Alphabetical Inductees

The 1944 Football Team - The 1944 football team is one of the greatest team in GRHS history - in any sport. They won the conference championship and the Group I State Championship, shutting out five of their eight opponents. In front of a crowd of 7,500 at Hurrell Field, Glen Ridge defeated previously undefeated (and eventual group IV champs) Montclair HS 14 - 7. This was a monumental small school vs. big school victory. Without a doubt this is one of the single greatest victories in school history. The Newark Sunday Call awarded the 1944 team the annual State Championship Trophy naming Glen Ridge as the best team in the state of New Jersey.

The Glen Ridge Athletic Association - (Meritorious Service) Founded in 1956, 2006 marked the 50-year anniversary of the Glen Ridge Athletic Association (GRAA). For 50 years, the GRAA has been the training ground for the majority of the outstanding athletes that have passed through the Glen Ridge High School Athletic Program. This all-volunteer program has worked hand-in-hand with the high school coaches to ensure that the youth of Glen Ridge is prepared for high school competition and has had a dramatic impact on the quality of all Glen Ridge High School athletic programs. The GRAA has been a driving force behind the creation of new programs such as soccer and lacrosse at the High School level, and perhaps most importantly, this organization has been at the forefront of the advancement of athletic opportunities for females. The success of the GRAA is both unique and unmatched in the field of local youth athletics.

Fred Alworth (Class of 1959) - Fred Alworth only spent two years on the playing fields of Glen Ridge, but he accomplished an incredible amount in such a short period of time. He entered Glen Ridge High School in his junior year and earned varsity letters in football, and baseball, and was the sixth man on the 1957-58 Glen Ridge State Group I championship basketball team. In his senior year, he was the starting fullback on the football team which was undefeated and North Jersey, Group I, Section 2 State Champion. That winter, he was a starting guard/forward on the Glen Ridge team which was runner-up in the State Group I Tournament. During Alworth's senior baseball season he staked a claim to the title of the greatest pitcher in Glen Ridge High School history. He posted a 10-0 record and a 0.03 ERA with 133 strikeouts including two no-hitters and five one-hitters for a 19-2 team which won conference and North Jersey, Group I, Section 2 championships. He was named first-team All State (all groups), something few Glen Ridge athletes in any sport have ever accomplished. After high school, he attended Villanova University for a year after which he signed a pro contract and pitched five seasons of pro ball, advancing as high as the Double-A level.

Peter Anderson (Class of 1981) - Championships, Peter Anderson was all about championships. All totaled, Anderson won fourteen individual or team championships as an outstanding three sport star at Glen Ridge High School while competing in football, wrestling and track & field. On the wrestling mat, Anderson was a district champion at 188 lbs. in 1980 and earned All- Conference status in 1979 and 1980. In Track and Field, Anderson was a three time conference discuss champion, and in 1981 he won not only the conference championship, but the district, sectional and NJ Group I championship as well. As if that was not enough, he also won the district, sectional and NJ Group I Championships in the shot put that year. On the gridiron Anderson was a tremendous leader, and his combination of size and quickness made him a dominating two way lineman. In 1980, the co-captain led the football team to the NJ Group I Section II State Championship garnering All-Conference and All-Essex County recognition. Anderson went on to a superb football career at the University of Georgia. As a captain, he was named all-conference and Kodak, Sporting News, and AP 1st team all-American in 1985.

Robert Baumler (Class of 1945) - Bob Baumler was an outstanding three-sport star for Glen Ridge High School. Excelling even as a freshman, Baumler earned varsity letters as a ninth grader in football, basketball, and baseball. He went on to earn 11 total varsity letters in those sports. On the gridiron, Baumler was a major contributor on offense and defense and a team leader during a golden era of GRHS football in the early 1940's. On the hardwood, Baumler helped spark the team to the Suburban Conference Championship and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Group I Championship in 1944. It was on the baseball diamond that Baumler shined the brightest. A shortstop who hit with power, legend has it that one of his home runs landed well beyond the water fountain in centerfield at Hurrell Field, approximately 500-feet from home plate. Baumler went on to an Ivy League career at the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a degree from the Wharton School of Business while playing basketball and baseball. Out of college, he was signed by the Boston Red Sox and he played three years of minor league baseball with the organization.

Jackie Buttitta Cerone (Class of 2001) - Jackie is among the greatest players in the history of Glen Ridge Girls Basketball. She was a four-year starter who scored 1,212 total career points and earned four varsity letters. As captain of her team senior year, she led her team to the Colonial Hills Conference Championship in 2001 with a 24-3 record. Jackie was selected first-team All-Quad 1998-2001, All-Area in 1999 and 2000, and All-County and All-State for Group 1 schools in 2001. Jackie competed with heart and enthusiasm. She was a team leader who earned tremendous respect from her coaches and teammates. An excellent all-around athlete, Jackie was as dynamic on the tennis court. She earned four varsity letters and was a member of the All-Quad team in 1997 and 1998 and All-Colonial Hills Conference in 1999 and 2000. In addition to her incredible athletic achievements, Jackie was also outstanding academically. Upon graduation, Jackie attended Cornell University where she continued her basketball career. Jackie earned her masters degree in social studies from Columbia University. Jackie has returned to her roots of Glen Ridge High School, where she teaches Social Studies.

