Local roundup: Nocera named volleyball coach at Mitchell

The Day, New London, Conn.
·2 min read

Jul. 5—NEW LONDON — Tony Nocera has been named head coach of the Mitchell College women's volleyball program, it was announced by Mitchell Director of Athletics Matt Finlayson on Tuesday.

Nocera will make his collegiate head coaching debut with the Mariners. He has been as a high school and club team coach in Connecticut.

"We are very excited to welcome Tony and his family to our athletic department and the Mitchell College community," Finlayson said in a release. "It's a huge win to bring in someone with his experience, character and student-athlete-first mentality. We are confident that our volleyball program will grow under his leadership."

Nocera takes over a program that went 6-16 last season and lost in the semifinals of the New England Collegiate Conference tournament. The Mariners graduated only one senior and return the core from that squad for the upcoming season.

"I would like to thank Matt — along with associate ADs Kim Camara-Harvey and Todd Peretz — for the opportunity to lead this program," said Nocera. "We are excited to get in the gym and take advantage of the opportunity to grow, compete and improve every day."

Nocera has spent the past nine years as the head coach of the girls' volleyball program at New Milford High School. His teams won 87 games and qualified for the state tournament five times, including a 12-8 mark last fall. He has also been the assistant for the boys' team at Newtown High School for seven seasons and spent four years as the head coach of the CT Stars Volleyball program.

A native of Bristol, Nocera graduated with a degree in physical education and health from Eastern Connecticut State University before earning a master's in education and athletic coaching from Northcentral University. He currently resides in New Milford with his wife, Nicole, and his children, Josephine and Dame.

District 10 baseball (10-12)

— Waterford beat Ledyard 13-0 on Sunday. Daniel Gelinas had two hits and drove in two runs for Waterford. Kevork Shegirian had Ledyard's only hit.

District 10 baseball (9-11)

— Waterford beat East Lyme 13-0 on July 2. Christian O'Connor, Cam Dlubac and Reily Karasevicz combined to pitch a one-hitter. O'Connor singled, doubled and drove in two runs and Dlubac had two hits. Drew Perkins had East Lyme's hit.