Class of 2026 Inductee Bios
Gary Donaldson • Chris Gbandi • Phil Kydes
Lou Labbadia • Jeff Lea • Manya Makoski
Erin O’Grady • Bruno Prusaczyk • Beth Regan
Gary Donaldson
“Gary Donaldson was a phenomenally successful coach in the highly competitive FCIAC conference ”, said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. “He sustained excellence, reaching the state final seven times in eleven years.”
Donaldson recorded 311 wins, 71 losses, and 23 ties at Danbury HS from 1978-2000. His teams won 7 FCIAC titles, 3 Class LL state championships (1990, 1997, 1998) and was a 4-time finalist (1987, 1989, 1991, 1994). During this period, Danbury was recognized with national rankings at #5 (1997), #6 (1990), and #11 (1998).
Donaldson has been recognized for excellence with the CHSCA Coach of the Year Award (1993), CSCA’s Special Recognition Award (2000), and was inducted into the Danbury Athletics Hall of Fame (2009).
Donaldson is being recognized posthumously after his passing in 2016.
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Chris Gbandi
“Chris Gbandi is simply one of the most decorated individuals in CT soccer history,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. “He earned almost every recognition available during his time at UConn, before being drafted 1st by MLS.”
During his time at UConn (1998-2001), Gbandi led the Huskies to the NCAA title in 2000 and received the Hermann Trophy (most outstanding player in the nation) and College Cup Most Outstanding Defensive Player that same year. Along with the Hermann Trophy, Gbandi was a 3-time All American and the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year (1998), 4-time All BIG EAST, and 3-time BIG EAST Defender of the Year.
Gbandi was the first player selected in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft and played professionally for Dallas FC (2002-2008), FK Haugesund (2008, Norway), and the Liberian National Team (2004).
He is currently the head coach of the UConn Huskies after coaching 6 years at Northeastern University.
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Phil Kydes
“Phil Kydes was a high school and college superstar, winning a state title at Brien McMahon HS and leading Harvard to two final fours,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut soccer Hall of Fame. “He set the New England HS scoring record and his 13 assists in 1969 are 4th most all-time by an Ivy League player.”
Kydes is still Brien McMahon HS’s All time leading scorer (1965-67) with 78 goals in 3 years. He led them to the CT State Championship (1965) and back to the final game in 1967, and two FCIAC titles (1966 & 1967). He set FCIAC scoring records 3 consecutive years with 23 goals (1965), 24 goals (1966) and 31 goals (1967) and set the New England goal scoring record in 1967. He was named All State and All FCIAC each of the 3 years he played.
In his 3 years at Harvard (freshmen were not allowed to participate), Kydes scored 31 goals and led them to the national final four in 1969 and 1971 and Ivy League titles in 1969 and 1970.. His 13 assists in 1969 are 4th most all time by an Ivy League player.
Kydes was named to the 1971 All American 2nd team and was drafted by Montreal with 1st pick of second round NASL draft. He declined to play professionally and continued his playing career with Vasco da Gama in the Connecticut Soccer League.
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Lou Labbadia
“Lou Labbadia reached the highest levels of officiating the college game in the nation,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. ”His reputation for excellence was earned through his consistent demonstration of quality refereeing in our state and others, regardless of the level.”
Labbadia’s resume demonstrates the respect others had for his integrity and skill which resulted in his selection to officiate the highest level college games. While a regular on the collegiate circuit each year, he also officiated:
Four Division I Men’s National Quarter Final matches
Nine Division II Men’s Final Four (7 National Semi Finals and 2 National Championships)
Two Division III Men’s Final Fours (2 National Semi Finals)
Two NAIA Men’s National Tournaments (1 NAIA National Final)
Labbadia was one of the great referees in the nation after having established himself in Connecticut soccer. He was inducted into the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
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Jeff Lea
“Jeff Lea’s tenure at Staples High School continued a tradition of excellence and solidified the program as one of Connecticut’s all-time best,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. “Staples was always the team to beat under Lea’s leadership.”
Jeff Lea’s 34 years with Staples soccer (11 as an assistant) established the program’s reputation for quality soccer and the development of outstanding players. Known for their ball control, teamwork, and toughness under Lea, the Wreckers won 357 games, lost only 77, and tied 42. His teams earned 5 CIAC Class LL titles and 12 FCIAC championships. Lea’s teams played in 20 championship games and lost only 3 of those matches. Many of his players have continued their careers in soccer and are in the CT Soccer Hall of Fame.
Lea was inducted into the FCIAC Hall of Fame Inductee (2006), earned the CHSCA Boys High School Coach of the Year Award (1986) and CT Boys Soccer Coaches Association Special Coaching Award (2003), and was identified as one of the Hartford Courant’s “Connecticut’s Best of the Century” soccer coaches.
