BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (February 4, 2011) – On February 3, the Pioneer Athletic Department celebrated Nationals Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) at the Tilles Center here on the Campus of C.W. Post of Long Island University. 

 

Starting with a dinner and video presentation, C.W. Post Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Shantey Hill welcomed those in attendance and set the floor for the three guest speakers on the panel.

 

NGWSD began in 1987 with the remembrance of Flo Hyman. Hyman was an Olympic volleyball player and remembered for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women's sports. The day is celebrated in all 50 states now, with the knowledge to increase visibility for female athletes and advance their struggle for equality in sports.

 

The National Girls and Women in Sport Coalition are those whom are responsible for organizing the day. The coalition is made up of five premiere organizations. Those organizations are Girls Scouts of USD, Girls Incorporated, National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, National Women's Law Center, and Women's Sport Foundation. 

 

The first speaker on the night was Phyllis Deveney, Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officials in the East Coast Conference. Deveney has 30 years of basketball officiating experience, in conferences such as the America East, Atlantic 10, Big East, Colonial, Ivy, MAAC, Northeast and Patriot League. She also officiated in the 1987 Olympic Trial, 1990 World Championships, and 1991 Special Olympics. Her achievements include the 2010 St. Thomas Aquinas Lifetime Achievement Award, 2008 Kings Park Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee, 2008 Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, and 1994 MACC Official of the Year. Deveney earned her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from St. John's University and then her Master's Degree from C.W. Post in Special Education. 

 

The next speaker was Nancy Cole, New York States Winningest Field Hockey Coach. Cole spent time as a coach at Centerreach High School from 1969-2001, where she was the only female in the department for 18 years. She then went on to Ward Melville High School from 2003-2009. Cole's teams won four State Titles, earned 45 college scholarship winners, seven college All-Americans, five high school All-Americans, and one Olympian. Cole herself was a two-time National Olympic Sports Festival Head Coach and National Olympic Development Coach. She was an inductee in the 2006 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame, 2004 New York State Public High School Athletic Association, and 2002 National Field Hockey Coaches Association. Cole earned her Bachelor's Degree at Ithaca and then Master's at Stony Brook. 

 

The final speaker of the evening was Risa Zander, the owner/director of the Long Island Basketball Camp. Zander is the first ever Suffolk County Women's Coach to be inducted into the Suffolk County Hall of Fame. She had coaching stints at Sachem, Commack, and Center Moriches. While at Sachem, she garnered a 315-81 record, with nine Section XI League Titles, four Suffolk County Class A Titles, and a New York State Public H.S. Class A State Championship. During her coaching period with the NY Empire State team, she won Gold, Silver, and Bronze. In 1985, she was the Newsday/Daily New Long Island Coach of the year. In 1987, she was the Stony Brook University Suffolk County Coach of the Year. And then in 1991, she was the Wilson NHSACA Northeast Coach of the Year. She was also a Basketball Coaches Association of New York Hall of Fame Inductee. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from SUNY College at Cortland and Master's from Stony Brook University.