Julie (Ryan) Halloran, former three-sport coach at Swampscott High School, was inducted into the New Agenda-Northeast Hall of Fame on Sunday at Woodland Golf Club in Newton.
Halloran, who is also in the Salem High and Swampscott High halls of fame, was recognized for her career as an athlete, coach and official. A three-sport standout at Salem High, where she was among the first female recipients of an Agganis Foundation scholarship, she earned a basketball scholarship from Northeastern University, where she also played field hockey for two years. She coached field hockey, basketball and softball at Swampscott High, and basketball at Saugus High over the course of 20 years.
As basketball coach at Swampscott from 1989-2001, she compiled 184 wins and back-to-back MIAA North sectional championships, earning Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors. Her teams won two Northeastern Conference championships and qualified for the state tournament 12 of 14 years. She worked as a middle-school physical education teacher in Swampscott for 35 years, the majority of them alongside the late Frank DeFelice.
For the last 20 years, Halloran has officiated field hockey and lacrosse at the high school and college levels. She was inducted into the Salem High Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Swampscott High Hall of Fame in 2021.
“I am honored to join this year’s inductees and those who have come before us,” Halloran said. “As someone who has been involved in women’s sports as a player, coach and official for a long time, I appreciate that there is an organization like New Agenda that shines a light on people who have played a role creating opportunities for student-athletes. I’m proud to have contributed in some way.”
The New Agenda-Northeast was founded in 1986 by Mary Lydon, Mary Pratt and Mark Colon, and the Hall of Fame was established in 1988. As of this year, 538 women have been honored for their commitment and contributions to women’s sports.
