The Oliver Ames Hall of Fame inducted the Class of 2024 on October 20 inside the Charlene L. Dalrymple Performing Arts Center at the high school. Below is a list of inductees.

The inductees for 2024 are:

Student-Athletes

• Chris Ryan – Class of 1997
• Laura Daley – Class of 2012
• Emily Grotz – Class of 2012
• Candace Steadman – Class of 2012
• Caitlyn Abela – Class of 2013
• Kendall Andrew Begnaud – Class of 2013
• David MacKinnon – Class of 2013
• Christina Franciosi – Class of 2014
• Michaela Lievi – Class of 2014
• Dan Moverman – Class of 2014
• Cameron Williamson – Class of 2014
• Nick Cidado – Class of 2014
• Jeff Babbitt – Class of 2014

Citizen

• Tom Tufts – Class of 1965

Below is more information on each inductee:

Chris Ryan – Class of 1997

Chris Ryan shone brightly for the Oliver Ames High School football and baseball teams. Chris started three years in football for OA. He was put to good use as a running back, tight end, linebacker, defensive back, and punter. As a senior, Chris was named All Hockomock and Enterprise All-Scholastic. That season, he had 26 receptions for 480 yards and 36 points. On the defensive side of the ball, he made 37 unassisted and 83 assisted tackles, intercepted six passes, and had one fumble recovery. When called on to substitute as a punter, Chris performed well, averaging 45 yards per kick. Among Chris’s best single-game-performances on the gridiron was in a 14-0 win over Mansfield his senior year. In the game, he had four solo and 11 assisted tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Also, his senior year, on Thanksgiving Day, in a 14-6 win victory Sharon, Chris had six solo and four assisted tackles and picked off a pair of passes. A catcher in baseball with stellar defensive abilities, Chris was a Hockomock League All Star as a junior and senior, and added Enterprise All-Scholastic honors as a senior. As a junior, Chris hit .550 with four home runs. His senior year, Chris hit .403 with 17 runs batted in and two home runs. Chris also stole 19 bases on 20 attempts. Following his senior season, Chris played in the prestigious Brockton Invitational Baseball Tournament, an annual event that ran for 33 consecutive years and showcased the top area high school players and was attended by a host of Major League Baseball scouts and members from the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau.

Laura Daley – Class of 2012

Laura Daley dominated the high school track and field scene with a career nothing short of legendary. From the very start, her prowess as a thrower in shot put and discus is undeniable, earning her the title of state qualifier for all four years. Laura burst onto the scene as a freshman, and by her sophomore year, she had already cemented herself as a force to be reckoned with. A three-time state champion at the All-State Freshman-Sophomore Meet, she claimed victory twice in shot put during the indoor seasons and once in the outdoor season as a sophomore, sending shockwaves through the competition. Her dominance didn’t stop there, Laura was a three-time Hockomock League All-Star, a multiple Brockton Enterprise All-Scholastic, and the indoor Division II State Champion in the shot put. Setting records seemed like second nature to her – smashing school records both indoors and out, including an incredible shot put mark of 38’ for the indoor season. Not only did she leave her mark as an individual, but she also was the anchor of a record-setting shot put relay team. Under her leadership, the outdoor team shattered records for both shot put and discus relays. As captain of both the indoor and outdoor teams, Laura epitomized grit, determination, and unparalleled leadership. Her hard work, sportsmanship, and impact on her teammates made her a not only a top-tier athlete but also an enduring role model. Laura graduated from Framingham State University where she pursued her passion for making a difference
by earning her teaching degree in Special Education. She returned to Easton as a Special Education teacher at the Easton Middle School. Alongside her sister Erin, they created and continue to coach the highly successful Easton Middle School Track and Field program, where they nurtured young athletes and built a legacy of excellence. Their coaching has inspired countless students to push their limits, just as Laura once did.