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.

Drew Brown (Class of 1986) - Drew Brown was the model of a student-athlete, playing Varsity basketball all four years and Varsity football for three years. During his junior and senior years, the GRHS Basketball Team went 41-8, a record that reflected Drew’s hard work and quietly effective leadership. In his junior year, he helped lead the basketball team to a Conference Championship. As a senior co-captain, he achieved 2nd Team All-Conference. However, he was most proud of the role he played in the team’s achievements during his senior year – Conference Champions, Sectional Champions and Group 1 State Runner-Up. Drew’s most stand-out performances, however, came on the football field. As a 3-year letter winner, he helped the team to a Conference Championship in 1984. Drew served as co-captain in his senior year and was recognized for an outstanding season with accolades for 1st Team All-County, 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-State Group 1, and 2nd Team All-State All Groups. Drew finished his career with 100 catches and 16 touchdowns and was selected, in 1986, to play in the New Jersey North-South All-Star Game. Drew did all of this while achieving high academic marks in the classroom and serving as a positive participant to the Glen Ridge High School community. His well-rounded accomplishments led him to Yale University, where he played split end receiver for four years for Yale Football. As a two-year letter winner at Yale University, he was also a member of their 1989 Ivy League Championship Team.

Rawley Brown (Class of 1928) - Rawley Brown was the first multi-sport star in school history and ranks among the best athletes of all-time at GRHS. Brown earned four letters in football, four letters in basketball, three letters in baseball, and a letter in track. In Brown's junior football season he finished 12th in the state in scoring, and as a captain his senior year he earned all-state recognition. He was also the captain of the basketball team as a senior. In 1934, Rawley Brown returned to Glen Ridge High School as a teacher and assistant coach, and worked under Bill Cartmill during the legendary campaigns of 1935 (7-0-1) and 1944 (8-0). He took over as head football coach from 1947-1955, and also served as head baseball coach, guiding his teams to five sectional championships. Brown's strong sense of morals and his ability to influence young men is legendary among his former players.

Maddie Buttitta (Class of 2004) - Known as a fierce, tenacious competitor, Maddie Buttitta made her mark on the soccer field, basketball hardwood and softball diamond. In basketball, Maddie was a 1,000-point career scorer finishing with 1,354 points while leading the team to a record of 76-22 and three conference championships as a four-year starter. She was named the Colonial Hills Conference Player of the Year in 2003. In soccer, Buttitta was named first team All-State Group I as a sophomore helping the team to the Group I State Championship in 2001. She also garnered first team All Essex County and first team All Colonial Hills Conference in 2003. Joining the softball team as a junior, Buttitta immediately made an impact with her hustle, determination and leadership while providing left handed power to the lineup and playing the outfield.

Lou Calderone - Lou Calderone is the all-time winningest coach in GRHS history, as well as one of the most successful baseball coaches in New Jersey high school history. He gave 100 percent of himself at all times whether on the practice field or the game field and demanded the same from his players. Calderone piloted his squads to a 507-203 record, including five NJ State Championships, seven sectional championships, two county championships and 12 conference championships.

Melanie Carnevale (Class of 2003) - With a four year batting average of .454, Melanie Carnevale was one of the greatest hitters in the history of the GRHS softball program. Her power hitting helped the Ridgers qualify for the Group 1, Section 2 State Tournament in three of her four years on the varsity team, and she was a captain her senior year. She led the team to a top 10 ranking in Essex County in 2001. Carnevale garnered Group 1 All-State honors twice, received All-Essex County recognition three times, and was named first team All-Colonial Hills Conference, and first team All-Area all four years. She finished her career with 159 hits. Melanie matriculated to The University of Scranton where she led the Freedom Conference in doubles and triples and was offered an opportunity to play with the United States International Sports Tour Softball Team.

Liam Carr (Class of 1995) - Liam Carr was a two sport star at Glen Ridge High School playing football and basketball. During the fall, he helped lead head coach Duke Mendez’s football teams to over 18 wins in his three years on the gridiron. The Star Ledger recognized both the 1991 and 1993 football teams in their Final Essex County Top 10 Rankings in which Liam was a key contributor as a wide receiver and safety. It was on the basketball court where he thrived under legendary head coach Clem Tennaro. He helped guide his teams to two Colonial Hills Conference Championships and over 50 wins in his four varsity seasons. For his accomplishments on the court, he earned the following accolades: All Colonial Hills All-Conference in ’92-93, ’93-94, ’94-95. He was named All State Group I for the 1994-95 season. After graduating Glen Ridge High School, he went on to a post-graduate year (1995-96) at Peddie and registered one of the highest single-season scoring averages in school history (24 PPG). After Peddie, he competed for Roger Williams University. He was inducted into the Roger Williams University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016 where he currently is the school’s 4th all-time leading scorer with 1,653 points. He just completed his 13th season as GRHS boys’ varsity coach accumulating over 150 career wins, two Super Essex Conference titles (2015-16 & 2017-18) and two sectional final appearances (2016-17 & 2017-18).

