Middlebury College

The late Sam Guarnaccia, a member of the Class of 1930, was a two-way standout for the Panthers on the football field and was a program record holder in track and field. 

Guarnaccia played in both the offensive and defensive backfields, excelling on both sides of the ball. In his junior and senior seasons, he scored nine of the team’s 11 touchdowns, including an 85-yard interception return against rival Vermont. That touchdown capped off a 19-0 win for the Panthers and earned them the state championship.

In track and field, Guarnaccia was a consistent scorer for the team in both the shot put and discus. In his final two seasons, he recorded nine first-place finishes and took second three times. At the end of his track and field career, Guarnaccia held the program records in both the discus (127'4") and the shot put (38'2").

After serving in the military, Guarnaccia eventually returned to the College in 1940 and held various roles until his retirement in 1976. During that time, he spent 22 years as the dean of the School of Spanish and 25 years on the sideline serving as a member of the football coaching staff.