Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, and Councilwoman Jackie Gordon recently honored North Babylon resident and professional basketball player Bria Hartley by presenting her with the key to the town - only the fifth time this honor has been presented. Bria has displayed excellence on the court as a member of the North Babylon Bulldogs, the UCONN Huskies, and now as a member of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.
Bria Hartley attended North Babylon High School, but started playing on the varsity team while she was still in eighth grade. She continued to be a starter throughout her four years of high school. During that time, the North Babylon Bulldogs had an outstanding record of 81 wins and 13 losses. After high school she was recruited by the UCONN Huskies, where she continued to show her excellence on the court - holding the fourth best record for most assists and points scored in a year for a UCONN senior. Bria was a driving force in UCONN’s back-to-back National Championship victories in 2013 and 2014 and was selected seventh overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft, where she now plays for the Washington Mystics.
Pictured from left to right are Councilwoman Gordon; Supervisor Schaffer; Simone Hartley, mother; Naomi R. Mitchell, grandmother; Nicholas Hartley, cousin; Bria Hartley; Shakim Phillips; Dennis Hartley, father; and Deputy Supervisor Martinez.