Bill Cartmill - Bill Cartmill began his teaching career at Glen Ridge High School in 1919 after graduating from Springfield College and serving in the U.S. Army. The first great coach in school history, he began coaching in 1922 and served as the head coach for the football, basketball, baseball and track and field teams in his tenure. While leading the young men of Glen Ridge, Cartmill found the time to serve as president of the Interscholastic Athletic Association (a forerunner of the NJSIAA), and was a charter founder of the Suburban Conference. He took his 1926 boys' basketball team to the semifinal and steered his track and field teams to state championships in 1924, 1950, and 1952. He became athletic director in 1954 and had the yearbook dedicated to him by the class of 1945. Cartmill led the 1934 football team to the first of three state championships. In 1936, his second state championship campaign, the team finished 7-0-1 and the only points they allowed were to Montclair in a 7-7 tie. In 1944, The Newark Sunday Call awarded Coach Cartmill's team the annual state championship trophy naming the first undefeated and untied football team in Glen Ridge High School history as the best team in the state of New Jersey. Bill Cartmill's strength of character can be summed up in the story of the 1932 football season. With a week to go before the biggest game of the year against mighty Montclair, Cartmill was forced to expel 10 members of his football team for team rule infractions. He guided a squad of only 14 players to a 6-0 victory.

Sally Cavallaro Kalksma (Class of 1980) - As a four-year veteran of Glen Ridge High School varsity cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams, Sally Cavallaro Kalksma earned 12 varsity letters. By graduation in 1980, she had helped to put Glen Ridge girls' teams on the map by winning 18 individual medals in state, county and conference championship events. She was a two-time participant in the New Jersey Meet of Champions in the 1977 mile run (15th) and the 1980 mile (10th). In State Group I Championship Meets, she took 2nd place in the 1977 indoor mile run, 3rd place in the 1977 outdoor mile run, and 4th place 1978 outdoor mile run. In Essex County meets, Sally place 4th in 1976 cross country, 2nd place in the mile run and 3rd place for the two-mile run in 1979. In State Group I Sectional Meets, she placed second in two-mile in 1979 and 4th in mile. In 1980 she came in 3rd in 800- and 6th in the mile, as the team won championships in both years. In Colonial Hills Conference meets, she came in 2nd in the 1977 mile, 2nd in the 1978 mile and 2nd in the 1978 two-mile runs. As captain of the 1980 Ridgers girls outdoor track team, she led the squad to a 12-0 dual meet record. She became the school record holder in the mile and two-mile runs and was part of setting four relay team records.

Jack Chichester (Class of 1959) - Jack Chichester played on championship teams in three sports. In two of them he was a pivotal player, who made the team run. He may have been small in physical stature, but he possessed big-time leadership skills. Although he played just one year of football, he helped the team to a 9-0 record and the North Jersey Conference championship in its first year. A point guard in basketball, he averaged 11 points per game and earned All-State Group I mention his junior year as Glen Ridge won the state Group I championship. He averaged 15 points per game as a senior and led the team to the Group I Tournament Final. Once again he earned All-State Group I recognition. Chichester's real value to his basketball teams was his ability to read and adapt to defenses. He was like a coach on the floor and possessed tremendous basketball aptitude. In baseball, he was a letter-winner four consecutive years, and batted over .300 each year. In his first three seasons, he was the starting second baseman. As a senior, the team needed a catcher to handle All-State pitcher and GRHS Hall of Famer Fred Alworth, so Jack became the catcher and made third team All-Essex at his new position for a 19-1, Group I sectional championship team, which also won the North Jersey Conference. Jack Chichester was one of the greatest athletes, pound for pound, in Glen Ridge history.

Stephen Claps (Class of 1990) - Stephen Claps earned ten varsity letters and was a starting player in soccer and baseball for four years at Glen Ridge High School. In total, he received All-State Group I recognition four times in his career and was named to the All-Essex County team five times in that span. As a soccer player, Claps was the first player in school history to be named 1st team All-Colonial Hills Conference, first team All-Essex County, and first team All-State Group I in the same year. He was also the first player to represent Glen Ridge High School in the North/South All-Star Soccer Game. As a junior, he was selected 1st team All-Colonial Hills Conference, 3rd team All-Essex County and 2nd team All-State Group I. He was named team MVP in his junior and senior years. Claps was a starting outfielder for three years for the baseball team (he was the designated hitter as a freshman) and helped spark the squad to a 93-11 record, three Colonial Hills Conference Championships, two Essex County Championships, and a Group I, Section 2 Championship during his career. He was voted 1st team All-Colonial Hills Conference, and 2nd team All-Essex County in each of his sophomore, junior, and senior years. Claps earned second team All-State Group I Honors as a junior and a senior. A versatile athlete, Claps also wrestled for two years and accumulated an 18-7 record during those seasons. Recruited by several Division 1 college soccer programs, Claps went on to play soccer at Boston College and started as a sophomore before knee injury curtailed his career.

