Athletic Hall of Fame

The Ansonia native and former Derby resident became the first Prep graduate to play in the NFL. The left tackle and offensive captain of the Packers under legendary coach Vince Lombardi played 11 seasons, all with Green Bay, and was a member of the first two Super Bowl winners in 1967 and 1968, respectively.  The 6-foot-3 Skoronski played center and linebacker in his senior year as Prep went 5-2-1 in 1950. He then played three seasons at Indiana before being drafted by the Packers in 1955. He was selected as the center on Prep’s All-Decade team from 1942-1951.

Jim Lyddy '63

The 6-foot, 170-pound guard has the distinction of being the school’s first All-State selection in basketball. At the time of his graduation, Lyddy was Prep’s all-time leading scorer with 1,308 points and was named to a pair of All-MBIAC first teams. He was also a two-time All-MBIAC selection in baseball.  Lyddy played college basketball at Georgetown, where he captained the Hoyas his senior season.

Tom Lyddy '67

Another multi-sport standout, Lyddy played football, basketball and baseball at Prep, but his prowess on the gridiron made him stand out.  The late end/defensive lineman was named All-MBIAC, All-State and Catholic All-American his senior season.  He received a football scholarship to Maryland, but a severe knee injury curtailed a promising career. He transferred to Fairfield, where he starred in baseball before graduating in 1972.

GOLF COACH

In a stellar career that spanned 40 seasons (1966-2005), the venerable golf coach racked up an astounding 690 victories, presided over five state championship teams and was named CHSCA Coach of the Year in 1983.  Although he never had an undefeated season, seven of Ratchford‘s squads finished with only one loss. In 1998, a second-place finish in the Division I state championships derailed Prep’s shot at a perfect season (25-1).

Jack Ringel was talented enough to play four seasons of varsity football and baseball at Prep. A bruising 6-foot-1, 185-pound fullback, Ringel was co-captain of the Jesuits’ first undefeated and untied team (8-0) in 1953. He set a Prep and regional scoring record that season with 128 points and was an honorable mention All-American.  Ringel then went on to play three seasons of varsity football and baseball at Holy Cross. With Ringel in the outfield, the Crusaders finished third in the 1958 College World Series.

BASEBALL COACH

Except for a one-year sabbatical in 1978, Ed Rowe was synonymous with Prep baseball. From 1968-77 and then from 1979-2005, Rowe guided the Jesuits for 36 seasons, compiling a 477-326 record with 11 league championships and two appearances in the state championship finals.  Rowe had three seasons of 20 or more victories and his teams made 28 state playoff appearances, including a run of 21 straight. He was named Daily News Coach of the Year in 1983 and CHSCA Coach of the Year in 2000.

BASKETBALL COACH

If nothing else, Sylvester’s legacy as Prep basketball coach was validated when he delivered the school’s long awaited first state championship in 1969. That team, featuring Prep Hall of Famer Jim Fitzsimmons and the late Hal Smith, went 23-1, was ranked No. 1 in New England and came to be regarded as one of the Connecticut’s all-time best.  It was Sylvester’s only title, but for 16 seasons at the helm, he was overwhelmingly successful. From 1961-62 until his retirement following the 1976-77 season, the 2006 New England Basketball Hall of Fame inductee compiled a 286-114 record, a 71 percent winning percentage. From 1966-67 through the title season of 1968-69, Sylvester’s Jesuits went a phenomenal 64-6, winning three MBIAC titles and reaching the state championship game each season.

Chris Drury is arguably the most decorated athlete in Prep's history. From 1991-1994, Chris set numerous scoring records while at Fairfield Prep. He was a 2-time All-State Player in 1993 and 1994 and Connecticut's Division 1 Player of the Year in 1994. Chris helped Boston University reach the Frozen Four three times and won the NCAA Championship in 1995. He was a finalist for the top player in collegiate hockey three times, winning the award in 1998. After college Chris played 12 seasons in the NHL and won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1999. Chris is currently Assistant General Manager of the New York Rangers.

Jim Fitzsimmons has the distinction of being the only basketball player in school history to be named All-American. "Fitz" still holds the school record for career points and points in a single game. He was league MVP and won the State Championship in the '68-'69 season. After first going to Duke, Fitz transferred to Harvard and is still the school's single season scoring leader. Jim was inducted to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
 

Paul may be the most talented all-around athlete in school history. A two-way player in Football (Quarterback and Safety) helped lead Prep to a MBIAC Championship in 1973. In addition to football, Paul excelled on the basketball court and started at shortstop for Prep's baseball team for three seasons. In 1974 he was the MBIAC Baseball MVP. After Prep, Paul attended Harvard and led the Ivy in interceptions his senior season and was a three-year starter on the Crimson's baseball team. Halas won Harvard's Scholar Athlete Award and graduated with honors from Harvard and Harvard Law School.
 

Earl Lavery was the face of Fairfield Prep Football for 28 years. "The Duke" coached five unbeaten teams, won or shared 13 MBIAC titles, won three State Championships and had 14 teams finish in the state's Top 10. Earl was elected to the Connecticut High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1991, received the prestigious Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance 1996 and entered the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Under Coach Joe Brosley, the 1960 Fairfield Prep Football team was Prep's first State Championship Team. The team finished the season with a 10-0 record, outscoring their opponents 352-36 and recording six shutouts.