Schools
Simsbury Native, WCSU Coach Killed In Crash: Officials
Sean Salisbury, 30, who played football for Simsbury High School, was killed in a one-car crash this weekend.
SIMSBURY, CT — A Simsbury High School graduate who was a member of the Western Connecticut State University football team coaching staff died in a car crash over the weekend, according to school officials.
Sean Salisbury, 30, the defensive backs coach for the WestConn team since 2020, was killed in a one-car crash on Mill Plain Road on Sunday morning.
"Coach Salisbury loved his players and was loved by his players as much as I have ever seen," said Joe Loth, coach of the football team. "He is going to be so missed within our football team. We want to wish his family our deepest sympathy and hope they truly understand what a tremendous impact he had on us as coaches and our players."
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Salisbury joined the WestConn football staff in the spring of 2020 as the defensive backs coach. Before coming to WestConn, Salisbury spent two years as the defensive coordinator at Coventry High School in Rhode Island, where he also served as the linebacker and running backs coach.
Salisbury played his high school football at Simsbury High School in Connecticut and played football at Castleton University in Vermont. He served as an assistant coach at Castleton and at his high school.
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Peter Bencivengo, a player on the WestConn team, was directly coached by Salisbury.
"He was one of the hardest working guys I knew and his passion for coaching resonated with all of us," Bencivengo said. "He left an impact on this team that we will take with us for years to come. I am blessed to have known him and to have been coached by him. We loved having him be a part of the family and we will miss him tremendously."
A wake will be held Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tariffville, CT. The funeral will be held Saturday at 11 a.m., also at Trinity Episcopal Church.
"Losing a member of our university family is always difficult," said WCSU President John B. Clark. "Sean will be greatly missed but certainly remembered for his outstanding work with our student athletes."
Written By Rich Kirby/Patch Editor
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