2018

Richard Branca (Class of 1965) - Richard played during what has been described as a "Golden Era of Glen Ridge High School sports". A three-sport star, he earned eight varsity letters: two in football, three in basketball, and three in track & field. In football, he was a two-year starter at offensive guard and defensive end. He helped to lead the Ridgers to two undefeated seasons, which enabled them to win Group I State Sectional Titles and North Jersey Conference Championships in 1963 and 1964. Subsequently, he was selected as 2nd team All-Essex County and 1st team All-North Jersey Conference. On the basketball court, his teams won North Jersey Conference Championships in his junior and senior years, along with a Group I Sectional Title his junior year and making the Sectional Final his senior year. During his three-year varsity career, his teams posted a 50-11 record. Along with Bill Stableford, he was co-captain as a senior and named 2nd team All-Conference. In track & field, his specialty was discus throwing, and he contributed to three-consecutive Group I State Championships (1963, 1964, and 1965). As a sophomore he was fourth in the Conference Championship Meet. As a junior, he won the Conference and Group I State Titles, and as a senior he won the Conference Crown and was second in the Group I Meet. When he graduated in 1965, he held the Glen Ridge High school discus throw record at 156-feet, three inches. In 1965, he received the Men of Essex Honor for Scholastic and Athletic Achievement. He matriculated to the University of Colorado, where he received degrees in Architectural Engineering and Business Administration. He has been a successful businessman in New Jersey for more than 40 years.

Ryan MacAvery (Class of 1998) - As a two-sport star player and team captain his senior year in both, Ryan MacAvery has a special spot on Glen Ridge High School history. In basketball, Ryan became a member of an exclusive club in 1998 as a 1,000-point career scorer, finishing with 1,015, as he averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds per game. During the MacAvery varsity years, the Ridgers' basketball teams were 49-19, winning the Colonial Hills Conference Championship in 1997 and 1998, and he was named 1st team All-Conference and Conference Player of the Year, both seasons. As a junior, he was All-State Group I, 3rd team, and as a senior he was 2nd team, All-State Group I and 3rd team All-Essex County. MacAvery was selected to play in the 1998 Hudson County boys basketball All-Star Game. He was a member of the Hamilton College Liberty League mens basketball championship team which played in the 2000 NCAA Division III Tournament. In football, MacAvery was a starting tight end and defensive end for the 1997 Glen Ridge squad, earning 1st team All-Conference Honors.

Mal MacGregor (Class of 1964) - By his teammates, Mal was regarded as his era's most dedicated Glen Ridge High football player, because of his intimidating on-field presence along with his gift for leadership. A-three-year starter, he played tight end on offense and middle linebacker on defense, and was a co-captain in his senior year. Considered to be the heart and soul of Ridgers football, Mal's 1961, 1962, and 1963 teams were 22-1-1, as they were undefeated (16-0) his junior and senior years with two North Jersey Conference Championships. He was recognized with All-Conference and All-State Group I 1st team Honors in his junior and senior seasons. He also was a 2nd team All-Essex County Selection as a senior, and he was named by the New York Daily News to its 1963 All-Star Team. Mal earned a full scholarship to the University of Virginia, where he was a three-year starter at linebacker. In his senior year at UVA, he was captain, MVP and named to the All-Virginia Collegiate Team. He also earned academic recognition having been elected to Omicron, Delta Kappa (National Leadership Honor Society), earned a master's degree at Tulane in Education and a master's degree in Spanish at Catholic University, which he used during a distinguished career as a teacher and coach.

Dan Murphy (Class of 1974) - The "runner life" of Dan Murphy began when he was a child as he was a “fast kid” and would regularly compete. However, it was at the Glen Ridge High School where his running career took off and then subsequently extended well beyond his “Ridgers” running days. For Glen Ridge High, Dan was a sprinter and was dominant in the 440-yard dash as a junior in 1973 and as a senior in 1974, winning the Colonial Hills Conference, the Essex County Meet, the Group I Sectional and the Group I State Meet titles. Murphy was the anchor of the mile relay team, which set a school record with a win at the prestigious Penn Relays. The mile relay team also enjoyed tremendous success with wins at the Colonial Hills Relays, the New York Relays, and the Group I Sectional and State Meets during the 1974 season. As co-captain of the track team in 1974 Murphy lead the Ridgers at the Colonial Hills Conference Meet with an exciting win in the 100-yard dash, breaking the school record with a time of 9.9, setting the momentum for the teams overall conference championship. That team also prevailed in the State Group I Championship that year. Dan still co-holds the school record for the 220-yard dash which he tied as a junior. Murphy was also the co-captain of the GR Cross Country team. Dan went on to a distinguished track career at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Michael Ostella (Class of 1994) - Mike Ostella had three outstanding seasons on state-ranked Glen Ridge High baseball teams. He was a quality player on the mound who pitched to a 6-2 with a 1.84 earned run average and as a shortstop he batted .473 during his sophomore season in 1992, earning him 1st team All-Area and Colonial Hill Conference honors, as the team MVP. He also was selected as 3rd team All-Essex County and 2nd team All-State Group I. As a junior, he was 6-1 with a 1.83 ERA as a pitcher and batted .444 on a team which was 23-2 and won the Colonial Hills Conference and Group I State Championships. That earned Mike the Ridgers MVP Award, 2nd team All-Essex and 1st team All-Conference and Group I State Honors. In his senior year, he batted .457 on a GR team which went 24-2 as Conference Champion, while losing in the State Sectional and Greater Newark Tournament Finals. That put Mike on the first team All-Area, All-Conference, All-Essex, and Group I State squads. Mike also was an outstanding GRHS soccer player, who served as team captain in 1993. He matriculated to Williams College, where he continued his baseball career.

Donna Watkins Tirrell (Class of 1976) - As a student, Donna Watkins could be called a pioneer. In 1973 she was part of a group of Glen Ridge High School female students who formed the first Ridgers' girls track team. She was a member of that team four years outdoors and three years indoors, lettering in all seasons. In 1975, she set a school record in the 440-yard dash with a time of 58.6 at the North Jersey B Championship, after winning the long jump. At the 1976 Colonial Hills Conference meet, she took first place in the long jump, 100- and 220-yard dashes. As a GR senior she graduated with school records in the 100-, 220-, 440-dashes plus the long jump and high jump, which earned her an award as Glen Ridge High School female athlete of the year. She matriculated to Montclair State, where she continued her track & field career.