Aquinas-Landmark-Winter-2021

21 FAME INDUCTIONS THE DAMBRA FAMILY Family Three generations of the Dambra Family have graduated from the hallowed halls ofThe Aquinas Institute. Aquinas is the embodiment of tradition and excellence as it teaches Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge. Always stressing faith and family, Josephine and Anthony Dambra would be very proud of the accomplishments of their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as they serve in the community as policemen, professors, leaders, lawyers, teachers, medical professionals, accountants, scientists, and engineers. The common thread that defines the Dambra Family is a sense of humility; we are who we are because of the guidance and sacrifices of our parents and grandparents. The Dambra Family humbly accepts the honor of being inducted intoThe Aquinas Institute Hall of Fame. Michael Dambra ’56 • James Dambra ’68 • Neil Dambra ’78 • Joseph Dambra ’81 • Lisa Dambra-DelMonache ’86 • Megan Dambra- Vargulick ’97 • Michael Dambra ’98 • Christina Dambra-Ashrafioun ’02 • Anthony Dambra ’06 • John Dambra ’06 • Bart Dambra ’07 • Nicole Dambra ’07 •Thomas Dambra ’09 • Neil Dambra ’10 • Sarah Dambra ’13 • Gina DelMonache ’17 CHRIS BATTAGLIA ’78 Athletics Chris became head football coach at Aquinas in 1985 and helped lead the program to two City Catholic League Championships. He eventually left to take other coaching positions, but returned to Aquinas as head football coach in 2006. From 2006–2016 Chris’ teams won nine Section V Football Championships, sixWestern NY Football Championships, and four NYS Public High School Football Championships. Four of those teams were rated #1 in the NYS Sportswriters Association (NYSSWA) Football Rankings. The 2015 teamwas rated 14th in the nation in the USA Today Super 25 National Football Poll, the highest ranking of any team in the state ever at the time. The 2013 teamfinished 26th in the nation. In the MaxPreps.compolls from 2006–2016, Aquinas teams landed in the NYS top ten seven times, and finished first in 2013 and 2015. The 2015 teamwas awarded the prestigious 11th annual Max Preps Tournament of Champions Award presented to the top 50 programs in America. In 2014, Max Preps declared Aquinas the most dominant NYS Football Program in the Max Preps era. They earned the honor again in 2020 whenMax Preps named Aquinas the most dominant program in the last decade. Chris received 34 Coach of the Year Awards, was the AGR Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2013, and was named AGR Coach of the Decade for 2010–2020. He wasThe NYS High School Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year three times and in 2015, was namedThe Buffalo Bills High School Coach of the Year, and USA Today NYHigh School Coach of the Year. Chis was inducted intoThe Frontier Field Walk of Fame in 2018. THOMAS R. LOEWENGUTH ’83 Athletics Tom’s love for Aquinas started well before attending the school. He probably did not have a day growing up where he did not either watch an Aquinas sport, play in the fields, or ride his bike in the SistersWoods behind the Basilian House. Tom’s love of sport and competitiveness is mostly why he never went a season in his four years at Aquinas without competing in something. The nine-time letterman was Freshman Fighter of the Night in 1980, he was named to the 1982 All-Greater Rochester Football team, and won the 1983 Section VAAA Long Jump. While Tom is proud of those accomplishments, he will be the first to tell you the main reason he played sports was to be with his friends each day. Aquinas offered Tom so much and he is grateful to his parents for sending him to Aquinas, but to Tom, the greatest gifts he received fromhis time at AQwere the lifelong friendships. After graduating fromAquinas, Tom earned a degree in History from St. John Fisher College. While his plan was to become a teacher and coach, Tom’s father asked him to join his business, the R.G. Loewenguth Co. Inc., where he has worked now for 32 years. MARKMAGLIOCCO ’79 Athletics Mark excelled as an athlete throughout his years at Aquinas earning seven varsity letters. In his junior and senior years, Mark was selected first team All-City Catholic League at quarterback and was a Times Union Super 22 selection. As a senior, Mark was selected to the All-City Catholic League in basketball and was a member of the 1979 AAA Baseball Sectional Championship where he started as catcher. After graduating fromAquinas in 1979, Mark continued his baseball career at Monroe Community College. Mark led his team to a Region 3 Championship andmade first teamAll-Region in 1981. That same year, Mark was the recipient of the David Johns Award. He transferred to the University of West Florida in 1982 and helped lead his baseball team to a regional championship in 1983. Mark has given 30 years of service to Aquinas as a coach, beginning in 1991 with the varsity football team. He has coached under five different head coaches, accumulating ten sectional championships and five state championships. Mark continues to coach JV football at AQ. In 1995, Mark was asked to coach JV baseball under the legendary coach andmentor Rich Pilliter. In 1997, Mark took over the varsity baseball team, where he continued as head coach for the next six years. DuringMark’s first year as head coach, he led his team to a sectional title. After a four-year hiatus, he returned as head coach in 2007 until 2017. During this time he led the baseball program to three more sectional titles and a state title in 2009. Mark was named both All- Greater Rochester Coach of the Year and NYS Coach of the Year in 2009.