Jack Close (Class of 1955) - One of Glen Ridge High Schools outstanding athletes of the early 1950's, Jack earned 9 varsity letters, three each in Football, Basketball and Baseball. As captain of the 1954 football team he led the team in scoring while competing in a tough Suburban Conference. On the basketball court, he again led the team in scoring averaging over 18 points per game with a high of 31 against Madison. In baseball he was a fixture in left field as a three-year starter. After high school Jack continued his football career at Amherst College graduating in 1959. As one of Amherst's most outstanding running backs of all time, highlighted by a 22 point effort in a 22-12 victory over Trinity and scoring 23 points in a rout of the Coast Guard (3 TD's, 2 PAT's) for 134 yards on 19 carries, he ended his senior year by setting an Amherst record for rushing yards in a season with 809. One sports editor of the time tagged him with the title "New England's best slow runner". The week after the Coast Guard Game he was chosen along with Army star Bob Anderson to fill one of the half-back positions on the E.C.A.C s mythical All-East team. In 1996, Jack was honored on a list of Amherst's All-Time Greats (1878-1996) as a running back. After a successful business career, Jack passed away in 2004 at the age of 67.

Bob Courter (Class of 1965) - The first of the three Courter brothers to quarterback their respective teams, Bob earned ten varsity letters at Glen Ridge High School, three each in football and basketball and four in baseball. As a football co-captain his senior year he guided the Ridgers to an undefeated season and a third consecutive Group 1 State Championship, and was named 1st-team All-Conference, All-County, and All-State Group 1. He also received 1st team All-State Group 1 recognition his junior year. In his three varsity football seasons, the football team compiled a perfect 24-0 record. Bob Courter's basketball teams won the North Jersey Conference championship his junior and senior years and he led the 1965 team to the sectional final. A three-year starter at guard, he averaged over 10 points per game for his career with his teams winning 50 games while losing only 11. Competing on the baseball diamond, Courter's teams won the North Jersey Conference Championship his sophomore and junior years with 13-3 and 14-1 records. During his senior year with the team in need of pitching, Courter, the consummate team player, took to the mound for the first time since little league and threw a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts in his first start for the club. Named 1st team All-Conference at first base, he continued his baseball career at Hofstra University after graduating from GRHS.

Larry Courter (Class of 1970) - The third and last Courter brother to quarterback their respective teams, Larry earned seven varsity letters at Glen Ridge High School, three in football and four in baseball. He started his Glen Ridge football career as a freshman. Inserted in the varsity's last game of an undefeated 1966 season, his first attempted pass resulted in a touchdown, the first of forty three in his career. The next year he became the only sophomore to start at quarterback for a Bill Horey-coached team. Over the next three years he guided the Ridgers to three Group 1 State-Championships and three North Jersey Conference titles. In his three-year varsity career, the football team compiled a 23-1 record, losing only to Mountain Lakes his sophomore year. For his efforts on the gridiron he was named 2nd-team All-State All-Groups and 1st-team All-County his senior year. His junior and senior years he was 1st-team All-Conference, All-State Group 1 and a N.Y. Daily News All-Essex County Selection. Larry was arguably the most prolific passer in the annals of Glen Ridge football. He totaled 43 career touchdown passes, 18 coming his senior year with five in one game. Competing on the baseball diamond, Courter's teams won the Group 1 Section 2 State Championship and Conference Championship his junior year. As a pitcher/infielder he tossed a no-hitter and two two-hitters while compiling a .337 and .409 batting average his junior and senior years, respectively. Larry was elected captain of both the football and baseball teams his senior year. After high school he served in the armed forces, graduated from Arizona State University and earned his Class 1 Certification as a Professional Golfer. Larry passed away unexpectedly in 2000 at the age of 48.

John Csuka (Class of 2000) - John Csuka made his presence known on the Glen Ridge soccer field and on the wrestling mat. In soccer he was a three-year letter winner and was named captain his senior year. His tenacious defensive skills earned him honors during his senior year on the All Area Team and the All Essex County Team. His relentless work effort and discipline resulted in a historic career in wrestling. John earned four varsity letters and won the team’s Most Outstanding Wrestler for all four years as he became the first Glen Ridge wrestler to achieve the milestone of one hundred career wins. John’s career is littered with first time achievements. He is Glen Ridge’s first four-time County Place winner, including two County Championships. John was the school’s first four-time District Finalist and the first freshmen in Glen Ridge to win a district title, his first of three district titles. John was the school’s first wrestler to qualify for three State Tournaments. He was also our first wrestler to be named to the All-Conference Team for four years and for three of those years he was first team. John ended his wrestling career with an astonishing record of 110-17 with career records in reversals, near-falls, pins, and wins. John’s leadership guided the team into an era of success. Behind his accomplishments and direction, during his four years the wrestling team won more matches than any other four-year span, qualified for three State Tournaments, and won two Conference Championships. John was a true student-athlete and considered athletics just a small part of his educational experience. He was a four-year honor student, President of the Student Council, and was named the 2000-2001 Men of Essex Scholar Athlete. John continued his education and wrestling career at Brown University. Today, John’s relentless work ethic and discipline are evidenced through his success as a lawyer, husband, father, and resident of Glen Ridge.