Emily Grotz – Class of 2012

The Oliver Ames High School boys’ and girls’ middle distance running program is among the most storied and accomplished in Massachusetts. And Emily Grotz is among the most storied and accomplished athletes in its annals. Emily also stood out for OA in soccer, another sport in which the Tiger boys’ and girls’ programs rank with the most successful and winning in the state. Emily received, in 2011, the Suzanne Rivard Award given to the top female athlete at Oliver Ames. In soccer, Emily was named an Eastern Massachusetts Girls’ Soccer Coaches’ Association All-Star as a junior and senior; All Hockomock as a sophomore, junior, and senior; and Enterprise All-Scholastic as a senior. She had the most assists in the Hockomock League for the 2009 season. Emily was a key and valuable contributor to the Tiger soccer teams that won a divisional South Sectional title in 2011, reached the South Sectional final in 2008, and won the Hockomock title in 2008 and 2010. Competing in the 1,000-meter for the Tiger indoor track and field team, Emily won the All-New England title as a sophomore, and Massachusetts Division 2 championship as a junior. She won two Hockomock titles in the 1,000 and holds the league and school record for the distance. Emily ran a leg on the OA team that won the 4 x 400-meter relay in the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association (MSTCA) Division 2 Relays. As a junior during the indoor season, Emily was undefeated in the league at 300 meters, 600 meters, 1,000 meters, and the mile. In varsity indoor track & field, Emily’s performances earned her Boston Globe All-Scholastic and Boston Herald All-Scholastic as a sophomore, and All-Hockomock and Enterprise All Scholastic as a sophomore, junior, and senior. In the spring, Emily’s specialty for the Tiger outdoor track and field team was the 800-meter run. She finished 19th at 800 meters in the 2010 Nike Outdoor Nationals. Emily took first place that season at 800 meters in the Hockomock League championship meet. Also in the outdoor season, Emily ran on the OA 4 x 800-meter relay team that finished first in the MSTCA Division 2 Relays. Emily holds the OA 800-meter school record. Emily attended Dartmouth College where she ran for the Big Green varsity track and field team.

Candace Steadman – Class of 2012

Candace Steadman is among the most accomplished and talented three-sport athlete in the annals of Oliver Ames athletics, producing and delivering excellence and achieving high honors across the sports of volleyball, basketball, and track and field. A member of the 2010 OA girls’ basketball team that won the MIAA Division 2 state championship and is enshrined in the OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame, Candace now enters the Hall for her individual exploits. Candace received the Suzanne Rivard Award which is conferred on the most valuable female at Oliver Ames. Candace, a captain of the volleyball team as a junior and senior, she recorded more than 200 kills and 100 digs in each of those seasons. For those seasons, she had a combined 78 service aces. Her senior year, she registered 91 blocks. For her senior year in volleyball, Candace was named Boston Globe All-Scholastic, Enterprise All-Scholastic, and All Hockomock. Candace was also All Hockomock in volleyball as a junior. Candace shone for the Tigers in basketball. Her senior year, she was a captain for the OA team that won the Hockomock League Davenport Division title. Candace led the league in scoring 15.7 points per game; she was named Boston Globe All Scholastic, Enterprise All Scholastic, Hockomock League MVP, and HockomockSports.com Girls Player of the Year. In track and field, Candace scored points for the Tigers in the triple jump, long jump, 400-meter hurdles, and as a member of the 4 x 100-meter relay team. She holds the OA school record in the triple jump at 36-8.25. In track and field as a senior, Candace made All Hockomock (for winning the triple jump in the league championship meet), and in the Eastern Massachusetts Division 2 championship meet, she won the triple jump and finished eighth in the long jump. Candace went on to a successful career in volleyball at Towson State University where she served as a team captain and was named to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) second team.

