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03/21/2020 12:00 AMThe North Haven High School (NHHS) Sports Hall of Fame recently announced that it has selected seven people for induction as part of its Class of 2020. This year’s inductees are Chris Conte, Marino Crocco, Jennifer Cruver, Thomas Drury, Marilyn Gillo, Marian Rockwell, and Jennie Setaro. The honorees were slated to be inducted in a ceremony at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn in Wallingford on March 28, but the induction dinner was postponed. For info on the NHHS Sports Hall of Fame, contact Donna Malley at 203-239-1132 or Donnalmalley@comcast.net.
Chris Conte (Class of 1979)
Christopher R. Conte was an exemplary student-athlete who played for the boys’ soccer and baseball teams at NHHS. Conte was a member of the National Honor Society who ranked in the top five percent of his class. He also participated in a number of clubs and school activities.
Conte maintained equally high standards as an athlete, earning seven varsity letters for North Haven. Conte played four years of varsity soccer for Hall of Fame coach Joe Janush, in addition to playing for Hall of Fame Coach Bob DeMayo on the baseball field.
In soccer, Conte made the All-Housatonic Second Team in his freshman year and then earned All-Housatonic First Team accolades for his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. He earned All-State honors as a junior and a senior, serving as a captain for the Indians in his senior campaign.
Conte also competed at a high level for the baseball team. Conte was an All-Housatonic Second Team selection in his junior year and made the All-Housatonic First Team as a senior. He played on two teams that won the Housatonic League championships and also led North Haven deep into the State Tournament as a captain in his senior season.
After graduating from NHHS, Conte attended Brown University, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology in 1983. Conte also played soccer at Brown for three years. In 1988, he received his law degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America.
Conte and his wife Meredith live in Washington D.C. They have two children, Alex and Bill.
Marino Crocco (Class of 2006)
Marino J. Crocco is a 2006 graduate of NHHS who earned three varsity letters for Hall of Fame coach Federico Fiondella. He was also a regular on the honor roll.
Crocco earned a spot on the All-Oronoque Division Team in his junior and senior years. Crocco had a huge senior season that saw him score 18 goals on his way to finishing with 28 goals for his high school career. Crocco also made the All-SCC Team, the Class L All-State Team, and the New Haven Register All-Area Team as a senior. He played in the Connecticut Senior All-Star Game and was named North Haven’s Most Valuable Player.
Crocco went on to attend Southern Connecticut State University and competed for the men’s soccer team for four seasons. He earned his bachelor of science degree in education with concentrations in Spanish and Italian. Crocco then attended the University of New Haven, where he served as an assistant coach for the men’s soccer squad from 2011 to 2013 before receiving his master of arts degree in education for K through 12.
Crocco lives in East Haven with his wife Brittney and his son Gianni.
Jennifer Cruver (Class of 2009)
Jennifer Lynn Cruver earned four varsity letters in softball and two varsity letters in basketball before graduating from NHHS in 2009. Cruver also made the honor roll, served as a student ambassador, was a member of the Future Teachers Club, and also a student representative for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges evaluation process.
Cruver was the starting pitcher for the North Haven softball team beginning in her freshman year and led the Indians to four-consecutive State Tournament appearances. Cruver was an All-Oronoque Team selection all four years and made the Register All-Area Team three times. She received All-State Honorable Mention in her senior season and made the All-State Special Team as a junior.
Cruver led North Haven to an undefeated divisional record on its way to claiming the Oronoque Division title in her junior campaign. In her senior season, Cruver and the Indians won the Class L state championship, marking the only state title in program history.
Cruver finished her high school career by being selected to the Federation Softball Umpires of Greater New Haven Senior All-Star Softball Team. She pitched against the Connecticut Brakettes in the Connecticut High School All-Stars Game. Cruver was recognized as one of the top 25 softball players in the state for the second-straight year and named North Haven’s MVP for the third time as a senior.
Cruver posted a record of 56-23 during her high school career. She had 481 strikeouts, gave up just 90 earned runs, and held hitters to a .180 batting average.