Alan Cumming (Class of 1981) - In 1981, Alan Cumming was the most decorated player on Glen Ridge High School's Group I State Championship baseball team, which was 28-5 and finished as runner-up in the Greater Newark Tournament. The victory total of 28 remains a Glen Ridge High School record, and it was the most wins in New Jersey that season. Cumming batted .323 for that team with 26 walks and 26 runs batted in, and was the team leader in home runs with three. His real value to that squad, however, was his position as catcher. He set Glen Ridge records by recording 210 putouts and by throwing out 31 of 41 baserunners, seven in one game. For this, he was named the team's most valuable player. He was a three-year Ridgers starting catcher, and was named an All-Colonial Hills Conference All-Star, first team in 1980 and 1981. With Cumming behind the plate, the Ridgers won back-to-back Conference Championships those years with a combined 48-10 record. With 1981 being Glen Ridge's and Cumming's season of distinction, he was named to The Newark Star-Ledger All Essex County first team, and it’s All-State, All-Groups 1st team. Plus, he played in the North-South All-Star game for the North Jersey, Section 2 team. Cumming, who also played freshman basketball at Glen Ridge High School, has been a police officer in Montclair for many years.

Gary Cuozzo (Class of 1959) - Gary Cuozzo is considered one of the greatest names in Glen Ridge High School athletic history because of his three-sport accomplishments in high school and for playing 11 seasons in the National Football League. He was the quarterback of the 1957 and 1958 North Jersey, Group I, Section 2 state champion football teams. Cuozzo put together a senior year the likes of which may never be equaled, receiving all-state recognition in football and basketball while leading both teams to state championships and winning the Group I state shot put and discus champion. Cuozzo graduated as the all-time leading scorer in basketball with 779 points and went on to co-captain the University of Virginia football team.

John T. Curtis - Jack Curtis was first and foremost a leader, who served as the long time vice principal as well as a head coach. He coached boys tennis, golf and boys basketball to 280 victories during his tenure at GRHS. In 1958, Curtis led the boys basketball team to a come from behind victory in the Group I state championship. Curtis is a man for the rest of us to emulate, a man for us to respect, and a man for us to honor.

Sal D'Alessio (Class of 1979) - A three year starter and star for the football team, Sal D'Alessio is among the best to ever play football at Glen Ridge. In his junior year, Sal D'Alessio was one of only two two-way players on the 1977, 9-win, State Championship team, starting at defensive end and running back. He led that team with 15 quarterback sacks. As a senior captain, D'Alessio was again a defensive force as he again recorded 15 sacks, as well as leading the team in tackles. For his accomplishments his senior year he was named 1st-team All-Colonial Hills Conference, 1st-Team All-State Group 1, and a Daily News and Italian Tribune All Star. D'Alessio was the first Glen Ridge football player ever selected to the New Jersey North-South All Star Game. After graduating from GRHS, he went on to Wagner College where he was a four year starter at linebacker and a captain his senior year. As of his GRHS Athletic Hall of Fame induction D'Alessio holds four Wagner records: most career tackles, most season tackles, most game tackles, and most career starts. He was named twice to the 1st-team All-ECAC, twice to first-team CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) All-American, and to a Second-Team Associated Press Division III All American. Wagner was 33-6-2 during his tenure there and he was inducted into Wagner College Hall of Fame in 1995. He was signed by the USFL New Jersey Generals, and had numerous NFL, USFL, and CFL tryouts. Sal D'Alessio made his mark with at Glen Ridge High School as an outstanding leader, sportsman, and role model.

Michael Dalhausser (Class of 1984) - Michael Dalhausser is a soccer pioneer. In 1980 he joined the Glen Ridge High School soccer program in its inception, and after starting every varsity game for four years was instrumental in turning the program into a well respected contender. Dalhausser played with outstanding character and the patience to encourage others to be better. He played with great vision and an uncanny knowledge of the game which he communicated to his teammates. He played with such control and confidence that the game seemed to slow down when he touched the ball. In 1983, his senior year, Dalhausser, the team captain, earned first team all-conference honors as well as all-county and all-state recognition. In the opinion of long-time, well-respected coach Steve Reitberger, at the time of his enshrinement, Michael Dalhausser stands alone as the greatest soccer player in Glen Ridge High School history. He continued his soccer career at Clark University and was named team MVP and to the NCAA All New England Team in 1987. Dalhausser lead Clark to a four year winning percentage of over .800.