Caitlyn Abela – Class of 2013

One could say that Caitlyn Abela emulates her mother, Diann (Reynolds) Abela, in a most appropriate and fitting manner. Like her mother, Caitlyn starred in basketball for OAHS and went on to success in playing at the collegiate level. And now, Caitlyn joins her mother in the Oliver Ames High School Athletic Hall of Fame. A 1000-point career scorer for the Tigers, Caitlyn made her mark early for the OA hoops team. Indeed, her freshman year, she scored the final basket in OA’s 50-31 win over Milbury in the Division 2 state championship final. Caitlyn, who played forward and was a Tiger team captain as a senior, made three consecutive (sophomore through senior years) Hockomock League all-star teams. For her senior season, in which she averaged 20.9 points per game, she was named to the USA Today Massachusetts All-State Team, Boston Globe All-Scholastic Athlete of the Year, Boston Herald All-Scholastic Dream Team, and Hockomock League MVP. Caitlyn received a full athletic scholarship to the Sacred Heart University in Connecticut where she had seven starts as a freshman. Following her freshman year at Sacred Heart, she transferred to Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. Caitlyn was a standout at Saint Anselm. From her sophomore year on, she started every game for the Hawks (83 games) and finished her career with more than 1,000 points. Caitlyn served as team captain her senior year. When Caitlyn Abela left the court for the final time for Saint Anselm, her career stats ranked her 14th in school career scoring average (11.5), second in three pointers made (199), fifth in three-point-goal percentage (.357), third in free throw percentage (.838), and 12th in blocked shots (57). Among Caitlyn’s top scoring games for the Hawks was her senior year against Daemen University when she scored 23 points, including six triples – and a 30-point output against St. Michael’s College her sophomore year.

Kendall Andrew Begnaud – Class of 2013

Kendall Andrew’s soccer legacy is nothing short of remarkable. As a 2013 graduate of Oliver Ames High School, she did not just play the game – she dominated it. A force to be reckoned with on the field, Kendall’s skill was undeniable. Four varsity letters, 60 career goals, and 23 assists tell part of her story. The rest? A laundry list of accolades: four-time Hockomock League All star, three time Hockomock League MVP, Enterprise News Player of the Year as a senior, and a four year streak of named to the Eastern Mass 1st team, Boston Globe All-Scholastic honors in 2011 and 2012 as well as the All-New England team. But her success wasn’t confined to high school fields. On the club level, Kendall was a cornerstone for the Scorpions Soccer Club, where they won six championships. Her efforts propelled the team to three regional titles and even a national finalist appearance – an almost mythic journey to the top of youth soccer. Her name became synonymous with greatness. And her story didn’t end with high school. At Division I Providence College, Kendall brought the same fire, continuing to inspire teammates and leave her mark in collegiate soccer, appearing in 51 games over her four years. Her sophomore year, she received the “Why Not Me” award- for the most improved player and always putting the team first. Her dedication, drive and hunger for excellence set her apart, etching her name into the annals of Oliver Ames soccer history. Kendall is currently a Physical Education teacher in Attleboro, and has come back to OA as an assistant coach for the girls soccer team.

