The Warren Athletic Hall of Fame Committee has announced its Class of 2026 inductees, honoring the exploits and achievements of those from recent years to decades gone by. 

The annual induction banquet takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, at White’s of Westport, beginning at 5 p.m.  Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased by calling Martha Delekta at 245-1361 or email mgdelekta@cox.net.

The following are the individual athletes being inducted this year. Next week, the coaches, contributors, old-timers and teams who join them will be featured in Part 2.

Victoria Gendreau

Victoria had an incredibly accomplished gymnastics career at both the AAU, USAG, High School and Collegiate level and enters the Warren Athletic Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. 

At the AAU level she had many national accomplishments including at the 2009 level 7 AAU Nationals where she placed 5th overall and placed 3rd in the balance beam. The following year she placed 9th overall as she was suffering from an elbow deterioration.  In 2011, at the AAU Nationals while competing Level 8, she placed 5th overall and in 2012, she came back to earn the silver on vault, bars, floor and the all-around while winning the balance beam title. 

Victoria also was part of the Kickemuit Middle School undefeated cheerleading team in 2012. During this season she competed in the Rhode Island Coaches Association all-around Middle School tournament where she placed first in the tumbling section of the competition and second overall. 

In 2012, she received the Joel Ferrell Sportsmanship Award as the athlete who “demonstrates outstanding athletic accomplishment and sportsmanship” and was an AAU Junior Olympics silver medalist in the bars and beam as well as a bronze medalist on the floor exercise. 

Her gymnastics success continued into high school where she competed at the Level 8 USAG Rhode Island state championship. In 2013 she placed third all around and secured 4th place on the bars, beam and floor and 5thplace on the vault. Victoria moved up to compete at the Level 9 USAG Rhode Island State Championship in 2015 and 2016. In 2015 she placed 3rd on the vault and bars with a 4th place all around finish. In 2016 she shined at the meet taking home the gold in every event and the all-around while qualifying for the regional championships. 

During her sophomore, junior and senior years, Victoria competed in gymnastics for Mt. Hope High School. In 2014, 2015 and 2016 she earned first team All Division, and first team All State. She was the all-around 2nd place finisher in 2016 state championship as well as placing 2nd on the bars and floor. During all three years she qualified to the New England Championships. Her Mt. Hope Huskies teams had two regular season division championships and at the 2016 state Championships the gymnastics team won the Rhode Island Division II state championship, marking the first title in six years, and finished undefeated with a 100 record.

Victoria continued her gymnastics career at Springfield College as part of the Women's gymnastics team for all four years. She competed on both the vault and the floor marking a career high of a 9.625 on the floor and a 9.35 on the vault. She assisted the Pride in breaking both floor and team score records. During her senior year she earned all American academic honors through the national collegiate gymnastics association. Following her own successful gymnastics career, she went on to be the graduate assistant coach of the Springfield College Men's gymnastics team. In the 2023 season she won the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's gymnastics assistant coach of the year. 

In 2023, Victoria’s drive and poise led her to capture the title of Miss US of America given a field of 85 contestants, her first national pageant. The following year she went on to win the Miss Rhode Island Volunteer pageant and compete at the Miss Volunteer America Pageant where she took home the Bronze President’s Volunteer Service Award at the national pageant

Jay Heaney

Jay Heaney was born in Providence RI and spent most of his youth in Pawtucket. He began his swimming career with the Pawtucket Boys Club (1965-66) and was a triple gold medal winner at the age of 10. He then swam with the RI Aquatics club in 1967-68 where he finished in 8th place in the 200 yd individual Medley at the RI State Championships. His family moved t0 Warren where he entered Warren High School as a sophomore in 1969. He played JV basketball for 2 years and as a senior led the “JJ Hackers” to the Inaugural WHS Intramural Championship.  With no swim team at WHS he joined the newly formed swim team at the Bristol YMCA. In 1971 he won the George Jenkins 200 yd freestyle named after the General Secretary of the Bristol YMCA. He was the Bristol YMCA Class AA Co-Outstanding Swimmer in 1972.However it was in open water long distance swimming where he excelled. On VJ Day in August, Bristol holds a 1.25 swim from Rumstick Pt, Barrington to Colts State Park Beach, Bristol.  Jay finished in first place 4 consecutive years, 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973.  His win streak ended in 1974 with a second place finish. He finished first again in 1975 and second place in 1976 and 1977.  He last swam this race in 1990 finishing first in the Master’s Division.

