2004 All-Long Island Girls Volleyball

BY JOE FERNANDEZ | STAFF WRITER
A look at the girls volleyball players who stood out on Long Island high school varsity squads in the fall of 2004.

HARMONIE CALINDA
Glenn, Middle Hitter, Senior
Harmonie Calinda, a five-year varsity player, has led Glenn to five Suffolk championships, four Long Island championships and two state championships. Calinda has 496 kills, 149 digs, 49 solo blocks and 57 kills this year. She has amassed 2,619 kills, 320 solo blocks 397 aces and 1,030 digs in her career. "To put it in perspective," Glenn coach Kevin Harrington said, "a thousand kills is a tremendous career. Harmonie has the equivalent of more than 2.5 of those careers."

NICOLE FAFARD
Ward Melville, Outside Hitter, Senior
Nicole Fafard is "a true hammer," according to Ward Melville coach Charlie Fernandes. She has 403 kills, 265 digs and 91 aces this season. She helped lead Ward Melville to consecutive County and Long Island Championships and one state championship. Fafard had 34 kills in an epic five-game Class AA Long Island championship match against Nassau powerhouse Massapequa on Nov. 7.

SAMMY FIGLIOLIA
Wantagh, Outside Hitter, Junior
Sammy Figliolia made herself invaluable with her 30-kill performance against Lynbrook in the Nassau Class A championship match. The 2003 All-Nassau selection followed that up with eight of her 19 kills in Game 5 of the Long Island championship match against Eastport/South Manor on Nov. 7. The junior outside hitter leads Wantagh with 288 kills and 95 service aces. She's second on the team in digs with 252 and second with a 21-percent kill efficiency. "Sammy has a line drive serve that most teams have difficulty handling," Wantagh coach Kim Cook said. "She can instantly raise the intensity and spirit of our team with her enthusiasm for the game."

BRITTANY FULLER
East Rockaway, Middle Hitter, Junior
Brittany Fuller managed a 20 kill and four block performance in the Long Island Class C championship match against Port Jefferson. She finished with 316 kills, 96 blocks and 36 aces, including the game-winning kill against Port Jefferson as East Rockaway won its fourth straight Long Island title.

DANIELLE FURKA
Massapequa, Outside Hitter, Senior
A little girl went to her second-grade teacher at Unqua Elementary in Massapequa and told her that she wanted to play volleyball for her someday. That girl was Danielle Furka, and that teacher was CarolAnn Habeeb. Six years later, it all came true. Furka, who played for Habeeb on the eighth-grade level, eventually played for Habeeb's varsity team in ninth grade. The four-year varsity player had 224 kills, 283 digs (4.3 per game) and 57 blocks. "Mentally, physically and emotionally, she is one of the strongest players that I've ever coached," Habeeb said.

JESSICA GRAHAM
Eastport/South Manor, Outside Hitter, Senior
The 2004 Suffolk Class A Tournament MVP rewrote Eastport/South Manor's record books this season. The three-year All-County player had 301 kills and 35 blocks this year, making her Eastport's all-time leader in those categories with 1,091 kills and 127 blocks. Graham was moved from middle hitter to outside hitter this season and set career highs in kills, blocks, digs (212) and aces (57). The four-year varsity player finished her career with 392 digs and 207 aces.

AYLENE ILKSON
Baldwin, Outside Hitter, Senior
Aylene Ilkson played some of her best volleyball in the playoffs this year. She had a season-high 22 kills against Syosset in the Nassau Class AA quarterfinals. Ilkson followed that performance with a season-high 31 digs in the semifinals against Long Beach. Ilkson, a 2003 All-Conference player, finished with 251 kills, 284 digs and 39 aces. "Aylene is an exceptional all-around athlete with a tremendous court sense," Baldwin coach Janine Heilbronn said. "She has an undisputable tenacity to win no matter the playing field."