David MacKinnon – Class of 2013

June 18, 2022, is a historic date in the history of Oliver Ames High School athletics. For it was on that day that something immense and momentous happened that had not happened prior – and that was that a graduate of OAHS took to the field to play in a Major League Baseball (MLB) game. The graduate, Class of 2013, was Dave MacKinnon; the uniform he wore was of the Los Angeles Angels, and the place was Angels Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. After five years in the minors, Dave MacKinnon – a 32nd round pick out of the University of Hartford in the 2017 MLB draft – was starting at first base in the “Big Show,” and batting clean-up behind two of the sport’s superstars: Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. At Oliver Ames, Dave MacKinnon was a blue chipper in soccer and baseball. Over four years, beginning as a freshman, Dave started in goal 75 of 76 games for the OA soccer team, registering a 0.32 goals-against average and 45 shutouts. He served as a team captain as a junior and senior. Dave was stellar in the spring for OA. A left fielder and pitcher for the Tigers, among his career stats are .435 batting average and a school record 115 hits. During his time at OA, Dave was named All American in soccer – and, for both soccer and baseball, Boston Globe All-Scholastic, Boston Herald All-Scholastic, Enterprise All-Scholastic, All-New England, Hockomock League MVP, and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year. At the University of Hartford, Dave did what few have done in modern times: start and excel in two sports at the NCAA Division 1 level. As a goalie for the Hawks, Dave made the America East All-Conference Second Team (2014), American East All-Rookie Team (2013), and America East All-Academic Team (2014 and 2015). He set the school record for most shutouts (9) in a season (2013). Dave ranks second (19) in career shutouts for the Hawks. Dave played first base in baseball for Hartford. He had career stats of a batting average of .359 and an on-base-percentage of .433 (.471 as a junior). Among his collegiate honors in the sport were America East Player of the Year (2016), America East All Conference Second Team, America East All-Rookie Team (2014), and America East All-Academic Team (2015, 2016, and 2017). Dave played two seasons in the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star. After playing for the Los Angeles Angels through June and July 2022, Dave was picked up on waivers by the Oakland Athletics. He played six games for Oakland. For the 2023 season, Dave played for the Saima Seibu Lions in Japan and in 2024 he played for the Samsung Lions in South Korea. He will be playing winter ball in Puerto Rico starting in November.

Christina Franciosi – Class of 2014

Christina Franciosi was a standout athlete in the sprints and long jump for the Oliver Ames High School indoor and outdoor track and field teams. Christina also played varsity soccer for OA for three years. But of course, it was in track and field where she particularly shone. For her junior and senior years, she was a team captain and Hockomock League all-star for both the indoor and outdoor seasons. As a junior, Christina set a school record in the indoor long jump with a leap of 16-4. The following spring, she improved on that mark, and on the OA outdoor long jump record, with a 17-2 performance. Also, during her junior outdoor track and field season, she set the school mark in the 100-meter hurdles at 15.1. In indoor track and field as a senior, Christina finished third in the 55-meter dash at the state championship meet and earned Enterprise All Scholastic recognition. That year, during the outdoor season, she was undefeated in the Hockomock League in the 100-meter hurdles and finished 10th in the state pentathlon while anchoring the Tiger squad that took second place in the team pentathlon competition. Christina went on to Boston College where she was a varsity letter winner for the Eagles track and field team, competing in the sprints and long jump for three seasons both indoors and outdoors.

Michaela Lievi – Class of 2014

Michaela Lievi epitomized the standout multisport athlete for Oliver Ames High School, starring for and contributing in a major way to the Tiger volleyball, basketball, and outdoor track and field teams. A member of the National Honor Society, Michaela received the Suzanne Rivard Award in recognition of being the outstanding female Tiger senior athlete. Consider Michaela’s excellence across three sports her senior year. In volleyball, she served as a team captain while earning All-Hockomock and Enterprise All-Scholastic honors. That season, her 88 aces led the Hockomock League; she also had 271 assists and 115 kills. It was then on to the basketball court where Michaela averaged 14.8 points per game while shooting 67 percent on two-point shots and 34 percent from three-point territory. Her play earned her selection to the All-Hockomock team. During the spring, Michaela was the Hockomock League champion in the javelin and finished seventh in the state heptathlon, a performance that anchored the Tigers winning the heptathlon team competition. Michaela holds the OA javelin record with a throw of 123-10, and her top score of 3,599 in the heptathlon is the second best in school history. Track and field may be considered Michaela’s signature sport. Evidence of her strength and versatility in this sector of athletics can be found in a stretch near the end of the outdoor season her junior year when at the Hockomock championship, she finished second in the javelin, fifth in the 400-meter hurdles, and ran a leg on the Tiger 4 x 400-meter relay which took fourth place. Michaela was a three-time Hockomock All-Star and two-time Enterprise All-Scholastic in outdoor track and field. Michaela went on to a stellar track and field career at Assumption where she was a consistent scorer for the Greyhounds in the javelin and 20-lb. weight throw and served as a team captain as a senior. Among her top collegiate finishes were fourth place in the javelin at the 2016 and 2017 Northeast-10 Conference outdoor championships.