On the same day as the Bristol race Warren also held a 1 mile open water race from Adams Point, Barrington to the Warren town beach. Three hours after finishing the Bristol race, Jay would swim in the Warren race with similar success.  He won the Warren race in 1971 and 1972, finished second in 1973, and then won it 4 consecutive years 1974-1977. In 1975 with permission from the Vitullo family, Jay petitioned the Warren Town Council to change the name of the annual swim race to the Connie Vitullo Swim race in memory of the town beach lifeguard who had recently passed.  The council approved the change, the Vitullo family donated the trophies and most race prize money was donated to the Connie Vitullo Memorial Fund.

Jay still enjoys the water, just not the long distances.

Lynn Kingston

Lynn Tavares Kingston was awarded 2nd All State Soccer as a freshman in 1984.  Subsequent years found Lynn elected a co-captain of her team as well as 1st All Suburban East Forward in 1987, and All State in 1988.

A multi-sport athlete, Lynn played softball in the spring and was awarded 1st All Met Division in 1985 and 2nd All Class B South outfielder in her senior year.

Lynn’s basketball prowess earned her 2nd All Class C in 1986 and 1987.  The following year she was named 3rd All Class C playing point guard for the Undefeated Class C Regular Season and Playoff Champions.

Brian Machado

Brian’s football career got underway at age 9 playing Peewee football after losing 30 pounds to play.  In 1990 at age 11, the young lineman was moved to the Midget division and secured a starting role as an offensive tackle for the 1990 Northeast Rhode Island Midget State Championship team, even though he was a year younger than almost everyone on that team.  Brian also participated in Little League baseball and USA wrestling.   In 1995, Brian was a standout lineman for the 1995 Class B football Co-champions at Mount Hope High School, and in 1996 he served as a captain of that team.  As a junior he was selected as a 2nd Team All Division lineman and was selected as a 1st Team All Division Two offensive lineman as well as 1st team All State offensive lineman in 1996.  The Providence Gridiron Club named Brian the Division Two lineman of the year in 1996.  Brian continued his football career for the University of Rhode Island Rams and played flag football for the Warren Warriors after his college playing career.  He was inducted into the Bristol Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.  Brian and his two sons Lucas (16) and Owen (12) have been part of the East Bay Warriors organization starting in 2018 with Brian serving as coach.  In 2019, Brian was asked to coach at Mt. Hope High School where he serves as the offensive and defensive line coach.

 Marshall Netto

Growing up in the North End of Warren, Liberty Street School was the hot spot for basketball all year round. Marshall was blessed, as a child, to be able to play basketball with the older boys and included in every game despite his age. These boys would take Marshall to other parts of Warren and to other towns to play against other kids. North End players like Nicky Ramos, T Armada, Jake Armada, Norman O’Brien, Nicky Araujo, Ray Rossi, Jamiel’s (Jim and Tubby), Fuzzy Nencka, and many more very good high school athletes, introduced Marshall to the game.

After wearing out their welcome at Liberty Street, the players moved to the Baker Street Courts where on any given Sunday there were teams from Bristol, Barrington, Somerset, Swansea and East Providence eager to play the winners. The final stop were the new courts at Burr’s Hill Park.

This led to the opportunity to play on his first official basketball teams, St. Mary’s in the newly established Church League.  He also played for St. Alexanders CYO team under the direction of Rodney Silvia. Marshall also played in recreational leagues in Bristol, Barrington, Pawtucket and Marshall felt fortunate to be able to be coached by some talented coaches. Bill Willis, Bob McClellan (who corrected my Jump shot), Tom Duffy and Lou Murgo were instrumental in teaching me the game as it should be played. Credit should also be given to Pat Abbruzzi who mentored Marshall throughout his entire WHS career even though he never played for any team that he coached.  Netto played more basketball with him and against him than any other teacher or coach and his guidance was immeasurable during his high school days. 

Marshall was a starter during his entire high school basketball career. At that time there was no freshmen team. He started every JV game as a sophomore and then every game as a Junior and Senior as the point guard for the Redskins.  

Marshall was named Captain during his Senior year. In the fall of 1963, War won a championship trophy for winning the Town of Barrington’s first Holiday Festival. A sore spot to many of their players to this day. 

Netto was proud to lead his Senior year team, a dream team. This team was comprised of these five starters: Peter Babbitt (HOF inductee), Tom Mellor (HOF inductee), Doug Lanzire (HOF inductee) and Roger Araujo,( HOF inductee). And now, with this induction, all five starters are back together again.

An article in the local Warren paper said, “After the 69-45 win over Bristol Friday night, some fans left the Warren gym saying that this was the best team in the history of the school”.

Under Coach Lou Murgo, in his second year, we had a successful season finishing with 8 wins and 4 losses in the division.

Marshall finished the season as the team’s leading scorer averaging 16 points per game and the team’s best foul shooter. Although proud of those achievements, he was the best defensive player, guarding the best player on every opponent despite their size.  This was at a time when defensive statistics were not tallied. Another article in the local Warren paper said, “The chief returnee is Captain Marsh Netto. The team’s sparkplug and leading scorer. Netto is a consistent ball swiper with his hawk-like tactics”.   

