Granby Standout Inducted Into State Field Hockey Hall of Fame

GRANBY, CT — Not only did Ashley Bascetta Fogarty get to celebrate back-to-back state field hockey championships at Granby Memorial High School more than a dozen years ago, she got to do it in the sweetest way imaginable - with family.

The Bears were, and are, coached by her aunt, Sandy Wickman Mason, and her mom, Jody Bascetta. Those same family members, and more, had reason to celebrate again last week, as Fogarty was inducted into the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame as a high school player in a ceremony at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

An excellent player during her first two seasons, both of which saw the Bears finish Class S runnerup to Shepaug Valley, Fogarty burst into the stratosphere as a junior in 2003, a "rebuilding" season which saw Granby post an 8-5-1-1 regular season record.

Seeded a lowly 12th in Class S, the Bears opened tournament play more than an hour away at Darien on a rain-soaked field, and posted a 2-1 upset of the Blue Wave. Fogarty netted both goals, including the game-winner in triple overtime.

Granby got progressively better as the tournament wore on, defeating Nonnewaug in double overtime and Wamogo in overtime to reach the finals for the fourth straight year. No overtime was required in the championship tilt at Trinity College, as the Bears defeated Lewis Mills 3-1 to cap an improbable title run.

Fogarty had six of Granby's eight goals during the tournament, earning Most Valuable Player honors and foreshadowing what would turn out to be an even more impressive senior season.

Granby was in vintage form in 2004, garnering top seed honors with a 13-1-2 regular season record and outscoring opponents 12-1 in four games of the state tournament to capture its second straight Class S championship. Fogarty was again named tournament MVP, and was selected as the first-ever Coca-Cola State Player of the Year.

She was named a National Field Hockey Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Regional All-American in 2003 and 2004, and also participated in Futures, Junior Olympics, the USA U18 Holland Tour, and the USA U18 Vancouver Tour.

After high school, Fogarty was recruited to play at Northeastern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies in 2010. Following graduation and working in communications for several years, she made a career change, going back to school and earning her Associate Degree in Nursing in 2014 from Goodwin College. She has also become a field hockey official, giving back to the sport she once dominated.

In the Hall of Fame program, Fogarty wrote, “Sports taught me that working hard, putting in the time, and being dedicated are the most important components of being successful, not just in field hockey, but also in life.”

Mason, who was Fogarty's presenter at the induction, stated, "As the recipient of the first top state player award, Ashley set the bar for those to follow. Even this past summer at the Nutmeg State Games, 12 years later, she still has IT! I was honored to coach her, honored to be a part of her field hockey journey and continue to be honored to be a part of her life."

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Photos courtesy of Sandy Wickman Mason