Latest Class Of Inductees Elected To Enfield Athletic Hall Of Fame

ENFIELD, CT — Four outstanding athletes, a professional sports official, a longtime youth sports volunteer and a pair of highly-successful Enfield High School teams will be celebrated as the Class of 2025 of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame.

This year’s honorees are Nancy (Rivard) Geaglone, Frank Neves, Pho Phimvongsa, Terry Preston and John Riley. Bruce Wilhelm will receive the George Daly Special Recognition Award, and the 1968-69 Enfield boys basketball team and the 1982 Enfield field hockey squad will be inducted into the team category.

The induction dinner will take place Saturday, Sept. 27 at Oak Ridge Country Club in Feeding Hills, Mass. Tickets are $50 for adults and $30 for children, and may be reserved through the Hall of Fame website.

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Here is a brief look at the Class of 2025:

Photos: Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame

Nancy (Rivard) Geaglone

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Nancy is a 1987 graduate of Enfield High School, where she excelled as a three-sport varsity athlete. Her standout contributions to the EHS field hockey team helped secure back-to-back Class M state championships in 1983 and 1984. A four-year varsity player, Nancy earned All-CCC East honors in both 1985 and 1986 and was named to the second team All-State in 1986, a season she captained with distinction. She continued her athletic journey at Southern Connecticut State University, where she competed in multiple sports. Her dedication and growth on the field hockey team earned her the title of Most Improved Player in 1988. Nancy’s coaching career began at her alma mater, Enfield High School, where she served as assistant field hockey coach from 1992 to 1996. During her tenure, the Raiders clinched three consecutive Class M championships, solidifying her reputation as a skilled and enthusiastic mentor. From 1996 to 1998, Nancy took on the role of head field hockey coach at Western New England College, further expanding her impact at the collegiate level. She later joined Granby Public Schools, where she co-coached the varsity girls’ lacrosse team to a Division II state runner-up finish in 2011.

Frank Neves

For over four decades, Frank Neves stood behind home plate—not just as an umpire, but as a steward of the game, a mentor to many, and a symbol of unwavering dedication. His journey began in Enfield, where he graduated from Enfield High School in 1978. But his story was shaped long before that, in the quiet moments spent with his father, John Neves, who first sparked Frank’s interest in umpiring. That spark would ignite a lifelong passion. In 1979, Frank graduated from the renowned A1 Somers Umpire School, a launching pad for many of the sport’s most respected officials. From there, he embarked on a career that would take him across the country and through every level of the game. He umpired in the New York-Penn, Florida State, Southern, and Eastern leagues, earning a reputation for fairness, precision, and professionalism. Frank’s talents and integrity led him to the collegiate ranks, where he became a highly respected Division I official. He worked games in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Atlantic 10, and Big East—three of the most competitive conferences in college baseball. His presence on the field was marked by calm authority and deep respect from players, coaches, and fellow officials. Beyond the field, Frank was a pillar of the umpiring community. He served three terms as President of the Western Mass Umpire Association and twice as its rule’s interpreter. His leadership helped shape the next generation of umpires, and his commitment to the craft elevated standards across the region.

Phoutthasack (Pho) Phimvongsa

Pho graduated from East Windsor High School in 1996. The school had no tennis team, so he played for Enfield High School, leading the squad to three straight CCC East titles with a 60-1 career record and earning All-State honors from 1993 to 1995. He was a USTA Junior Circuit top-ranked player in New England for boys aged 14-16, and played Division 1 tennis at the University of Connecticut, where he set a single-season win record (20-5) and helped the Huskies finish seventh at the Big East Championships in 2000. Pho has over 25 years of experience as a professional tennis instructor at Manchester Racquet Club, Enfield Tennis Club, and Bloomfield Tennis and Pickleball Club.

Terry Preston

A proud graduate of Enrico Fermi High School in 1980, Preston was a standout athlete and dedicated community leader. As a talented hoopster, he played three years of varsity basketball, co-captaining his senior year and helping lead the team to state tournament appearances in both 1978 and 1980.
Preston continued his basketball journey at the University of Hartford, competing for two years at the collegiate level. His passion for the game endured well beyond college—he became a formidable presence in the Connecticut and National Senior Games, where his three-on-three basketball teams earned over ten gold medals. These victories spanned prestigious events in Cleveland, OH; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Birmingham, AL; and Pittsburgh, PA. Beyond the court, Preston gave back to his community through coaching and leadership. He served for multiple years in the Thompsonville Little League and the Parks and Recreation basketball league. His commitment extended to administration as well, where he held the role of Assistant Director for the Parks and Recreation basketball program for three years. Preston’s legacy is one of athletic excellence, mentorship, and community service—a true role model both on and off the court.

John Riley

As a graduate from Enfield High School in 1937, a local boxer at the age of twenty won seventeen of his nineteen junior professional bouts via knockouts. Riley was signed by a new manager out of Springfield which announced that Riley would attend the Armstrong-Ambers bout in New York City. During his Junior professional career John was the Silver Mittens boxing champion. Riley fought several times at the Valley Arena in Holyoke Mass and across the state of Connecticut and was names the Outstanding Prospect in all of Nutmeg territories. Many considered Riley the top boxer from Enfield. He entered the U.S. Navy just days after Pearl Harbor and served on the U.S.S. Wichita cruiser which was assigned to neutrality patrols in the Atlantic. Riley represented Wichita as a boxer and was the Atlantic Fleet Champion boxing in England, Scotland, California, and the Aleutian Islands.

Bruce Wilhelm – George Daly Award

Bruce has dedicated over forty years as a volunteer with the Enfield soccer program, contributing to both boys’ and girls’ travel teams. He has served in multiple administrative capacities, including club registrar, where he oversaw player registrations, team placements, and roster approvals. From 1997 to 2012, Bruce was a member of the Kevin Barmak soccer tournament committee, responsible for developing tournament schedules and compiling scores. For more than three decades, he has held the position of district registrar for the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association’s north central district. His commitment has been recognized by receiving the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association 2024 Volunteer of the Year award and the 2025 John Wentworth Good Sport Award, a statewide honor presented by the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance.

1968-69 Enfield High School boys basketball

The last champions of the Valley Wheel Conference. Head coach John Skypeck, assistant coach David Shea. Co=captains Joe Bacewicz and Bob Zawada. Team members: Bob Bacewicz, Steve Cavaleri, Dennis Cunningham, Rick Dressler, Ken Kalva, Dave LaRussa, Kevin Purdy, Vin Spanilo, Chet Wasileski. Manager Joe Klimek.

1982 Enfield High School field hockey

Class M runners-up, having two goals disallowed in 1-0 finals loss to Farmington. Head coach Cookie Bromage, captain Sue Pelligrinelli. Team members: Kerry Begley, Lisa Boudreau, Kelly Brantner, Lisa Carrara, Sue Demur, Audrey Fusco, Kathy Gambino, Karen Golden, Judy Halish, Dawn Massey, Maryann Massey, Betsy Noonan, Patty Orifice, Loreen Owen, Ann Reynolds. Manager Sherri Stracener.

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