CHS Athletic Hall of Fame

ATTENTION‼️ ATTENTION ‼️

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN for the Concord Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2026 through May 1, 2026!!

While we continue to grow our database, we rely heavily on nominations from our community to help identify outstanding candidates from the past 50 years of Concord athletics. Many of our inductees were brought to our attention by fellow teammates or coaches, and we are grateful to those who took the time to share their stories. Once nominated, candidates remain under consideration in future years. We will be accepting nominations until May 1st, so start gathering all the information on your favorite athlete, coach, team/relay, or community member now!

TO NOMINATE:

STEP 1️⃣: Review our nomination criteria, which can be found here, to ensure your candidate is eligible: https://tinyurl.com/HOFCriteria

STEP 2️⃣: Gather factual and statistical information about your nominee. Start this step early - we know it can take a while! Remember that the more relevant info you include, the better. We will not seek additional info about the candidate if you just submit a name or limited/vague information.

STEP 3️⃣: Fill out the appropriate link for your candidate's nomination, including all relevant information that the committee would need when making decisions:
🏃 Individual Athlete: https://tinyurl.com/HOFAthlete26
👭 Team/Relay: https://tinyurl.com/HOFTeamRelay26
🗣 Coach: https://tinyurl.com/HOFCoach26
👏 Community Member: https://tinyurl.com/HOFCommunity26

2025 CHS Athletic Hall of Fame-thank you to BSD's Mick Austin for always capturing the emotion of the day.

Sneak peek at today’s Induction Ceremony. Today was our largest crowd yet, bringing together an emotional and joyful reunion of Raiders. Thank you to all our sponsors, our speakers, our guests who took great lengths to show up for the people who shaped them when they were athletes. Congratulations! Always a Raider ❤️

🌟 2025 INDUCTEE SPOTLIGHT - 1975 & 1976 GIRLS' SWIM TEAMS 🌟

The 1974-75 and 1975-76 girls’ swim teams were the first State Champions for Concord girls sports and second team in Concord history to win two consecutive championships. The girls’ swim team was coached by Mrs. Carol Wood and assistant Mr. Tom Fagley.
Coach Wood started the girls swim program in 1970. The following years, as the conference expanded, Concord won multiple Conference Championships, but winning a State Championship was not yet a possibility for girls’ teams. The first year the girls were allowed in the State meet was 1975. Concord had many outstanding swimmers, led by Sandra Kupchick who led the team all three years she was at Concord. This was her senior year, and under her leadership, the team was thriving, but a strategic sacrifice on Sandy’s part was necessary to boost the team’s score and win the State meet. Sandy selflessly agreed to leave the 200 Medley Relay’s certain first place finish to swim in the 400 Free Relay and help score points in that event to boost the team’s point count to win the meet. The move worked, with the relay coming in third, and Concord’s first female State Championship was solidified!
The team was dominant again in the 1975-1976 season, winning the conference again with a 9-0 record, 10-1 overall with a loss to Nether Providence in Pennsylvania. Their closest meet was against rival Brandywine High School, a battle for points that repeated itself in the final meet of the season. This year Coach Wood was pregnant, and her due date was around the State meet. Sure enough, she went into labor the morning of the meet, and assistant coach Mr. Fagley had to take over. In spite of, and perhaps because of, Coach Wood’s absence, the girls reached a deeper level of motivation and swam & dove extremely well, scoring points in every event. However, after the morning trials, Concord was behind Brandywine in points. The 400 Free Relay was seeded fourth, but they would need to finish in first to get the points needed to win the meet. They rose to the challenge. The relay swam so well that night that one of the officials asked if the team swam a different four swimmers from the card of eight listed. They had not — they all just dropped an unbelievable amount of time to get the win and set a state record. Concord won the State Championship!

Thank you to the Widdoes family and their generous support of our Athletic Hall of Fame event that takes place this Saturday, October 18. If you know you've been putting off repaving your driveway, patio, or walkway, give them a call and tell them the Concord Athletic Hall of Fame said thanks! 😀 https://www.rswiddoes.com/

Thank you to RAWLAW for generously supporting the Athletic Hall of Fame from the start. Your sponsorship has made this exciting reunion of athletes, coaches, and alumni possible and many, many families thank you.

If you are looking for representation you can trust, contact RAWLAW.
https://rawlaw.com/