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Manya Makoski Puppione
“Manya Makoski is one of the most accomplished players in CT soccer history,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. “She is a World Cup winner, college All American, and 3-time Connecticut state champion.”
Makoski was a standout on Trumbull High School’s string of dominant teams beginning in 1998. She led Trumbull to 3 CIAC Class LL titles (1998, 1999, 2001), and 4 FCIAC championships, earning multiple All American recognitions in 2002 and 2001 and was named CT Player of the Year by several organizations (Gatorade-2002, NSCAA/Adidas-2001, CJSA-2001, Hartford Courant 2000 & 2001).
At Arizona State (2002-2006) she earned All America (2002 & 2004), and ASU Female Scholar Athlete of the Year (2004).
Manya represented the United States during her collegiate career on the U.S. Under-19, -21 and -23 national teams, winning the FIFA U19 World Cup in 2002. She was a three-time Nordic Cup champion, twice as a U21 and once as a U23.
Makoski played professionally with Los Angeles Sol (WPS, 2009 Regular Season Champions), Atlanta Beat (WPS), Thor/KA (Iceland, 2011), Aland United (Finland, 2012 & 2014, Player of the Year 2012), and Sky Blue FC (NWSL, 2013).
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Erin O’Grady
“Erin O’Grady was phenomenal at every level of soccer,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. “She is a youth national champion, collegiate scoring record holder, and pro league winner. She has been consistently excellent throughout her entire soccer career.”
O’Grady met with early success as a youth player with World Class SC of Windsor, CT, winning the USYSA Under 16 National Championship, three Northeast Regional titles, and nine CT Open Cup competitions. At Glastonbury HS (1995-1997), O’Grady earned All American (Parade & NSCAA, 1997), All New England (1996 & 1997), All State & All CCC (1995, 1996, 1997).
O’Grady may be Syracuse University’s all-time best player, having led the team in goal scoring & points each of 3 years (1997, 1998, 2000), was the assist leader in 2000, and holds career records for points, goals (49), game winning goals, and games played. She was Syracuse’s Player of the Year (2000), Rookie of the Year (1997), and is in the Syracuse Hall of Fame.
As a pro, Erin played at the highest levels available at the time. She was W-League Champion (2001 & 2002, Boston Renegades), WUSA Champion (Boston Breakers, 2003 regular season), WPSL Finalist (New England Mutiny, 2004 & 2007) and Team Captain (2007 & 2008). She earned W-League tournament MVP with 2 goals in final (2002), had her #9 jersey retired with New England Mutiny, and is a WPSL Hall of Fame Inductee.
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Bruno Prusaczyk
“For more than 50 years, Bruno Prusaczyk has been the glue that held together multiple quality soccer clubs, teams, and the Connecticut Soccer League,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. “Bruno is an icon in the Polish community and the Connecticut State Soccer Association.”
Bruno Prusaczyk has been a leader in men’s amateur soccer in Connecticut since 1969. Through his involvement as a league officer, club officer, team manager and construction of a healthy soccer network in the state and region, he built dominant teams with Hartford Polish Soccer Club, Hartford Polonia, and Polonia-Falcons.
His work ethic, relationships and fundraising have enabled these teams to thrive and the Polonia Falcon Club to establish a youth academy and build a premier lighted facility in New Britain.
During their peak, Prusaczyk’s teams were CSL champions (1989, 1992), CSSA Open Cup Champions (1992, 1993, 1994), and earned additional titles in the Over 30+ leagues.
He was the CSL Registrar (2002-2025) and earned CSSA Manager of the Year (1987, 2005) and Polish American Soccer Association Manager of the Year (2014).
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Beth Regan
“Beth Regan had an all-time great record at Tolland High School and built the women’s soccer program at Eastern Connecticut State University,” said Bill Duffy, President of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. “Additionally, she was a role model for women and girls as one of the lone female soccer coaches at a critical time in women’s sports. She was a motivator, competitor, and mentor for her players, on and off the field. You could practically count the number of female high school coaches on one finger in 1982.”
Beth Regan found immediate success at Tolland High School, going unbeaten from 1982-1985 with a 54-0-6 record. Tolland won three consecutive CIAC Class M State Championships (1982, 1983, 1984) before she moved onto Eastern Connecticut State University (1986-1991). Regan built and established the women’s program at Eastern as their first coach and again found success with multiple NCAA tournament appearances in her six seasons. Her role as the first head coach is honored to this day with the Beth Regan Endowed Women’s Soccer Fund, established in 2016 to support the women’s team.
Regan returned to Tolland HS (1992-2007) where she continued to develop competitive teams and shape generations of student-athletes.
Regan was inducted into the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2012), ECSU Athletic Hall of Fame (1998), and New Britain Athletics Hall of Fame. She also volunteers as a Special Olympics coach.