Marshall was honored in the post season Providence Journal’s RI All Star League Basketball List and named to the first team All Eastern Division. At the team’s final get together, Coach Murgo awarded Marsh a trophy for the team’s leading free-throw shooter.

Marshall finished his basketball career in his mid 30’s with a broken ankle in Bristol’s Winter Basket league.

Gregory Phillips

Greg Phillips is a notable former high school wrestler from Warren High School in Warren, Rhode Island.

He is best remembered for his performance during the 1977–1978 wrestling season, where he competed in the 275-pound (heavyweight) weight class. During the 1978 Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) state tournament, Phillips earned All-State honors by finishing as the State Runner-Up, falling in the championship match to Damon Finneran of Bishop Hendricken.

His success came during an era of strong wrestling programs in the Bristol-Warren area, before Warren High School later merged with Bristol High School to form the modern-day Mt. Hope High School.

Eliza Rego

Eliza Rego may be the most accomplished track and field athlete to ever attend LaSalle Academy and will enter the Warren Athletic Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.  Eliza was an All State athlete 11 times and went on to an outstanding college career at Harvard University.  She was a member of five All American relay teams, a three-time National Champion in the 4 x mile relay and holds three individual Rhode Island track records. In 2009, she was a member of the Girls Cross Country Rhode Island Catholic Athletic League Middle School championship team setting a meet record for the 2 mile run.  Switching to soccer, she was part of the Nor’easter Academia Under-Sixteen Indoor Divisional Playoff Championship team in 2011.

In 2013 in girls cross country, Eliza was 1st team All State and 1st team All Class A. In the Great American Cross Country Festival she placed 3rd, in the Eastern States Championship she placed 4th and in the New England Championships she placed 7th.  She was named as one of the Girls Cross Country National Scholastic Athletics Foundation Emerging Elite.

In 2014 in girls indoor track she was 2nd team All State in the 1,000, 1,500, 3,000, and 4x400 relay and was part of the RI state championship team. She placed 5th in the New England mile that year.  In girls outdoor track, she was 2nd team All State in the 1,000 and 1,500 and set the RI 5K track record at the Great American Cross Country festival.  In girls cross country, she was 1st team All State and 1st team All Class A and in girls indoor track she was the New England Champion in the mile setting a meet record.

In 2015 in girls indoor track, she was once again 1st team All State in the 1,000 and 1,500 and 2nd team All State in the 4x400 relay and was part of the National Champion 4x1 mile relay.  In girls outdoor track, she was 1stteam All State in the 1,500 and was 1st team All Class A in the 1,500 and 3,000.  In girls cross country, she placed 2nd in Rhode Island, placed 4th in the New England championships and was once again 1st team All State and 1st team All Class A.

In 2016, she was 1st team All State in the 1,000, 1,500, and 4x800 relay in girls indoor track and was named the Indoor Player of the Year.  In outdoor track, she was 1st  team All State in the 800 and 1,500, was 1st team All Class A in the 800 and was 1st team All Central Division in the 1,500.

After Eliza’s distinguished career at LaSalle Academy, she went on to Harvard University where she lettered in 2016, 2018 and 2019 on the girls cross country team serving as team captain in 2019 with Harvard placing first in the regionals that year.  Eliza lettered on Harvard’s indoor women’s track team in 2017 and 2019 and lettered in outdoor track in 2019.

Eliza is currently working as a project manager at Brown University School of Public Health in the center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research where her work primarily focuses on leading qualitative research studies related to improving healthcare for older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and other related dimentias.

Zachary Ziobro

Zach initiated his wrestling career at Kickemuit Middle School and was a member of the Rhode Island Junior High School state championship team in 2005.  That year he also made the baseball Little League Junior All Stars team.  In 2006, Kickemuit Middle School once again earned  the Junior High School state championship, and Zach was the individual state runner-up at 119 pounds as well as the Kids State of Rhode Island individual champion.

As a freshman in high school, Zach achieved  2nd Team All Division Two B honors at 125 pounds in 2007.  As a sophomore, he was 1st Team All Division Two B at 130 pounds and placed second in Division Two.  In 2009, Zach was named 2nd Team All Division Two B at 130 pounds and was the Mount Hope High School Most Valuable Player.  He placed 2nd in Division Two and placed 5th in Rhode Island that year.  As a senior, Zach was the Division Two champion with a record of 22-0 for the season and had accumulated 135 victories in his high school career.  He was the state runner-up at 135 pounds, was 2nd team All State and 1st team All Division Two.   His team was Division Two B and Division Two State Champions.