🌟 2025 INDUCTEE SPOTLIGHT - DEBBIE CORRADO 🌟

Debbie Corrado helped shape Concord athletics as one of the most impactful coaches and athletic directors in Concord High School history. Her three-decade commitment to student athletics left an indelible mark on countless young lives. Between 1983-2014, Corrado dedicated herself to multiple roles within the CHS athletic program, serving as Boys Tennis Coach, Girls Volleyball Coach, and Athletic Director. Corrado's coaching achievements were nothing short of remarkable. As Girls Volleyball Coach, she compiled an impressive record of 152-82. Her favorite coaching memory was winning Concord's first-ever Volleyball State Championship in 1992 at "The Bob," capturing that historic first state title that established the program's legacy of excellence. Corrado was selected as Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1994 and 2000.
In tennis, Corrado's impact was equally extraordinary. As Boys Tennis Coach, she amassed a stellar 207-107 record while developing numerous talented players. Her team claimed the Delaware Tennis State Championship in 1995, and she was honored as Tennis Coach of the Year in 1985, 1995, and 2000. Additinally, she received the prestigious USTA Middle States Tennis Coach of the Year award in 1995 and The NFHS Mid East Section Boys Tennis Coach of the Year in 2000.
As Athletic Director, Corrado was recognized with DAAD Athletic Director of the Year honors twice, 2006-07 and 2013-14. Concord coaches recall Corrado’s simple philosophy that continues to inspire today: "treat athletes the way you would want to be treated".
Corrado's excellence wasn't limited to coaching — she was an accomplished athlete in her own right. As a high school student, she won the State Championship in 2nd singles, and also earned letter-winning honors in swimming. Her athletic success continued at the University of Delaware, where she was a 4-year letter winner and captain of the tennis team.
Today, Corrado continues her commitment to athletics, serving on the Delaware Volleyball State Tournament Committee. Also, Debbie enjoys playing golf as a member of the Newark Country Club and volunteers at a rabbit shelter. She has continued to support the Raider athletic program and has returned to Concord to celebrate the achievements of many of her athletes, fellow coaches, and friends. Her legacy at Concord High School represents more than wins and championships — it reflects a lifelong commitment to creating opportunities for athletes during an exciting time of their lives.

Special thanks to Rachel and Nelson Whitlock who have long supported our Hall of Fame from the very beginning. With two phenomenal graduated athletes of their own, they still continue to support Raider sports of yesterday, today, and tomorrow! Thank you!

🌟 2025 INDUCTEE SPOTLIGHT - GEORGE VERNON 🌟

George Vernon is one of the most accomplished distance runners in Concord High School history. His achievements on the track and cross country course earned him recognition as Delaware's premier middle-distance athlete.
The foundation for this success was built during his junior year in 2006-2007, when Vernon earned Third Team All-State Cross Country honors and First Team All-State recognition in both Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field. His breakthrough performances included an 11th place finish at the XC State Championship and individual victories in the grueling 1600 meter run, along with anchoring championship relay teams in the 3200 meter relay during both indoor and outdoor seasons. In his senior year, Vernon earned First Team All-State honors in both Cross Country and Track & Field while earning the prestigious Delaware Track & Field MVP award and the coveted Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year recognition. That same year, he claimed the D2 Cross Country State Championship and secured individual state titles in both the 1600 meter and 3200 meter events.
Among Vernon's favorite memories is the indoor track state meets of 2007 and 2008, where Concord was completely written off as contenders but shocked the competition by winning both state championship titles. At the outdoor 4x8 county relays in 2007, they upset heavily favored Salesianum and sealed Concord's team victory. Under the leadership of coach Jeff Langrehr, Vernon learned invaluable lessons about perseverance and hard work. Though recruited to continue running at the University of Delaware, Vernon's collegiate career in track & field was cut short when the program was abruptly eliminated during his junior year. Today, Vernon maintains strong connections with his Concord teammates, routinely running with his 4x8 relay teammates: Mike Tait, Pierce Conlon, and Chris Slate. Currently, George enjoys diving, traveling, and cooking and while continuing his passion for running.

Thank you to our sponsor and Class of 2022 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Jeff Bonsall for making this upcoming Saturday possible!. We are grateful for your annual support. Always a Raider!
https://bonsallbatcompany.com/

🌟 2025 INDUCTEE SPOTLIGHT - YVONNE MILIONIS 🌟

Yvonne Milionis stands as one of the most versatile athletes in Concord High School history, who was exceptional as a dual-sport athlete in field hockey and softball. Under the mentorship of field hockey coach Gloria Schneider and softball coach Wayne Smith, Milionis developed as both an elite athlete and leader early on in her high school career.
She was the first field hockey player at Concord to start on varsity all four years, a feat she also accomplished in softball, and her excellence was constant throughout high school. Milionis was a three-time First Team All-Conference field hockey player. During her junior year, she earned Third Team All-State recognition in field hockey, taking her team to the quarter finals of the State Tournament. In her senior field hockey season she captained the team to a Blue Hen Conference Championship and the quarterfinals of the State Tournament and was awared First Team All-State honors. In softball that same year she was named co-captain, leading the team to a Conference Championship and to the state semi-finals, and she was awarded First Team All-Conference and Firt Team All-State honors for her performance at shortstop, ending the year with a .391 batting average, three homeruns, 26 RBIs, and a .857 fielding average. She was selected for the Senior All-Star Game in both sports. Her accomplishments make her one of the rare athletes to earn top recognition in multiple sports during the same academic year and set the bar of excellence for the field hockey and softball programs that remain today.
Following her high school career, Milionis accepted a scholarship to Syracuse University, where she would continue playing field hockey at a high level. She earned First Team Regional All-American honors in 1989 and 1990, followed by Second Team recognition in 1991. Her offensive prowess established lasting program records. In her junior year, she set the record for points in a career, a record that held until 2012. She currently is ranked fifth place in Syracuse history with 41 career goals and eighth place with 94 career points.
As an adult, she has brought generations of Concord field hockey players together, as she started the Concord alumni teams for New Castle County’s indoor and outdoor field hockey leagues where graduates can still play together now. Today, Milionis resides in Hockessin with her husband Sean and son Trevor, and she works at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Until recently, she continued competing in field hockey and softball leagues with fellow Concord graduates. She enjoys golf with her husband, maintaining her competitive spirit on a different playing surface.