Women's Basketball | December 19, 2018

NEW CASTLE, Ind. – Sarah (Haynes) Gizzi, a 1998 La Salle graduate and four-year player on the women's basketball team, has been named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame's 2019 girls basketball Silver Anniversary Team, the organization announced Tuesday.
 
The Silver Anniversary Team is chosen annually by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, honoring the top players in the state 25 years after their graduation from high school.
 
Over the course of her career for the Explorers, she tallied 704 points. During the 1996-97 season, she hit 43.4 percent of her 3-pointers, ranking fifth in the nation. She was a two-time All-Big Five selection in Philadelphia and was a team captain her senior year. During her career, she set the Explorers' school record for 3-pointers in a game, hitting seven in a game against Penn in 1996-97.
 
"I am so excited to receive this honor," Gizzi said. "Basketball has been such a big part of my life. I practically grew up in the gym. I have been able to play for some wonderful coaches over the years and have made so many amazing friends along the way. I feel fortunate to have had so many incredible opportunities and experiences because of basketball.
 
"I would like to say thank you to my family, friends, teammates and coaches who were always there encouraging and supporting me."
 
Prior to her time at La Salle, Gizzi was a four-year starter on the girls' basketball team at New Palestine High School. She is New Palestine's career scoring leader with 1,172 points and led the Dragons to sectional championships in 1992 and 1993 and three conference titles from 1992-94. She also holds New Palestine's single-game (36) and single-season (468) scoring records, tallying both during her senior season. Gizzi also had 670 rebounds during her career, playing for longtime NPHS coach Al Cooper, who is now the school's athletic director.
 
Gizzi was named an Indiana All-Star in 1994 - one of two Dragons to be so chosen. She was a first-team ICGSA and a second-team AP all-state selection her senior year. She was also a three-time all-conference and all-county performer as well as being the Hancock County player of the year her senior year. She was also an academic all-state selection and a U.S. Army Reserve national scholar-athlete award recipient. Gizzi was also the NPHS valedictorian in 1994.
 
Gizzi will be honored Saturday, April 27 at the Hall of Fame's annual women's basketball awards banquet, which will be held at Primo Banquet Hall on the south side of Indianapolis. Tickets may be reserved at HoopsHall.com.
 
Currently, she is in her second year as New Palestine's varsity girls' basketball coach, where her teams have posted a 30-8 record. She coached the Dragons to the 2018 sectional title - the program's first in 14 years. The Dragons have clinched at least a share of their first Hoosier Heritage Conference title since 1994 this season.
 
Gizzi teaches math at New Palestine Junior High School. She lives in New Palestine with her husband Mike and their three children.