Dan Moverman – Class of 2014

In the long and distinguished history of Oliver Ames High School middle distance running, Dan Moverman is one of the program’s best and most accomplished athletes. Dan continues a family legacy of excellence in the sport at the school as he joins his brother Michael who graduated from OA in 2009 and was inducted into the OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022. The leading Tiger middle distance runner as a junior and senior, Dan was a six-time Hockomock League All-Star (earning the honor in cross-country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field for his junior and senior years), and an eight-time Enterprise All-Scholastic (three times in cross-country, three times indoors, and two times outdoors). As a senior, Dan captained the Tiger cross-country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams and was named the OA Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year During his senior year, Dan finished second in the Eastern Massachusetts Division 3 cross country meet; finished second in the mile at the Eastern Massachusetts Division 3 indoor championships; won the two-mile in the Eastern Massachusetts Division 2 outdoor meet; and finished third in the two-mile in the New England outdoor championships. As a junior, Dan finished second in the Hockomock League cross-country championship meet and eighth at the Eastern Massachusetts Division 3 meet. Also, as a junior, during the indoor season, he finished fourth in the mile in the Eastern Massachusetts Division 2 meet, eighth in the mile in both the Auerbach All State and New England championships. In outdoor track his senior year, Dan finished seventh in the Eastern Massachusetts Division 2 meet. While competing for OA, Dan’s best times were 1:58 for 800 meters, 4:25 for the mile; 9:23 for 3,000 meters, and 15:58 for 5,000 meters. Recruited by Boston College, Dan went on to be a valuable point scorer for the BC cross-country and track and field squads. His personal best collegiate times were 4:21 for the mile, 8:40 for 3,000 meters, 14:57 for 5,000 meters, and 25:44 for 8,000 meters.

Cameron Williamson – Class of 2014

Cameron Williamson had a stellar career for Oliver Ames High School in football and track and field. He went on to stand out in both sports at Bridgewater State University. Cameron played running back and defensive back for the Tiger football team and was named an All Hockomock Honorable Mention as a senior. In the spring, Cameron was a go-to scorer in the field and on the track. As a senior, his accomplishments included, in the triple jump, setting a new school record in the outdoor triple jump at 44-7.5, winning the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association (MSTCA) Invitational outdoor meet, being named Enterprise All Scholastic and All Hockomock, and finishing sixth in the New England championship meet which earned him All New England honors. Cameron was a member of the Tiger team that won the triple jump and finished second in the 2014 MSTCA outdoor relays. He also ran a leg on the OA 4 x 200-meter relay that set the school record. A three-year starter at defensive back, he captained the Bears team as a senior. His junior year, he was a key member of the BSU team that won the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Association (MSCAA) championship and qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament for the second time in the school’s history. Cameron finished his BSU gridiron career with 113 tackles (four of those for losses) and four interceptions. While competing for BSU in track and field, Cameron was named NCAA Division III All New England in the indoor and outdoor triple jump three consecutive years. He was the MSCAA champion in the indoor triple jump and outdoor triple jump in 2017 and 2018. Cameron ran on the Bears 4 x 100-meter team that won an MSCAA title in 2016.

Nick Cidado – Class of 2014

At Oliver Ames High School, Nick Cidado established himself as one of the top football quarterbacks in the history of the school, capping off his gridiron prep career with a senior season in which he stewarded the Tiger offense as the team achieved the program’s first regular undefeated season since 1964, and made it to the state class semifinal. During that senior campaign, in which the Tigers finished 10-1, Nick threw for 2,003 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushed for 305 yards and four scores. His performance that season earned him the following honors: Hockomock League Davenport Division MVP, All Hockomock, Boston Globe All-Scholastic, Boston Herald All-Scholastic, Enterprise All-Scholastic, and selection to play in the Annual Shriners All-Star Football Classic (in which he took the field along with his Tiger teammate Colin Lozzi). Nick was a three-year letterman for the OA football and basketball squads (in hoops, he was a small forward for the Tigers) and served as captain for both teams his senior year. At Bridgewater State University, Nick played quarterback and lettered for the Bears and was named to the 2015 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference All-Academic Team. Nick is a leading and highly renowned strength and conditioning coach who has worked with and mentored athletes across the ranks from professional to youth level. The assistant strength and condition coach for the Boston College varsity athletics program, Nick is the author of the acclaimed book, “Sweat More During Peace, Bleed Less During War: Preparation Tactics that Generate Success.”

