Sam Coffey, Charlie Murphy, Daymon Yizar and James Santa were selected this week for induction into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame.
They will be honored Nov. 6 during a dinner at the Westchester County Center. For reservations contact Kyle Peterson at kdpe@westchestercountyny.gov or 914-231-4645.
Here’s a quick look at this year class of inductees:
Sam Coffey, USWNT soccer
Coffey is a Sleepy Hollow resident and Masters School grad who started at midfield for the gold-medal winning U.S. women’s soccer team at the Olympics in Paris. She also led Penn State to a Big Ten championship and currently plays for the Portland Thorns of the NWSL.
Daymon Yizar, Rye Neck basketball
Yizar was a big man on any campus. He delivered 34 points and 31 rebounds in the 1977 North Eastern Regional championship game, which preceded the NYSPHSAA tournament. Yizar surpassed 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in high school then played at Wagner. His biggest moment came in Madison Square Garden where he put up 22 points and 12 rebounds against nationally-ranked DePaul. Yizar also refereed for 20 years.
Charlie Murphy, Yorktown lacrosse
Murphy played lacrosse at Princeton (1932-34) then introduced the game to generations. He funded the first program in the Hudson Valley at Yorktown High School and opened the doors of his home to players who came by to have a catch, watch tapes of memorable contests or have a chat with a gentleman of the game. The Huskers are the winningest program in Section 1 history and named the field after Murphy. Yorktown and Lakeland/Panas meet each year and battle for possession of the Murphy Cup.
James Santa, Rye football
Santa was a standout on both sides of the ball for the Garnets, starring at running back and linebacker. He also lettered in basketball and track. Santa went on to play linebacker at Maryland (1971-74) and was in camp as a free agent for a short time with the Giants before heading back to finish up his degree. He took a job as bodyguard for Muhammad Ali ahead of a bout at the Capital Centre and that introduction to boxing led to four decades in the ring, refereeing at the highest level.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Sam Coffey, 2025 Westchester Sports Hall of Fame inductees