CLASS OF 2022

Neville R. Brown, Mick D’Arcy, George J. Kostelis, James Leahy, Carl Lombardo, Dave Lombardo, Joe Mingachos, Chafik Rebai

Induction dinner photos are accessible at: 
https://kaseymatsonphotography.shootproof.com/gallery/18109061/home

JOE MINGACHOS
Joe Mingachos played soccer at Danbury High School and graduated in 1986. He became an All-American sweeper his senior year at Western Connecticut State University leading the 1989 Colonials to their first NCAA tournament appearance. In addition, he earned All New England, All NEISL, and All Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All Star recognition during his college tenure. Mingachos played professionally for the Connecticut Wolves in 1995 and has played men’s amateur soccer in state since college. Mingachos was hired as WCSU women’s soccer coach in 1998 and led them for 19 years (1998-2016). During this time the Western women earned 11 trips to the NCAA Division III tournament with a 298-88-27 record. In 2017, Mingachos took over the men’s program. In his first five years, WestConn has gone 67-38-6 with Little East Conference titles and NCAA appearances in 2017 & 2018. Mingachos’s teams were ECAC New England Champions in 2004 and reached the NCAA Final Four in 2007. He was named NSCAA New England Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2006 and was inducted into the WCSU Hall of Fame in 2001.

JAMES LEAHY
 Jim Leahy was an All State Goalkeeper for Milford High School in 1980. He was a four year starter and 2 year captain at Brandeis University (1981-1984) recording 41 shutouts in 80 games. Leahy was the netminder for consecutive Division III NCAA tournaments, including 3rd place (1981) and 2nd place (1984) finishes nationally. He was named Division III All New England in 1981 and 1984. In 1984, Leahy earned the Intercollegiate Goalkeeper of the Year Award, the only non-Division I goalkeeper to do so, and played in the ISAA Senior Bowl, earning the Outstanding Defensive Player Award. He was also a NEISL All Star in 1984. Since his playing days, Leahy coached Tolland High School (2006-2015) to Class M championships in 2009 and 2015 along with a 2nd-place finish in 2014, while compiling a 121-48-17 record. He was named NSCAA Connecticut Small School Coach of the Year and Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association Coach M/S of the Year in 2015. Leahy was Awarded the 2019 Hugh S. Greer Distinguished Service Award by the Central Connecticut Soccer Officials Association and the 2019 UConn Soccer Outstanding Service Award. He was inducted into the Brandeis University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

MICK D'ARCY
Mick D’Arcy has been the Central Connecticut women’s soccer coach since 2000. During his time at Central, the Blue Devils have won nine Northeast Conference titles and berths in the NCAA tournament, and compiled a 212-155-38 record. D’Arcy has been recognized as NEC Coach of the Year eight times, NCAA Division 1 New England Coach of the Year three times, and NCAA Division 1 Regional Coach of the Year two times. Prior to his time at CCSU, D’Arcy was the men’s and women’s assistant coach at the University of Hartford, reaching the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament with each team, and a graduate assistant at Springfield College. He took Team Connecticut to the 1994 title game of the US Soccer Women’s Amateur Tournament and won the youth national title in 1999 as coach of Windsor World Class soccer club. D’Arcy’s international experience includes assistant coaching stints with the Under 19 and U21 national teams in 2004, and with the U17 national team in 2006. He holds his ‘A’ coaching license from U.S. soccer, the Advance National Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and a ‘B’ license from the European soccer federation (UEFA).

CARL LOMBARDO
Carl Lombardo is one of the all-time greatest goal scorers in Connecticut high school soccer history. He registered 123 goals and 48 assists as a 4-year starter at Vinal Tech from 1985-1988. During that time he was 4-times All Charter Oak Conference, 3-times All State (1986, 1987, 1988), 2-times All New England (1987, 1988) and All American (1988). As an Oakwood Select Academy player (1981-1989) he was the leading scorer at the Mitre National Indoor Finals tournament and a member of the all tournament team (1988). Carl started 4 years at Ohio State University, leading the team in scoring two years. Lombardo returned to Connecticut and coached Rocky Hill High school boys for 15 seasons (1995-2009), winning the Class M championship in 1999 and earning Connecticut M/S Coach of the Year in 2000. He recorded 194 and 64 losses.

