Five Distinguished Individuals Inducted Into Stanner Hall of Fame

View Full Photo Gallery

On Saturday, March 22nd, Archbishop Molloy High School welcomed members of our school community to the Jack Curran Gymnasium in celebration of five distinguished individuals who now claim membership in the Stanner Hall of Fame. Since 1983, Molloy has honored those in our community who have not simply achieved fame, but who have led remarkable lives of faith, honor, service, generosity, and excellence. The men and women selected for induction into the Stanner Hall of Fame exemplify our school motto, Not for school, but for life.

This year, Molloy was pleased to honor longtime Molloy education and administrator Ms. MaryAnn Safrey, renowned Canadian basketball coach Stephen Konchalski ’62, elite varsity soccer coach Andrew Kostel, devoted advocate for the DeafBlind community Joseph McNulty ’64 (posthumously), and lifelong humanitarian and public servant Dennis Lazarus ’71. Each of these outstanding individuals has led an inspiring life, making a positive impact in their profession and on the lives of those around them. 

The first inductee to be honored was Dennis Lazarus ’71, who dedicated 30 years of service to the United Nations. A passionate public servant and humanitarian, whose career included living in a South Korean leprosy village as a Peace Corps volunteer and coordinating international disaster relief programs, Dennis embodies the Marist ideals of selflessness and putting the needs of others before your own. In his remarks, he shared numerous lessons and stories from his travels. “The key lessons I took from Molloy were we all matter, do the right thing, work hard, and persevere. These lessons served me well in my public service career. I visited Indonesia in 2004 after the tsunami, where over 100,000 people died. We were overwhelmed working, helping them, but we were not the ones it was about. It was about the people who were affected by the disaster. Every day we just had to work on and on to try and find solutions to make it better for them ,and little by little we were able to improve their lives.” Just one of many incredible stories, it is emblematic of how Dennis has always given of himself for the betterment of others throughout his life.

Next to be inducted was renowned Canadian basketball coach Stephen Konchalski ’62. Coach Konchalski enjoyed a 46-year career as a nationally recognized coach, including leading the Canadian Men’s National Team and coaching at the Olympics in 1976 and 1984. As head coach of the men’s basketball team at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, he was a fierce leader, coaching the team all the way to the national tournament 13 times. He was named Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Coach of the Year six times, and led the team to nine AUS titles. Coach Konchalski is a member of the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, the St. Francis Xavier University Sports Hall of Fame, and the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame. A man who earned these and many other accolades throughout his life, Coach Konchalski spoke first and foremost of his brother, fellow Stanner Hall of Famer Tom Konchalski ’64. “Tom was one of the most renowned high school basketball scouts in the United States, and moreso was a total gentleman and allowed his faith to guide his career. To join Tom tonight on that wall is one of the special moments of my life.” Coach Konchalski is a co-founder of the Thomas C. Konchalski Foundation, which provides scholarships and other assistance to deserving students.

Our third inductee was the late Joseph McNulty ’64. Speaking on behalf of Joseph was his son Brian, who highlighted his father’s devotion to the DeafBlind community. Joseph, serving as Executive Director of the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults, secured grants to improve services and technology at the center, visited the White House with DeafBlind children to champion national Helen Keller Awareness Week, and traveled from state to state to help grow a national network of DeafBlind specialists. Joseph helped build the center into an internationally recognized institution that served thousands, all the while improving the lives of countless people. Brian McNulty shared, “Molloy taught my dad the values of commitment, fortitude, perseverance, and striving for excellence. They stuck with him. It can be objectively stated that the impact Molloy had on dad was real. It was evident in the lessons he taught to [my sister] Kate and I. It was evident in the career path he took, one of service to a community in dire need.”

Next, Coach Andrew “Andy” Kostel, Molloy’s boys varsity soccer coach of nearly 50 years, took to the dais. Coach Kostel has helped make boys soccer one of Molloy’s most successful athletic programs. His teams have won two NYS titles, 15 NYC titles, and 17 B/Q titles, as well as three consecutive Metro Bowl championships. His outstanding coaching career earned him induction into the CHSAA Hall of Fame in 2010 – the first soccer coach to receive the honor. Beyond the championships, Coach Kostel has been a positive influence in the lives of generations of student-athletes. He has acted as an advocate for scholar athletes, with his work ethic and positivity serving as a model for his players to emulate on the field and in the classroom. During his remarks, Coach Kostel credited his players and assistant coaches, often calling on them to stand for applause. “My coaches taught me the game, they gave me a passion for the game, but more importantly, they taught me the aspect of teamwork. But my induction is mainly because of the players – all the players, for all these years, who worked hard and did the best they could on the field – they’re the ones who really made this work.”

Our final inductee of the evening was MaryAnn Safrey, who served Molloy as a beloved English teacher and administrator for 29 years. She taught across the English curriculum, instilling a passion for literature and learning in generations of Stanners. After 19 years of service, MaryAnn was appointed as Molloy’s first lay female administrator. As Assistant Principal for Academics, she pushed for new and thoughtful courses and electives, as well as the expansion of our Molloy’s AP program, which now features 24 AP courses and counting. In 2018, MaryAnn worked with members of the senior class to co-found GERLL Club, which stands for Girls Empowerment for Real Life Leadership. GERLL Club empowers and encourages female Stanners while driving initiatives to raise money for the Girls’ Leadership Scholarship Fund, benefiting future young women entering Molloy. In her remarks, MaryAnn credited Molloy for giving her “more opportunity than I ever could have imagined in 1991 as, at the time, one of the few women in a male dominated building.” She went on to create new courses that continue to thrive, teach all grades, create liturgies, moderate National Honor Society, run Shakespeare Festivals, and start a Theater Arts & Improv Club. She also thanked Molloy for “giving me a seat around the administrative table, and an opportunity to exercise my voice and air my thoughts,” as well as subsequently approving the creation of GERLL Club to serve as a space for Stanner women to be inspired. “What Molloy has always done best in its classrooms, on its fields, and in its many clubs and activities is to foster and encourage leaders. This room and its many alumni tonight is proof of that. When you train leaders and nurture their sense of mission, integrity, and justice, they go back to their communities to touch infinitely more lives for the better and for the collective good.”