Jeff Babbitt – Class of 2014

Jeff Babbitt was a solid contributor to the Oliver Ames High School basketball squad for which, as a tenacious and effective rebounder, he earned two varsity letters and was named a Hockomock League all-star his senior year. And, yet, it would be in another sport – one that OA offered as a club but not at the varsity team level – where Jeff would go on to achieve national distinction and high acclaim. For Jeff Babbitt is a professional ultimate frisbee player, a sport in which he ranks among the best and most heralded performers in the United States. Jeff played on the Oliver Ames ultimate frisbee club team. He went on to play at the collegiate level where he earned a slew of honors. Following a year at Wentworth Institute of Technology where he played club ultimate frisbee, Jeff transferred to the University of Massachusetts Amherst and earned a spot on the school’s varsity ultimate frisbee team. He quickly became a star. During the 2014 season, his first with the Minutemen, Jeff led the team to its first NCAA tournament birth since 1986. For the 2014 through 2016 seasons, Jeff was named first team all-region and New England defensive player of the year. He was named the 2015 New England player of the year. Jeff’s collegiate play caught the eye of the professional ranks, and soon after graduating from UMass, he was acquired by the New York Empire of the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL), which is now called the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA). Jeff Babbitt is truly a franchise player for the New York Empire. A captain of the squad every year since 2017, he stewarded the Empire to league championships in 2019, 2022, and 2023. He was named first team All AUDL in 2017, and AUDL MVP in 2023. Jeff also earned second team All AUDL recognition in 2021 and 2022, and All AUDL Defensive Team honors in 2019. He currently plays for Boston Glory where he was named to the UFA 1st team All-UFA and the UFA MVP for the 2024 season.

Tom Tufts – Class of 1965

Tom Tufts was a valuable contributor across multiple sports for Oliver Ames High School. But OA was just part one of what would be an extraordinary career as an athlete, coach, and athletic administrator. The second part of that career began when he was freshman year at the University of Massachusetts Amherst when he was introduced to lacrosse, a sport that would not be offered at Oliver Ames until about 35 years later. UMass men’s varsity lacrosse coach Dick Garber encouraged Tom to try lacrosse – which Tom did, with great success. Indeed, Tom became one of the best collegiate lacrosse players in the country. A member of “Garber’s Gorillas,” he was a midfielder and served as tri-captain of the 1969 Minutemen team that went undefeated. He was named All American. After graduating from UMass, Tom commenced 23 years of service in the United States Army. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1991. He then began a new career – as a high school guidance counselor and boys’ lacrosse coach at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia. Tom Tufts built and stewarded a lacrosse powerhouse at the school, and in a geographic area of the nation that is the most competitive in the sport at the prep ranks. In his 14 years as coach of the Robinson Secondary School Rams, his teams won seven state championships and compiled a record of 185-36-1 (.837). Tom was twice – in 1991 and 1992 – named Virginia Northern Region Coach of the Year. He was nominated for the award in subsequent years but deferred the nomination to other coaches. Sixteen of Tom’s players were named high school All-Americans. Many of his players went on to success at the collegiate level. His 1994 team – ranked 14th in the nation – produced eight players who captained lacrosse squads in college. Tom Tufts was a true ambassador for the sport. He created and instituted the All-Region Academic Team for Northern Virginia high school lacrosse, and developed coaching seminars and clinics, including two regional sportsmanship clinics.