– Ryan Vedovelli and Olivia Chrzan Receive Top Honors –
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the recipients of the 14th annual Western Massachusetts Player of the Year awards: Ryan Vedovelli of Pope Francis Prep and Olivia Chrzan of Monson High School.
“Once again, we celebrate the exceptional seniors chosen as Western Mass. All-Stars and congratulate Ryan and Olivia on earning Player of the Year honors,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “We have no doubt that these talented young athletes will continue to make Western Mass. proud as they pursue their basketball and academic careers.”
Vedovelli has been a standout athlete and scholar with an impressive high school career. A four-year varsity starter and two-year captain at Pope Francis, he has averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. Over his four years, he has helped his team win over 70 games and has become a 1,000-point scorer, hitting the milestone with a 25-point performance against Central. Vedovelli earned Pope Francis’ all-time leading scorer and earned Player of the Game honors at the recent Hoophall Classic showcase, scoring 26 points vs. Holyoke. A three-time Western Mass Champion in basketball, he also earned All-Western Mass recognition in basketball, soccer, and baseball. In soccer, he was named Western Mass Player of the Year and led his team to a championship title. Off the court, he maintains a 4.0 GPA and is committed to play basketball at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) next year. Additionally, Ryan is actively involved in Key Club, Special Olympics, and the National Honor Society.
Chrzan has been a member of the Monson Girls Varsity program since her seventh grade year. She was a part of the Monson Girls Basketball team that won the D Varsity Girls WMass Championship in 2019 and 2020, as well as making it to the State Tournament round of 16 and the round of 32 three times. As captain this year, Olivia led a team of mostly eighth and ninth graders to an appearance in the WMass Class D Championship Game and the State Tournament. Olivia holds the Monson High School scoring record for both boys and girls with 2,287 career points. During her senior year, she averaged a double-double with 28 points and 12 rebounds per game, and posted three triple-double efforts (points, rebounds and steals). She has been named to First Team All Western-Mass every year since seventh grade. She is also second in her class with a GPA of 100.5. Her future basketball plans are still undecided.
The Western Mass. Players of the Year will receive their awards during halftime of their respective games at the Western Massachusetts All-Star Game on Thursday, March 20, on the Jerry Colangelo Court of Dreams at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. The first game of the evening will feature the Class C and D boys’ teams at 5:30 PM, followed by the girls’ matchup at 7:00 PM; the final game of the evening will showcase the Class A and B boys’ teams at 8:30 PM.
Tickets for the All-Star Games are available at the Hall of Fame box office on the night of the event. Each ticket provides access to all three games that evening (Adults: $20, Students: $10). Advance tickets can also be purchased online here.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors—both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 475 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com and follow @hoophallclassic.
