Diane Simonelli (1999)

A truly versatile and accomplished athlete, Coventry’s Diane O’Brien was as hard working as she was prolific.  During the 1988-1989 women’s basketball season, Diane O’Brien became the first player to score over 700 points in a career.  She was a two-time MVP, All-New England honorable mention in her freshman year, was first-team All-Region XXI and an all-tournament selection in her sophomore year as she led the team to its 1st ever appearance in a regional final.  Diane O’Brien won the Colonial States Athletic Conference scoring title by averaging 18.3 points per game in ‘88-’89; she was also the winner of the Siperstein Award for athletic and academic excellence and she continued her basketball career at Southern Connecticut, where she was a rebounding leader in the Northeast 10 Conference.