Athleticism, sportsmanship, teamwork and family support were celebrated at the Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s 2026 Hall of Fame induction on Oct. 11.
Ten alumni who scored both on and off the field were honored by the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.
The new members are: Phil Aldrich, class of 1992; Brooks Belter,’06; Adam Grant-West,’88; Katie Heacox, ‘14; Juliet Lyon, ‘97; Donna Marchi, ‘76; Catherine Mechare, ‘01; Sally Michalek, ‘74; Marci Perotti Saunders, ‘00 and Lauren Segalla, ‘17.
In his greeting, Principal Ian Strever lauded the athletes for their commitment to sports and spoke of the values sports provide.
“I thank you for bringing fame to Housatonic Valley Regional High School. You will always be Mountaineers.”
Anne MacNeil, Region One athletic director, noted that 130 former students have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its beginning in 1996, including athletes, coaches and administrators.
Inductee Brooks Belter comes from a long line of local athletes, including his grandfather J. Henry “Hank” Belter, class of 1941, who was named to the first Hall of Fame in 1996. Brooks Belter was a three-sport athlete, competing in soccer, basketball and baseball. Following college graduation, he was selected in the 25th round of the MLB Draft (there were 40 rounds at the time) by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Nominated by his father, Jim Belter, the inductee said, “Baseball took me to places I’d never have imagined growing up in Falls Village.”
Bader Hamzy, a graduate, introduced Adam Grant-West, and spoke about his notable sports career in high school, where he excelled in every sport he played. He was drafted by the Houston Astros minor league baseball team and was doing well until an injury ended his career.
In his acceptance, Grant-West praised his high school coaches. He is now a captain of a charter fishing boat in Alaska.
In nominating his daughter Katie Heacox, Chris Heacox called her a warrior—“tenacious and resolute.” She was a three-sport athlete who distinguished herself in track and field, earning honors and setting records in shot put, hammer throw and discus. Her father was her coach. She worked for several years as an athletic compliance coordinator and went back to college for a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling, which she pursues today.
Inductee Juliet Lyon played the classic sports of soccer, basketball and softball, but got diverted to wrestling. By senior year she was co-captain of the wrestling team. In competing in the Berkshire League championship that year, she pinned three boys to achieve first place. Being a woman in the wrestling world wasn’t always easy, she said. “Sometimes boys would forfeit instead of risking losing to a girl…”
She now runs a grassroots organization in Mozambique that seeks community-led solutions to poverty and environmental challenges.
Inductee Catherine Mechare excelled in basketball, where she achieved numerous accomplishments and awards. During her high school career, she scored 1,228 points and set a school record with nine steals in a single game. She went on to play at Keene State College.
Meanwhile, Sally Michalek Green fought for women to have opportunities in sports equal to men, said her nominator and brother Allyn Michalek. “She and a handful of women in high school in the 1970s didn’t just talk about change, but made it happen.” She pioneered a new soccer team for women at the school, which became part of the school’s athletic program in 1972. At graduation, she delivered an essay titled “Athletics: Coed or Not?” She was also a three-sport player and after college, went on to a career in nursing.
Inductee Marci Perotti Saunders was a standout in three sports during her high school career and received 12 varsity letters, said her sister Shannon Perotti Mlodzinski, who read glowing tributes from two of Saunders’ former coaches. They spoke of her sportsmanship and commitment to her teammates.
She went on to have a stellar career in soccer at Eastern Connecticut State University and then returned to Region 1, where she has been a physical education teacher at Kent Center School for 22 years, instilling a love of athletics in her students.
Meanwhile, Lauren Segalla set the school’s all-time career scoring record in soccer and left a lasting legacy on the program. She then became another Mountaineer at West Virginia University, where she left her mark by helping the school capture the Big 12 Tournament Championship, earning
All-Tournament Team honors as a sophomore and again in her final year at the school.
She holds a master’s in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling and is a licensed mental health counselor.
Inductee Donna Marchi’s brother-in-law Chris Strattman talked about her achievements in soccer, basketball and softball. In her senior soccer season, she set a school record for shutouts as a goalkeeper. She currently lives in Portland, Ore., where she has built a successful real estate career. She could not attend. Her sister Diane Strattman accepted the honor.
Aldrich was honored for his successful achievements in track and field. He broke the school record in the pole vault. He was unable to attend the ceremony.
