Printer Friendly Version - 58th Annual National Football Foundation Dinner on Friday, April 6

Guilford resident Tom Beckett will retire as the Athletic Director at Yale this June. On Friday, April 6, Beckett will be presented with the Distinguished American Award at the 58th annual Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete awards dinner. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

The 58th annual Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete awards dinner will be held on Friday, April 6 at Fantasia on 404 Washington Ave. in North Haven. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the march to the head table at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $50 by sending a check payable to ‘National Football Foundation’ to Donna Limone at 10 Ludlow Court, Branford CT, 06405, or by calling Limone at 203-481-8375.

Twenty-nine high school and prep school athletes who play football will be honored for academic excellence, leadership, and citizenship at the event. Among the athletes being honored at this year’s dinner are East Haven’s Justin Fonacier, Chris Iannuzzi from Hand, North Branford’s Jeff Jablonski, Mark Montano of North Haven, and Sean Russell from Guilford.

“Once again, we will be honoring an outstanding group of young men,” said chapter president Bill O’Brien. “Their accomplishments in the classroom, on the field, and in the community bring honor and distinction to their parents, their schools, and their community.”

In addition, the chapter’s Distinguished American Award will be presented to Yale University Athletic Director and Guilford resident Tom Beckett, who is retiring in June.

“Tom Beckett has had an illustrious 24-year career at Yale. His achievements over the years at Yale are legendary,” said O’Brien. “New and improved athletic facilities, significant growth in athletic endowment, 128 championships, 73 Ivy League titles, 43 Olympic athletes, and 337 All- Americans in all sports are simply amazing.”

The Chapter Award of Merit will be presented to Yale football Head Coach Tony Reno, who led the Bulldogs to the 2017 Ivy League championship, which marked the school’s first outright league title since 1980. Yale finished with a 9-1 record with their only blemish a one-point loss to Dartmouth. For his success, Reno earned Coach of the Year honors from the New England Football Writers and the Gridiron Club of Boston.

Other award winners include Richard J. Moran Jr., of North Haven, a 27-year member of the New Haven Football Officials Association, who will receive the Officials Recognition Award; and Hand football Head Coach David Mastroianni, who will receive the Coach of the Year Award for leading the Tigers to a 12-1 record, the Class L state championship, and the No. 3 ranking in the state last year. Hand will also receive the State Championship Award for winning the Class L title.