Sayville High School seniors earn two prestigious awards

Sayville High School seniors Sophia Buffardi and Patrick Coan were named the 2026 recipients of the prestigious Butch Dellecave Award, honoring Suffolk County’s top female and male scholar-athletes.

The awards were presented Sunday, June 7, during the 26th annual Butch Dellecave Awards breakfast at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook. This year marked the first time both Dellecave Award winners represented the same school.

Buffardi and Coan were selected from among outstanding student-athletes representing every high school across Suffolk County. The annual awards recognize excellence not only in athletics, but also in academics, leadership, community service and character.

A standout lacrosse, soccer, and track athlete, Buffardi has earned a 102.71 GPA while taking several advanced placement courses and is a member of the National Honor Society. A two-time Newsday All-Long Island first team selection, she helped lead Sayville to the 2024 Class C girls lacrosse state championship, scoring five goals in the state title game. She also scored the winning goal in Sayville’s first Long Island girls soccer championship win in November.

Buffardi has also given back to the community by coaching in youth programs, camps, and clinics, and providing individual instruction to young lacrosse players. She has earned a full athletic scholarship to play lacrosse at the University of North Carolina.

Sayville standout quarterback and centerfielder Coan helped lead the school’s football team to two Suffolk Division III titles and a Long Island Class III championship. Over the past two seasons, he amassed 4,214 passing yards and 54 touchdowns, along with 1,485 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. He also received the Boomer Esiason Award, presented to Suffolk’s top quarterback.

Coan, who holds a 96 GPA, will continue his football career at Lehigh University, where he plans to major in business finance. He has also coached young quarterbacks at youth summer camps and volunteered with Inclusive Sports and Fitness, a local nonprofit that helps children with special needs participate in sports.

“EOC of Suffolk is proud to sponsor the Butch Dellecave Awards in collaboration with the Butch Dellecave Foundation and Newsday,” said Adrian Fassett, CEO of the Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk. “Sophia Buffardi and Patrick Coan represent the very best of Suffolk County’s student-athletes. They have excelled on the field, in the classroom, and in service to others, and we are honored to help recognize their achievements.”

Each winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Dellecave family foundation toward their education.