Nick DePhillips (Class of 2009) - A rare athlete who could have been inducted into the GRHS Hall of Fame in any of his three sports, Nick DePhillips excelled in football, wrestling and lacrosse. He was a 12-time varsity letter winner between 2005 and 2009, which ties a Glen Ridge High record. In football from the fall of 2005 to 2008, he was a star running back who accumulated 45 touchdowns, as his teams were 22-18. He was All Colonial Conference for three years as he ran the football with power and excelled as a linebacker on defense. That earned him All-Conference recognition in three seasons, with All-State Group I first team offense honors as a junior and senior. As a senior, he was named Colonial Hills Conference most valuable offensive player, and All Essex, first team on offense. In wrestling, he recorded a four-year record of 108 victories and 14 losses. He was District XIII champion three years, and regional champion as a senior in 2009 before finishing in seventh place at the state finals. DePhillips’ lacrosse teams were 45-21 over four years, and he was Waterman Conference Player of the Year in 2009, a season in which Glen Ridge was Conference Champion. Scoring 166 goals for his career, DePhillips set a Ridgers' all-time record with 420 ground balls. His prowess on the lacrosse field as a midfielder, earned him a scholarship to The Ohio State University. While crediting his success to his parents, Michael and Tracy, DePhillips acknowledged his teammates of all three sports, stating: "We had style, talent, work ethic and desire." And they had Hall of Famer Nick DePhillips in their lineup for 228 games and matches.

Sam Delaney (Class of 1993) - Sam Delaney earned 12 varsity letters in three sports (football, wrestling, baseball) and ranks among the best all-around athletes in Glen Ridge High School history. In his senior year, the versatile Delany captained the football team and earned 1st-Team All-State Group 1, 1st-Team All-Essex County, and 1st-Team All-Conference Honors. He and played quarterback, running back, defensive back, and linebacker. He recorded 116 tackles on defense and 640 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns, and 680 passing yards with 5 touchdown passes on the offensive side of the ball. On the wrestling mat as a junior captain, Delaney was a district runner-up and qualified for the New Jersey State Wrestling Tournament. In his senior season, Delaney, again the team captain, fashioned a 25-2 record, was a District Champion, and qualified for the New Jersey State Wrestling Tournament. At the time of his induction Delaney's 21 pins in a season rank him second in school history and his 71 takedowns in one season rank 9th all time. Delaney hit .300 and platooned in leftfield as a freshman and then moved over to patrol centerfield for the rest of his baseball career. As a senior captain, the outstanding outfielder batted .350 led his team to a 23-2 record and the New Jersey State Group 1 Championship. Sam Delaney was a gifted athlete and fierce competitor, and he represented Glen Ridge High School with class and dignity on and off the field. Following graduation Delaney played collegiate hockey at Denison University and currently owns his own business.

Maria DiCondina (Coach 1991-2010) - For just under 20 years, Maria DiCondina was the girls varsity basketball coach at Glen Ridge High, where her teams won 272 games and consistently were ranked among the top teams in Essex County. In addition, Maria was many times the Conference Coach of the Year as her teams won five Colonial Hills Conference Championships. During her tenure she had three 1,000-points career scorers. She also was the Glen Ridge field hockey coach for three seasons. Maria was named Retired Coach of the Year in 2011 by the Essex County Athletic Directors Association. Her long-time assistant coach, Mike Sammon, perhaps offered the greatest praise of Maria when he said, "I wish my own daughters were coached by her. She loved every player she ever coached, and she was an advocate for learning every fundamental of the game of basketball. Most importantly, she treated her players with respect and dignity." Maria came to Glen Ridge from Paramus Catholic, where she coached girls soccer for eight seasons, highlighted by a 1990 State Championship. In 11 years as girls basketball coach there, her teams won three State Championships, five North Jersey Sectional Titles and three Bergen County crowns. She was inducted into the Paramus Catholic Hall of Fame in 1996. Maria retired from Glen Ridge High School in 2017.

Meg Dimon (Class of 1994) - Clearly one of the most versatile female athletes in Glen Ridge High School history, Meg Dimon won four varsity letters in tennis, basketball and softball. Softball was perhaps here best sport, being a four-year starter at shortstop, honorable mention as an All-Colonial Hills Conference player as a sophomore, second team All-Conference as a junior and first team All-Conference as a senior, earning third team All-Essex honors in 1994, a season in which she was captain of the team. She had a career total of 94 base hits and a batting average of .413. If softball was not her best sport, then basketball was, as she also was the team captain and a four-year letter winner. Meg was a 1994 3rd-team All-Essex Selection by the Star-Ledger along with first team All-Conference Honors, after leading the Ridgers to their first Colonial Hills Conference championship in 17 years. During her career as a point guard, she scored a total of 556 points. "Meg was one of the most coachable athletes I have had the privilege to work with," said Glen Ridge basketball coach Maria DiCondina. Her third sport was tennis, playing first doubles as a freshman on a Ridgers' team (18-6) ranked No. 17 in New Jersey. As a sophomore, she again played first doubles on a team which was 18-5 and played in the state tournament's sectional final. As a junior, Meg was again at first doubles on a team which recorded a 17-6 mark and was ranked No. 16 in the state. As a senior, she finally got to be a singles player, but an injury after the season was just three weeks old, took her out of the lineup. Meg matriculated to Amherst College where she played three seasons of varsity basketball.

