valuable Player and High Scorer of the team. She went on to attend Southern Connecticut State University on four-year academic scholarships, and graduated in 1968 with a BS in Physical Education. She earned a full graduate fellowship to Springfield College and earned her Masters in Education in 1970. While she was pursuing her education, she was an active member of the Raybestos Brakettes Fast Pitch Softball Team from 1966-1970. They were National Champions and won a Pan American Games Gold Medal for Softball as an Exhibition Event for the first time.

Elaine’s teaching and coaching career began at Seymour High School in 1970, where she initiated the girls’ basketball, softball, and swimming programs. From there she went to Sacred Heart Academy, serving as a teacher, basketball coach and Athletic Director from 1979-1990. In 1978, she initiated the Girls’ Softball program at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven and served as Head Coach for three years. Elaine found her sweet spot when she joined the staff at Lyman Hall High School, where she has worked for 15 years as a Physical Education teacher and Athletic Director. Although she recently retired from her 27 year Athletic Director career, she is still teaching full-time, with an impressive set of skills, including State of Connecticut Teaching certifications in Health, History, Social Studies, Biology, General Science, and Administration.

Elaine has coached in many different programs for basketball, softball, tennis and swimming. She is a USPTR Certified Tennis Instructor and has received Service Awards from The American Red Cross for her work as a Water Safety Instructor. She has been a softball clinician at various camps and has supervised high school summer basketball leagues in the New Haven area. In 1993-4, she coached with the Express Softball 12 and Under Fastpitch Team--the American Softball Association Junior Olympic State and Northeast Regional 12 and Under Champions and the American Fastpitch Association State Champions.

Aside from her talent as a coach and teacher, Elaine has participated in many professional organizations and served on several state committees throughout her career. She has been an active member of various Education Associations, the Connecticut Association of Athletic Administrators and the Connecticut High School Coaches Association. She served as Chairperson of the Athletic Directors of the Southern Connecticut Conference and as Chairperson of the Softball Committee for the same conference. She worked as Chairperson of the Girls’ Basketball Committee, Chairperson of the Girls’ Softball Tournament, and member of the Scheduling Committee for the All Connecticut Conference from 1985-1990. She Co-Founded and Chaired the Hamden Women’s Sports Federation with Linda Wooster in 1994.

Elaine has served in many different positions for the New Haven Tap-Off Club since 1979. She received the Leadership Award from the Club in 2003 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2005. Elaine was also inducted into the Connecticut American Softball Association Hall of Fame Induction in 2006.

Elaine has committed her life to the growth of women’s athletics, and she has enjoyed watching several of her family members excel in athletics as well, including her brothers, sisters, daughter, son, and nieces. As a physical education teacher and mentor, she continues to make a difference in the lives of young men and women every day.

As a young girl, Heather Liberman was introduced to basketball through her father, who coached her recreation team. By the time she entered Amity High School in Woodbridge, she was clearly one of the most talented players on the court and she helped lead her team to many great winning moments.

Heather set a school record of 723 rebounds in her two years as a varsity center for the Spartans. Heather was a dominating force in the Housatonic League and was truly unstoppable for most of her senior season. She tallied 862 career points on the varsity squad and in her senior year, she averaged 22 points and 17 rebounds a game. She set a school record with a Single Game High of 40 points and 29 rebounds versus Cheshire High School. In the Class LL State Championship, she scored the basket that sent the game into overtime and ended the game with 24 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocked shots, and a state title. She was named MVP for the tournament. She was named to the All-Housatonic League, All-New Haven County Tap-Off Club, and the Class LL All-State Team in 1980. She participated and was one of the captains of the Connecticut Junior Olympic Team in New Orleans that year as well. By the time she graduated, she had earned a full scholarship to Duke University -- the first time such an offer had been made to a female athlete.

Heather was also a standout volleyball player at Amity High School and she helped lead her team to a 16-0 record her senior year. Her volleyball teams also won the Housatonic League titles in 1978 and 1979 and she was named to the All-Housatonic League for volleyball in 1979.

Heather attributes much of her success during her senior year to her coach, Ken Liberman, who later became her husband. They shared an appreciation for basketball as a true team sport involving athletic prowess, strategy, speed and endurance. Heather met some of her oldest and dearest friends while playing basketball.

After a year at Duke University, Heather transferred to George Washington University where her career was cut short due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. She co-founded the Trumbull Recreation Girls’ Basketball League and the Trumbull Travel Basketball program and she has enjoyed staying involved in the game as much as possible. Heather was inducted into the Tap-Off Club Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Amity Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. She is thrilled to be a new member of the Connecticut Basketball Hall of Fame.