DAVE LOMBARDO
 Dave Lombardo played Newington high school soccer from 1968-1972 and then at Southern Connecticut State College. He earned his Masters Degree at Southern Illinois (1980) before entering the women’s college soccer coaching ranks. Dave led Keene State for 7 seasons (1981-1987) and reached the NCAA tournament in 1983, was ECAC runnerup in 1985 and ECAC champions in 1986 and 1987. Lombardo moved to James Madison University in 1990 and led the program for 28 years. At his retirement in 2018, Lombardo was credited with leading JMU to 11 NCAA tournaments (three final 16 appearances), 4 conference titles, and regular appearances in the soccer national rankings. He was the the Met Life New England and National Coach of the Year and NEWISA Coach of the Year in 1983. He was named Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 1996, 2007, and 2013. Lombardo won 415 games over his 35 year career at JMU (337-222-35) and Keene State (78-35-8), making him one of the the winningest coaches in US collegiate women’s soccer history. Dave Lombardo holds a USSF national coaching license and was inducted into the 1999 Keene State Sports Hall of Fame.

GEORGE J. KOSTELIS
George Kostelis has been active in Connecticut soccer his entire life. He grew up in West Hartford and was a two-time All-State Goalkeeper at Hall High School (1987, 1988) and member of the U.S. Under 16 Youth National Team (1985-86). During his four years at the University of Hartford, Kostelis was named to the All North Atlantic Conference Tournament (1990-1992), All NAC (1990-1992) and Senior Bowl player (1992). He led the Hawks to NCAA tournament appearances in 1991 and 1992. Kostelis played professionally for Aiolikos Football Club in Mytilini, Greece, 1993-1995. Kostelis embarked on his collegiate coaching career with stints at UConn (1997-99), Yale (2001-2010), Western Connecticut (2011-2015), URI (2017-2018), and University of Hartford (1996, 2020-present). He has coached professionally at Elm City Express (2017 NPSL Champions) and Hartford Athletic (2019-2020). Kostelis continued to play amateur soccer in Connecticut during his coaching career. He was inducted into the University of Hartford Athletics Hall of Fame, 2007.

CHAFIK REBAI
Chafik Rebai has been actively involved with soccer in the state of Connecticut since the early eighties as a player, coach, Administrator, Referee, and Assignor. As a dedicated soccer pioneer he has focused on organizing, promoting, facilitating, enhancing participation and enjoyment of the game at all levels of play. He played youth soccer and adult soccer in Algeria and France before coming to the United States and joining Hartford Hellenic and Ellington soccer clubs. Rebai coached New Britain Soccer, Ellington Soccer, Vernon Youth Soccer Association, CJSA District Select, Northeast United (NEU) clubs from 1982 - 2008. As a club administrator, he was the Vernon Soccer Registrar, Director of Coaching (USSF Licensed, March 1997), VP and Past President. For Northeast United he was Vice President, Past President and current VP. He was also an Ellington Soccer representative. Rebai was elected to the Connecticut State Association and served in multiple capacities. He has been District Registrar since 2002, CJSA District Rep (2002-2005), CJSA District Vice President since 2006, interim President , First Vice president of CJSA since January 2015. Chafik is a 2008 UCONN Award Honoree and 2018 UCONN Men’s Soccer Lifetime Recipient. He is also a Lifetime Member Vernon Soccer Club since 2017.

NEVILLE BROWN
Neville Brown earned a scholarship to the University of New Haven after playing high school and youth national team soccer in Jamaica. He became one of the all time leaders for the University of New Haven Men’s soccer program. From 1970 - 73, Brown scored 45 goals and had 31 assists. His 31 assists rank first in career records and his 121 point total are 3rd all-time at UNH. His 14 goals and 9 assists in 1970 were among the nation’s best for a freshman player. Brown earned All New England recognition three times in four years.  He graduated cum laude in 1974, received the Silversmith Award for outstanding contribution to UNH, and was inducted into their men’s soccer hall of fame in 1996. Since his playing days at UNH, Neville Brown has been involved in all levels of soccer in Connecticut. He founded Caribbean Island Productions in 1976 to promote soccer tournaments in the greater New Haven area; a prolific and effective player & coach in the Connecticut Soccer League, Men’s Over 40, and Industrial Soccer League; and a youth coach for the Martin Luther King Soccer League, Simsbury Boys U19 and U23 teams.