Joseph Dubuque (Class of 2001) - Joseph Dubuque is considered to be one of the finest athletes and fiercest competitors to graduate from Glen Ridge High School. He earned nine varsity letters: four in football, four in wrestling and one in baseball. Joe was powerful, quick, and fearless. In football, Joe played running back and defensive back and was named first team on the conference, county, and state teams. As accomplished he was in football, it was wrestling where Joe is deemed the greatest Glen Ridge athletes and one of the state's all time best. He compiled a 134-7 record, the most wins ever by a Glen Ridge wrestler. He won four county titles, four district titles, three region titles, a fourth place finish in states, two state titles, and a National High School Championship. Joe was electric from the neutral position. He currently holds state records for takedowns in a season and in a career. More importantly, Joe was a leader who made those around him better athletes. The wrestling team won more matches in his four year tenure than any other era. The team won three Conference Championships and qualified for Team States during all of his four years. In his senior year, Joe led Glen Ridge to its one and only district wrestling title. Joe was honored that spring when he was named the New Jersey Male Athlete of the Year. He has also been named by the Star Ledger to the First-Team All-Decade Wrestling Team. After graduation, Joe went on to wrestle for the University of Indiana. He was a three time All-American capturing two individual NCAA titles.

Ron Erskine (Class of 1980) - As of his enshrinement, Ron Erskine stands alone as the most accomplished tennis player in GRHS history. While leading his team to Sectional Championships in 1977, 1978 and 1979, the Group I State Championship in 1978 and 1979 and to the All Group Tournament of Champions Finals in 1980, Erskine was a two-time Essex County Singles Champion (1979,1980), the NJ High School State Singles Champion in 1980 (32-0 record). He was named The Star-Ledger All-State first team in the 1st singles position in both 1979 and 1980. Erskine was the first student to win over 100 matches at the first singles position in state history finishing his brilliant career with a record of 105-8. Erskine went on to co-captain the University of North Carolina Tennis team and won the ACC Champion at second singles in 1983.

Adriana Festa-D'Alessio (Class of 1987) - Adriana Festa was a 4-year member of the basketball team - the last two years as the starting center. It was as a member of the track team that she made her major contributions to Glen Ridge athletic history. As a student of the sport and as a tireless worker with an unrelenting work ethic she mastered the nuances of the three throwing events that comprise the field aspect of track and field. Each event - the shot, discus, and javelin - required many hours of diligent practice to achieve mastery. By the time she graduated Glen Ridge High School she has earned 14 medals in conference, county and state competitions. In 1986 she swept to first place discus wins in the conference and state section meet as well as earning the title as State Champion. She also placed 2nd and 5th in the shot and javelin in the State Section meet. 1987 also was a year filled with honors as she started it by earning the silver medal in the discus at the Rutgers Invitational meet. She repeated as conference discus champ and backed it up with a 2nd place win in the Essex County meet. At the State Section meet she earned the honor of winning all three throwing events and returning to the state meet where she won the 2nd place medal in the discus and 3rd in the javelin. She represented Glen Ridge at the Meet of Champions in both 1986 and 1987. After graduation she attended the University of Delaware where she earned Academic All American status for her athletic and academic accomplishments.

Joseph Galioto (Class of 1981) - It is fitting that the first wrestler in Glen Ridge High School history to place in the NJSIAA State Tournament is the school's first wrestler to be inducted into the Glen Ridge High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Galioto, a four-year varsity letter-winner in the sport posted a career record of 69-18-1, including a 29-3 mark in 1981, when he was District 7 champion, Region II champion and fourth in the state tournament. He was a 1981 first-team All-Area selection by the North Jersey Herald-News. A heavyweight grappler, Galioto also was a member of the All-Colonial Hills Conference team in 1980 and 1981, and a star performer on teams which compiled records of 14-4-1 in 1980 and 18-1-1 in 1981, which included winning back-to-back conference championships and second place finishes in the state sectional wrestling tournament. In addition to his outstanding wrestling accomplishments, Galioto was a three-year varsity letter winner in football, and anchored the offensive line as the starting center on the 1980 Group I, Section 2, state championship team. Joe Galioto competed with great heart and enthusiasm. He was a leader and favorite among his many teammates.

Bob Gerard (Class of 1978) - Bob Gerard's tremendous will is legendary at Glen Ridge High School. He received eight varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball. As a sophomore, he played centerfield on the 1975 and 1976 NJ Group I Section II State Championship Baseball teams and earned All-Conference and All-State Group I Honors his senior year. Gerard's finest hours as a GRHS athlete came on the gridiron. The quarterback led his team to a 9-1 record and NJ Group I Section II State Championship in his senior season. In the semifinal game that year he rallied Glen Ridge back from a 17-point halftime deficit, throwing the winning touchdown pass with nine seconds on the clock to defeat Belvidere 20-17. In the championship game against Brearley Regional at Kenilworth, down by two touchdowns at halftime, Gerard took over the game in the second half, passed for one score and ran in for two more capping the comeback with a 23 yard run. He was named to 1977 All-Conference, All-Essex County and All-State Group I football teams. GRHS Hall of Fame coach Bill Horey called Bob Gerard a "great leader", and it was with his leadership abilities that he earned tremendous respect from his coaches and teammates.

