BY MARK JAFFEE
Committed, confident and competitive. Those three words best describe Maria Conlon’s on-court style and demeanor.
“Maria was a hard-nosed, blue-collar type of player,” explained Fairfield University assistant coach Laura Scinto, who was an assistant coach for two seasons at Seymour High while Conlon was a freshman and sophomore there.
“Maria had a quiet demeanor, but we all knew she was a winner from the very first time she stepped on the court,” recalled Scinto.
Two decades after leading the Wildcats to consecutive state titles and 15 years since helping the UConn women win three national championships, Conlon is back in the basketball arena.
In her first season as head coach at Notre Dame of Fairfield, Conlon, now 37, has guided the Lancers to an 18-1 overall record, the No. 1 seed in the South-West Conference and the top ranking in the state polls.
The Lancers, who haven’t lost to an in-state team yet, host Sacred Heart today at 2:30 p.m. in the regular-season finale.
As a player, Conlon had a winning attitude contagious to those around her, noted former Seymour and Notre Dame coach Eric DeMarco.
“Maria was very goal-oriented and had an inner drive to succeed,” said DeMarco.
“She took great pride and loved getting her teammates involved in the game. She had great leadership that set up the team achievements.”
Conlon was on DeMarco’s staff two seasons ago and became the front-runner to succeed him when DeMarco stepped down last fall. It made for a smooth transition.
How good are the Lancers?
Ask Joe Fortier, Pomperaug’s head coach, whose team dropped a 69-60 decision to the Lancers in mid-January.
“I only knew Maria before this year from being a fan of UConn women’s basketball and knowing her history at Seymour,” said Fortier. “We have played a very tough schedule the past two years, and her team is the most talented team we have played. They’re very versatile and have a lot of depth. They can play an up-tempo game and have many different ways they can beat you on offense. They were very composed and well-coached when we played them.”
Before each game, Conlon stresses to her players the importance of being team-oriented.
“I rotate eight players, and I’m trying to get the kids to buy into that,” said Conlon. “I want the kids to know that as the No. 1 team in the state, that comes with a responsiblity. The bottom line is for them to play to that level. I know that the only poll that matters is the final one at the end of the season.”
Conlon’s communication skills are an invaluable tool with her squad, which is led by sophomore point guard Aizhanique Mayo.
“Every game we have played, I send a different (motivational) quote to the players. The one game we lost to a New Jersey team, I forgot to do it,” recalled Conlon. “We lost and that is put squarely on my shoulders. I’m pretty superstitious.”
Has she received a technical foul this season?
“None yet,” mused Conlon. “I don’t pay much attention to officials. What I have learned is the more mad you get (at them), the less calls you get.”
After Conlon graduated from UConn in 2005 with a degree in finance, she held a graduate assistant job with the Huskies and later coached with her ex-high school coaches, Joe Frager and Scinto, at Southern Connecticut the year the Lady Owls captured the Division II national championship.
“I hated college recruiting,” Conlon said. “It was such a time commitment. What I love about (working in) finance is the flexibility in my schedule. What I love about the high school level is I feel I can make an impact.”
Her parents, Kim and Tim, gave her a solid foundation well before the Derby native arrived at Seymour High.
“My mom and dad always stressed for me to be humble,” said Conlon. “My mom kept me grounded. She was the one who drove me all around for my AAU games and practices while my dad was always Mr. Cool. He lived vicariously through me and has been a great sounding board. He has always given unconditional support and has been my No. 1 fan. My parents come to our games now. That means the world to me.”
Reach Mark Jaffee at mjaffee@rep-am.com or follow him on Twitter@TheRealJaffman.