WILTON—Connor Bowron and Lauren Davis, two students from Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy in Wilton, were honored recently during the 13th Annual Tyler Ugolyn Memorial Basketball Tournament. The tournament is named in memory of 1993 OLF graduate Tyler Ugolyn, who perished in the 9/11 terrorist attack.
A major highlight of the tournament is the Tyler Ugolyn Awards ceremony. The awards are given to one female and one male basketball player who have displayed exemplary character and sportsmanship on the court, on the campus of the school, and in the community. Recipients of the award exemplify the traits for which Tyler Ugolyn was best known: compassion, teamwork, love of the game, and spirituality.
“The tournament and these awards are a very special tradition at OLF. Connor and Lauren join a long line of past recipients who keep Tyler’s amazing spirit alive,” said Athletic Director Rob Benedetto, who added that over 40 teams had participated in this year’s tournament.
After graduating from Fatima in 1993, Ugolyn attended Ridgefield High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society. He was a McDonald’s High School All-American Basketball nominee and was ranked as one of the top 250 high school seniors in the country. After being recruited to play basketball at Columbia University, Tyler founded Columbia Catholic Athletes and ran an inner-city basketball league for Harlem youth.
A portion of the Tournament proceeds will be donated to the Tyler Ugolyn Foundation. Established after Tyler’s death, the Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to promoting youth basketball programs and the refurbishment of inner-city basketball courts. Courts have been renovated in Tyler’s memory all across the country in conjunction with the NCAA Men’s Final Four, including cities such as San Antonio, Detroit, Indianapolis and Houston.
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy is located at 225 Danbury Road, Wilton CT 06897. Tours are also available by appointment by contacting Stanley Steele, principal at ssteele@olfcatholic.org or calling 203.762.8100.
(Visit www.OLFAcademy.org for additional information.)
