The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame & Youth Foundation announced its 2025 class of inductees, naming seven prominent sports figures into its three wings.
STAMFORD, CT, UNITED STATES, January 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame & Youth Foundation announced its 2025 class of inductees, naming seven prominent sports figures into its three wings. With these seven new honorees, the Hall of Fame has now recognized 133 county sports legends in its 20 years of existence.
“We are welcoming another great class of Hall of Famers as we continue to recognize our best of the best,” said Tom Chiappetta, FCSHOFYF Executive Director.
Inductees were selected for one of three wings:
The Jackie Robinson Professional Wing: Zach Allen & Gary Vitti
The James O’Rourke Amateur Wing: Joe McGuigan & Ann Odoy
The J. Walter Kennedy Community Service Wing: Christy Hayes, Barry McLeod, & the late Mary Jane Hagan.
The Honorees
Zach Allen
Allen is currently in his seventh season in the NFL as a defensive lineman after being drafted in 2019 in the 3rd round by the Arizona Cardinals, where he played for three years. Now playing for the Denver Broncos, Allen was named a 2025 All-Pro First-Team selection as an interior defensive lineman and a 2nd-team All-Pro in 2024.
Gary Vitti
Vitti served as Head Athletic Trainer for the LA Lakers from 1984 to 2016. Named NBA trainer of the year in 1991, Vitti was with the Lakers as they won eight NBA championships under 13 different head coaches. He is recognized for his care of NBA greats like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and the late Kobe Bryant.
Joe McGuigan
Recognized as one of the greatest soccer players/scorers in Sacred Heart University’s history during his time from 1968 to 1972, McGuigan earned the first soccer scholarship in school history and was SHU’s first-ever All-American. He holds the school record for career goals (80) and assists (56), and made five appearances playing for the US Pan American team in 1972.
Ann Odoy
Odoy is one of Masuk High’s greatest all-around athletes, having played four sports and earned 12 varsity letters. She was a three-time all-state honoree in basketball & field hockey, while also juggling softball and tennis. An all-time great basketball star at Boston College, she was an All-American her senior year, is a member of Boston College’s Hall of Fame, and was elected to Connecticut’s Women’s basketball Hall of Fame.
Mary Jane Hagan
Hagan was the first president of the Women’s Fairfield County Athletic Conference. She coached sports for nine years at Stamford High, including basketball, softball, and field hockey. She was also a longtime coach for the Special Olympics, a member of the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Connecticut ASA Fast Pitch Hall of Fame for her career with the Brakettes.
Christy Hayes
Hayes was a three-sport coach at St. Joseph’s High in Trumbull. As the head football coach for 15 years, he posted a record of 105-46 with five state titles. He also won 150 games as the school’s girls basketball coach and 100 more as head baseball coach. Hayes has a total of 365 victories and six state titles, served two years as AD at St. Joseph and 11 years at Wilton High (2002-2013). He’s a member of the FCIAC and CHSCA Hall of Fames.
Barry McLeod
McLeod served as Bridgeport Central High’s head basketball coach for 26 years. During his time, the team won 374 games, 11 Western Divisions, three FCIAC titles in five championship games, and three Class LL state crowns. In 2014, the team won both FCIAC and state championships, earning McLeod one of his two CT Coach of the Year awards and in 2017, he was named to the FCIAC HOF.
For more information on the new inductees of the Hall of Fame, please contact annakate.womack@otterpr.com.
About Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame
The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame & Youth Foundation (FCSHOFYF), led by Executive Director Tom Chiappetta, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting youth fitness, healthy lifestyles, and personal development through sports. FCSHOFYF’s flagship initiative, the Chelsea Cohen Fitness Academy, based at The Carver in Norwalk, connects youth with top trainers, coaches, and health professionals to expand year-round fitness opportunities and combat childhood obesity. The Hall of Fame is housed at Chelsea Piers CT in Stamford.
Anna Kate Womack
Otter PR
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