LYNN MALISZEWSKI
Holy Trinity, Middle Hitter, Senior
Lynn Maliszewski has totaled 23 kills in two playoff games this year. Her four-straight aces in Game 3 of the CHSAA final sealed Game 3 and the championship for Holy Trinity. Maliszewski finished with 96 kills, 32 blocks and 22 aces. "She is an excellent blocker and a versatile hitter that can run many different plays," Holy Trinity coach Karen Hogan said. "Her defense is remarkable, particularly for a hitter of her size. It is uncommon to have a middle hitter who can pass the ball as well as she can."

JESSICA MERRIHUE
Sachem East, Middle Hitter, Senior
A four-year varsity player and two-year captain, Merrihue led Sachem East to the county final in each of her first three years. The two-year All-Suffolk player led the team with 135 blocks. The 6-2 senior was the Suffolk Rookie of the Year in her freshman season and earned All-Conference honors the next year. She had 420 kills this season and 372 last season. She is a three-time New York State Scholar-Athlete and is a member of the National Honor Society. The two-sport star will attend Holy Cross next fall on a full basketball scholarship.

WENDY SZCZERBIAK
Cold Spring Harbor, Middle Hitter, Junior
Wendy Szczerbiak and the Seahawks were 10 points away from their first Nassau championship this season, but it was not meant to be despite the the junior middle hitter managing 17 kills and five blocks. Szczerbiak, a three-year starter, finished with 338 kills, 159 blocks and 162 aces. A member of the 2004 Nassau Class B all-tournament team, she averaged 16 kills, 8 kills and 9 aces a match this season. "She's improved so much," CSH coach Christina Kohm said. "She's a real team player that always plays with a smile on her face."

DANIELLE THOMPSON
Ward Melville, Setter, Senior
Ward Melville has been in good hands with Danielle Thompson. The Patriots posted a 45-2 record in the past two seasons. Thompson did not play during those two losses. She has 671 assists, 49 kills and 55 blocks this season. Thompson is the school's all-time career assist leader with 1,895. She has led Ward Melville to consecutive league, county and Long Island championships and one state title.

ALANA WALKER
Half Hollow Hills East, Middle Hitter, Senior
Alana Walker was one of Suffolk's top players with 188 kills, 81 digs, 52 blocks and 26 aces. The senior captain earned All-State accolades as a junior with 175 kills, 79 digs, 37 blocks and 34 aces. The three-year varsity player and 2002 All-League player has led Hills East to back-to-back league titles. She has received the New York State Scholar-Athlete Award in the past three seasons. "Alana is a superior athlete and teammate," coach Kristin Broadbent said. "She is a model player and a coach's dream."

COACHES OF THE YEAR

KIMBERLY COOK
Nassau Coach of the Year
Wantagh (19-2)
Kimberly Cook took a maternity leave last season, but returned to lead her team to a second Long Island Championship in three years. A former Wantagh volleyball player from 1986-1989, Cook began her coaching career on the Wantagh junior-varsity level in 1995. She won a state championship in her first year as a varsity coach in 2001, and continues to have a great rapport with each team she coaches. Cook has two Nassau championships and a 56-6 career mark at the varsity level.

CHARLIE FERNANDES
Suffolk Coach of the Year
Ward Melville (19-2)
 Charlie Fernandes has compiled a 148-20 overall record with five Suffolk league titles, back-to-back Long Island championships (2003-2004), one state title (2003) and one state runner-up finish (2004). Fernandes also was the recipient of the Suffolk Girls Volleyball Coaches Association's Coach of the Year award in 2001 and 2003. Despite the success, Fernandes still manages to put things in perspective: "The greatest accomplishment in my life is getting my wife to agree to marry me," said Fernandes, who enjoys spending time with his wife, Mary, 4-year-old daughter Molly and 18-month-old twins, Abby and Charlie.

HOW THEY WERE PICKED: The All-Long Island Girls Volleyball Team and coaches of the year were selected after polling coaches and Newsday staff members. Staff writer Joe Fernandez wrote the player and coach capsules.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

Scores / Schedules

Upload your high school video

Upload your high school video

Send us clips of your favorite athletes in action!

Upload your own video