Heather’s children have had successful athletic careers as well. Her daughter Sarah is currently coaching her own freshman girls’ basketball team at Guilford High School. Her son Kyle played for Trumbull High School.

Heather now works for Yale University as a Communications Coordinator at Yale Health. Aside from her job at Yale, Heather runs her own business as a photographer, called Heather Liberman Photography.

A naturally competitive person, Kim Belliveau learned how to play basketball in her own backyard. Her basketball skills were developed with her dad’s support and coaching, and refined with the help of Putnam High School coach Pam Childs. Kim went on to a very successful basketball career at William Penn University where she played for Coach Bob Spencer.

As a young athlete at Putnam High School, Kim played softball and basketball and ran cross country for all four years. Although she excelled in all three sports, basketball was clearly her forte and she earned All-State and QVC All-Conference honors for two years as a point guard.

After graduating with honors from Putnam High School in 1977, Kim headed to William Penn University in Iowa where she continued to make her mark in women’s athletics. She played tennis and softball at William Penn for three years and started as a point guard for the Lady Statesmen for all four years. As a senior, Kim helped lead her team to the AIAW Division II National Championship in 1981. Kim ended her career with many records. She was first in career assists with 734 and 2nd in single-season assists with 230. She was also 2nd in career steals with 486 and 2nd in single-season steals with 180. Kim is currently ranked 16th in career scoring with 1,264 points, and 7th in career free throws with 258 made. She holds the school record for games played (152) and she helped her team win state and regional titles in 1977-78 and 1979-80. Her team also placed third in the National Tournament in the 1979-80 season.

Shortly after graduating from William Penn University with honors, Kim earned her Masters Degree in Sport Management from the University of Connecticut (1985). After completing her degree, she remained at UConn for the next two years as an assistant coach for the Huskies basketball program. From there, Kim worked as an assistant basketball coach for Fresno State University (1987-1989) and then San Jose State University (1989-1991), before landing a job as Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Cabrillo College in California. She remained in this position until 2000, when she took a sabbatical to pursue professional development interests.

Kim is currently a Kinesiology Instructor at Cabrillo College and she has worked as an instructor for the college for over 20 years. She has taught a variety of classes, is an avid golfer and supporter of women’s athletics. Many of the life skills Kim has learned from her experiences as a player and coach have contributed to her success as an educator.

After watching her sister Dionna excel in basketball at Masuk High School in Monroe, CT in the early 90s, Gail Strumpf knew she wanted to follow in her footsteps. Little did she know that basketball would bring so much to her life.

At Masuk, Gail was a standout basketball and softball player, earning all-state honors for both sports during her senior year. In basketball, Gail helped lead her team to a four-year record of 99 wins and 3 losses, earning League Championships during all four years. In her sophomore year, Masuk was undefeated (26-0), ranked #1 in Connecticut and New England, and took home the State Championship (1995). In her senior year, Gail’s team was ranked #2 in Connecticut and ended the season with the State Runners-Up title (1997). Gail was honored as a Street and Smith Honorable Mention All American in 1997. She set school records with 402 blocks and 1063 rebounds, and she is #6 on the all-time scoring record list with 1218 career points.

Gail went on to Fairfield University and her basketball skills impressed everyone from her first moments on the court. She started and played in every game of her career at Fairfield and earned many individual honors. Gail was named to the MAAC All-Tournament team in 1998, 2000 and 2001, the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 1998, the MAAC Rookie of the Year in 1998 and was an All-MAAC First Team and MBWA All-MET selection in 1999, 2000, and 2001. She was named MAAC Player of the Year in 2000.

Gail became the Stags all-time leading scorer during their magical run to an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament during her senior season. She ended her career at Fairfield as one of only four players in Fairfield program history to graduate with over 1000 points and 1000 career rebounds. She still holds the record for Total Career Points with 1,873, and she is also first in Free Throws Made with 455. She is 2nd in school history for rebounds (1,106), field goals made (709), and she is 3rd in blocked shots (244). She also posted career marks of 184 assists and 149 steals. After graduating with a degree in Communications in 2001, Gail continued her basketball career by playing abroad in Germany for the TSV Nordlingen. In 2004, she also played for the NWBL Birmingham Power.

After such a stellar basketball career, it is no surprise that Gail was inducted into the Fairfield University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. She was recently recognized and enshrined in the MAAC Experience, the league’s exhibit at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Gail is currently Director of Government Sales for the Barker Specialty Company in Cheshire and she has also been the Head Varsity Basketball Coach at Woodland High School, Beacon Falls, CT since 2006.