After graduating from NHHS, Cruver went to Salve Regina University, where she pitched and played center field for the softball team. She earned a bachelor of sciences degree in special education and a bachelor of science degree in elementary education.
Cruver is a Wallingford resident.
Thomas Drury (Class of 1969)
Thomas Joseph Drury graduated from NHHS in 1969. During his tenure, Drury earned three varsity letters in football while playing for Hall of Fame coach Mike Vanacore, as well as two varsity letters for Hall of Fame baseball coach Bob DeMayo.
Drury was presented with the Sportsmanship Award for the North Haven baseball team in his senior season. Drury also captained the football squad to a successful season in his senior year, earning a spot on the All-Housatonic Team, along with the Indians’ MVP Award.
After graduation, Drury attended Laurelcrest Prep School in Bristol, where he played football for one year while garnering All-League honors. He went on to major in accounting at the University of Rhode Island.
Drury and his wife Catherine reside in Narragansett, Rhode Island. They have two children, Matthew and Amanda.
Marilyn Gillo (Service Award)
Marilyn R. Gillo and her late husband Anthony lived in New Haven for a short time before moving to North Haven in 1956. They looked for a town that had good schools and was a nice place to live and found North Haven. Together, the Gillos raised five children who all graduated from North Haven.
Gillo pursued a position at NHHS. In the span of 25 years, she worked with three athletic directors: Lou Preziosi, Marge Dolan, and Todd Petronio. All three describe Gillo as loyal, an excellent communicator, a problem solver, and a multitasker.
Gillo made numerous contributions to the North Haven athletic family. This included doing things like working the concession stand for the softball team, making sure that game personnel were in place, and helping out coaches and teachers throughout a busy day.
Gillo has seven grandchildren, including some which graduated from NHHS and a few who are now employed by the North Haven school system.
Marian Rockwell (Class of 1971)
Marian L. Kulick Rockwell is a 1971 graduate of NHHS who set high standards for herself in both the classroom and the athletic arena. Rockwell was on the honor roll throughout her high school tenure and graduated in the top 10 of her class of more than 400 students. As an athlete, she earned four varsity letters in gymnastics and four varsity letters in track and field.
Rockwell played for coach Marilyn Grennon as a member of the North Haven gymnastics team. In her senior season, she served as a captain for an Indians’ squad that claimed the state championship. Rockwell placed first in the all-around at the state meet on her way to earning All-State honors.
During the spring, Rockwell competed for coach Lauren Anderson with the girls’ outdoor track team. Rockwell led the team as a captain in her senior year. She also took third place in the hurdles and the 800 at the State Open that season.
Rockwell went on to attend the University of Massachusetts after she graduated from North Haven. Rockwell was a member of the women’s gymnastics team at UMass and earned a bachelor of science degree in public health in 1975.
Rockwell and her husband Nicholas reside in Fort Montgomery, New York.
Jennie Setaro (Class of 1996)
Jennie Ruth Setaro graduated from NHHS in 1996. Cetaro earned four varsity letters in field hockey and four varsity letters in golf at the high school. She also excelled in the classroom as an honor roll student for four years.
Setaro primarily played on defense during her field hockey career, but also scored plenty of goals on penalty corners for North Haven. Setaro finished her career with 36 goals and 18 assists. She was named the Indians’ MVP in 1994 and 1995, serving as a captain in her senior season. Setaro made the All-Conference Team all four years and was a three-time All-State selection. In her senior year, Setaro was selected to the New England All-Star Team and went on to be named the 1996 Class Athlete for her senior class at North Haven.
Setaro led the Indians’ golf squad as a captain in her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, winning the team’s MVP Award as a sophomore. She qualified for the New England Women’s Tournament in each of those three seasons and also played in the Connecticut State Tournament in 1994 and 1995.
Following high school, Setaro attended Northeastern University, where she received an athletic scholarship to play ice hockey. Setaro played as a defender for the women’s ice hockey team for all four years. She earned a bachelor of science degree in sociology in 2001. In 2016, Setaro graduated with honors from Fairfield University, receiving her master of arts degree in clinical mental health counseling.
Setaro and her partner Giovanna Setaro live in Wallingford with their children, Finley, Logan, and Hudson.