Rachel Cushman

In November, 2006, the Nazareth College Womens’ Soccer team won its seventh Empire 8 Conference (E8) championship. Three players made the 2006 E8 All-Star first team: senior midfielder Rosie Simiele, sophomore back Ashley Clinton, and sophomore midfielder Rachel Cushman. Rachel wears No. 9.

After three straight years of elimination by shootout after the E8 championship game, Nazareth began the 2006 NCAA Tournament on November 11th, at Elizabethtown, NJ, against Montclair State.

In April, 2007, Angela’s cousin Bob Coniglio, Assistant Principal at Frontier High School, became the eleventh of her relatives to receive the Angela Coniglio Cousins Scholarship, as he works towards his goal as an education superintendent in the Superintendents Development Program, through SUNY Oswego; and on May 24, Christine Domres became the eleventh Amherst Central High School senior girl to receive the Angela Y. Coniglio Memorial Scholarship at ACHS. Christine has been a perennial star on the school’s Section VI championship teams in Varsity Field Hockey and Varsity Lacrosse. She will continue her education at the State University of New York at Fredonia (Fredonia State), where she will be a Special Education major.

           Daisy Timlin was awarded Amherst Central High School’s Angela Y. Coniglio Memorial Scholarship at the school ‘s Awards Assembly on May 22, 2008. Daisy (who has sisters named Ivy and Lily) is an excellent student who starred in Tennis, Basketball, and Lacrosse for the Lady Tigers. She was a four-year tennis player who helped Amherst win the Division II tite in 20007 at second singles. A captain in 2008, she was also a co-winner of the Coach’s Award.

          A three-year member of the varsity basketball program, Daisy was a co-captain in 2008, using her athletic talents to excel as a guard, handling the ball and becoming a defensive specialist throughout her senior season. She contribute 51 points, 31 steals, and 42 rebounds over the winter, and was the recipient of the Coach’s Award and the Dedicated Bob Hettler Award, for the ‘07-‘08 season, appropriate, since Hettler was Angela’s coach.

          Daisy also plays on the Lacrosse team, which won the sectional playoffs, with Daisy scoring five goals. Her personality, enthusiasm, and hard work guarantee her future success at St. Bonaventure University, at Lacrosse, and in her chosen field, education.

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Daisy sent us the following note, which only reinforces our pride in Angela, for inspiring such a fine young lady:

Dear Coniglio Family: I am so humbled by this wonderful honor that words escape me. Angela's contribution to women's sports and more importantly to everyone she touched is beyond inspiring. As I read her life story I just could not believe the similarities between us! How could anyone know that I too had my own unique way of pronouncing words; grasshopper has never been pronounced the same after I renamed them "assgroppers". One of my first songs, Home on the Range, became "where the deer and the ants go to play"; forget the antelopes! Your memories of her childhood are so vivid that it brought all of my wonderful memories back, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. I am always so impressed when I read of women athletes who have made such an impact before Title IX. I have reaped the benefits of Angela, who has allowed me to pursue my love of sports. I am a little nervous and yet very excited to attend St. Bonaventure next year and play lacrosse. My parents have warned me that a Division I school will be challenging, but I can't wait to get started with my new and exciting life of college, lacrosse, and most importantly teaching and coaching. My lacrosse coach, Mrs. Battaglia has always told us that we must give back to the sport that has given us so much, and I can only hope to give back half as much as Angela. Again, thank you so much for this tremendous honor! When I begin school next year at St. Bonaventure, I will think of Angela and try to be true to her spirit and legacy.
	Sincerely Yours, Daisy Timlin
P.S. I wanted you to know that when I received this award, my mom was telling a good friend about Angela. Little did she know that her friend Mary Sinclair McGuire not only lived across the street from you, but also used to baby-sit Angela and Angelo. She remembered your family with great fondness and wishes you the best.

Daisy also made the 2008 WNY All-Star Lacrosse Team. Click here.

          On May 21, 2009, the recipient of the Angela Y. Coniglio Memorial Scholarship at Amherst’s Awards Assembly was Eva Lankes, a multi-sport, multi-year award winner in Women’s Varsity Swim, Women’s Varsity Softball, Women’s Junior Varsity and Varsity Basketball, and Women’s Varsity Softball.

In her Senior year she was the Softball captain as well as captain of the Basketball team that won the Section VI Class A Championship. She has won, among other awards, the Softball MVP and All-WNY honors; the Basketball Tiger Award, and the Bob Hetler award, and has set several Swim records, including the Women’s Varsity Swimming 400-yard freestyle relay, 200-yqard freestyle relay, and the 200 yard medley relay as a Junior, as well as a school record and championship in the ECIC 50-yard freestyle competition.

            Eva has been accepted at Suny Brockport, where she will major in Education and compete on the Swim team. She sent the following note:

                                            May 25, 2009

Dear Coniglio Family,

     I am so very honored to accept this award, and will remember Angela as I am trying to create my own path in life. After reading all of Angela’s stories, I was so inspired by how many people she has touched. She has had an impact on so many people’s lives, on and off the field.

     The one story about her actions after a vandal threw a rock into her car made me laugh. I can’t believe she ran him down and called his mom! All of these stories showed me how much of a beautiful person she was, full of determination and joy.

     Next year, I will be attending Suny Brockport to major in Physical Education and will be competing on the swim team. I will keep Angela’s spirit and competitiveness with me always. Thank you again, this award is important in remembering who Angela was and keeping her memory alive.

     Someday when I am teaching, I hope I will be lucky enough to inspire at least half the amount of people as did Angela.

                                   Sincerely,

                                   Eva Lankes

In June 2009, three children of Angela’s first cousins received the Cousins Scholarship: Alessi Jacqueline Miller (Matt Miller), Lauren Michelle Silvestro (Jean Coniglio), and Amanda Jill Skinner (Ronald Andrew Coniglio). Congratulations to the Class of ’09!