by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Nicole D. Smith’s remarkable record in basketball at Bennett may never be broken. From 1998-2002 she was All High and All Western New York each year, scoring over 1.000 career points. As the old saying goes, “NOT TOO SHABBY!” Adding to her legacy, she also starred on the varsity softball and volleyball teams for all four years. To achieve 12 major letters is truly a legendary feat. In addition to her superlative athletic athletic ability she was team captain twice in basketball and volleyball in 2001 and 2002.
After graduating from Bennett she attended Daemen College and majored in Psychology. She also continued her basketball career at Daemen playing three years on the varsity attaining Honorable mention ALL League in 2003. Smith’s present profession is working as a New York State Corrections officer for the past ten years.
“When I received a phone call telling me that I was going to be inducted into the Bennett High School Sports Hall of Fame I was completely flabbergasted. Words cannot express how thrilled I am to receive this prestigious award,” Smith said.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Roslyn M. Righetti grew up in North Buffalo. Even at an early age it was obvious that she was very athletic and could play almost any sport. Her mother saw that there was a lack of organized sports for girls. She started an unofficial
softball team at Shoshone Park. Unbelievably, twentyfive girls showed up.
1970-74 St. Joseph CYO basketball. Her senior year her team won the Diocesan Championship. 1970-74 Righetti attended Bennett High School and wanted to play organized sports. Unfortunately, there were no organized sports for girls. The schools gym teachers contacted other schools that had girls that wanted to play sports.There were no uniforms, coaches, referees or buses. The girls had to provide their own transportation. This was the beginning of the movement toward organized women’s sports.
1974-1976 Righetti played basketball and volleyball at ECC North and South. Her team was Intramural Sports Champions in Flag Football and Floor Hockey. In 1976 she played basketball at Buffalo State. 1974-1986 Righetti played on the Buffalo Softball League; winning the championship in 1987. 1979-1986 She played billiards on the Black Rock Women’s Billiard League. She coached boys 7/8 basketball at Hertel North Park and Carroll Turner.
Righetti is the owner of Preservation Pub and still lives in the Buffalo area. She will surely be remembered as one of the greatest woman athletes to have ever gone to Bennett High School.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Jennifer was a rare gem among female athletes, having competed on four different sports teams during her tenure at Bennett H.S., achieving All-High status in two. During the fall sports season Jennifer participated in volleyball. she was the team “setter” for the city championship squad of 1982, and team Captain in her senior year of 1984. The winter sports season found Jennifer as a four year member of the swimming team, and was part of a city record setting 200 yard free relay team. She also qualified for the All-High swim meet all four years on the squad. During the spring sports season Jennifer ran track for three years, and played softball her senior year. In track, Jennifer achieved All-High status by anchoring the city record breaking 3,200m. relay team in 1984. Doing all this, Jennifer still was able to achieve the # 9 ranking in the senior class academically.
After high school, Jennifer earned her BA degree in Communications from SUNY Buffalo. She later received her MA degree in education and worked as a Special Education teacher for over 20 years. Not surprising, Jennifer became a very successful girls track coach in West Seneca. Her 10 year coaching career included many NY State meet qualifiers, and a Section VI championship track squad. Jennifer also coached high school girls volleyball for 5 years. Today, Jennifer and her family live in Kenmore, NY.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Kristin played three varsity sports, volleyball, basketball and softball during her three year tenure at Bennett H.S. Interestingly enough, Kristin’s coach for all three sports was her dad Steve Poliachik, a long time coach of girls sports at Bennett H.S. Coach Poliachik got to see first hand, his daughter achieve first team All-High status in each of two sports in both her junior and senior years. In volleyball, Kristin was regarded as an excellent server, once serving 14 consecutive points in a key league match against Hutch Tech. In her best sport, softball, Kristin was second team All-High as a sophomore, and first team All-High as a junior and senior. Kristin was a catcher / first baseman on some very competitive Tiger softball teams. After her senior season, Kristin was selected to participate in the “super Senior All-Star softball game”. Kristin’s high water mark was a lofty .350 season batting average. Her efforts led to a softball scholarship offer from Edinboro State College in PA. Among Kristin’s awards at graduation was recognition from the “West Side Businessmen’s Association” as a top scholar-athlete.
Kristin transferred to Canisius College after two years, and became a teacher. This school year will be her 18th year as a teacher at her Alma Mater, Bennett H.S. Kristin joins her sister Kim as a member of our Bennett Sports Hall of Fame.