Robert Gillespie (Class of 1981) - In 1980, Rob Gillespie had an excellent junior season as a Glen Ridge High pitcher with a 7-2 record and a 1.20 earned run average. He earned 2nd team All-Conference Honors and 2nd team All-Area in the Herald News. Those feats, however, paled in comparison to what he accomplished as a senior for the Ridgers. A 10-1 record with a 0.54 ERA in 1981 was highlighted by seven shutouts and 63 consecutive scoreless innings. He threw a no-hitter at Cedar Grove, a one-hitter at Palisades Park and posted a complete-game 1-0 victory over Livingston, which was ranked No. 1 in New Jersey. Gillespie also helped his team as a hitter with 24 runs batted in and a .320 batting average, as the Ridgers were finalists in the Greater Newark Tournament and captured the Group I State Championship. He was 1st team All-Conference, 1st team All-Essex County, 1st team All-Area in the New York Daily News and 3rd team All-Groups in the Newark Star-Ledger. With Gillespie as its No. 1 starting pitcher, Glen Ridge won 48 of 58 games in 1980 and 1981 en route to the Colonial Hills Conference Championship in both seasons. Gillespie also played wide receiver for the Glen Ridge football team, which won the 1980 Group I, Section 2 State Title. That season, Gillespie caught five touchdown passes, with three of them coming in the amazing, seesaw, last second victory against powerful Mendham. Teammates said Gillespie's pass receiving in that contest was instrumental in keeping the Ridgers in the game. In football, Gillespie was second team All-Conference. The Ridgers were 10-1 on the gridiron that season.

Danielle Gwinn (Dee Marchetti) (Class of 1996) - Dee Marchetti’s speed, aggression and determination made her dominant on the field and on the court. As the recipient of a varsity letter in every year, every season – 4 in Field Hockey, 4 in Basketball and 4 in Softball – Danielle was a force to be reckoned with. Throughout her field hockey career, Danielle earned multiple honors – 2nd Team All-Conference in 1994 and 1st Team All-Conference in 1995. As Field Hockey Captain in 1996, she was voted 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-Area Worrall Press and 3rd Team All-County. She was the team’s leading scorer three years in a row – 1994, 1995, and 1996. On the basketball court, Danielle was a four-year starter and starting point guard on the Conference Championship teams in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Danielle scored over 700 career points and earned All-Conference recognition in multiple years (1994, 1995, and 1996). As captain her senior year, she was also All-County Honorable Mention and was named Player of The Year. Danielle’s athleticism shone through on the diamond as well. She continued her streak, earning All-Conference recognition in her sophomore, junior and senior years. She was a starting outfielder all four years and captain in her senior year. She batted .347 over her career, scoring 103 runs and stealing 35 bases. Danielle also brought her desire to compete at the highest level to the U15 US National Field Hockey Team, serving as an alternate in 1993. After graduating from GRHS she went on to play field hockey at the college level for 4 years at William Paterson University.

Don Henningsen (Class of 1951) - The oldest of three Henningsen brothers to compete in football and track at Glen Ridge, Don's high school athletic career got off to a fast start, when he lettered in track his freshman year, finishing fifth in the low hurdles in the 1948 Group I State Championship. In Don's senior season the team was undefeated in dual meet Suburban Conference competition, and had a signature non-conference win beating Montclair, Bloomfield and Weequahic in a four-way meet. The Ridgers capped the 1951 season by winning the Group I State Championship. Being fast and versatile, Don often would compete in six events during the regular season, but was limited by conference rules to only three events in championships. In a dual meet against North Arlington during his senior season Don scored 24 points, winning the 100- and 220-yard dashes and the javelin, while finishing second in the high hurdles, low hurdles and broad jump. As a sophomore he had the memorable experience of running the lead-off leg on the Penn Relays division-winning GRHS mile relay team. While he cherished all three of his varsity football seasons, none compared to the 1949 team that won the Suburban Conference Championship. Playing wing back and defensive halfback, Don dislocated his shoulder in the opening game against Clifford Scott. Not content to write off his season, he continued to attend every practice, until he was able to return for the next to last game against Caldwell. With the game tied 0-0 in the fourth quarter, Don threw the winning touchdown pass. Following the final game victory against Madison, Don was elected captain for the 1950 season. Don went on to attend the University of New Hampshire, where he took-up lacrosse. He became a starting midfielder on the UNH 1955 team that went 14-1, and won the Class C National Championship. A member of the Air Force ROTC program at UNH, Don later spent 25 years as a fighter pilot. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, having flown 163 combat missions during the war in Vietnam.

William Horey - Bill Horey molded young people into adults and left an indelible mark on all that he coached. He directed his football teams to a 147-35-3 record that included eight undefeated seasons and eight sectional championships. Horey also guided his track and field teams to ten Group I championships. But for more than won and loss records, this legendary coach will always be remembered for valuing and instilling the virtues of discipline, obedience, loyalty, character, and teamwork.

Marc Houser (Class of 1995) - Baseball was Marc's best sport, as evidenced by the fact that he was the cleanup hitter and rock-solid third baseman on the Glen Ridge High 1993 Group I State Championship club, and the 1994 Ridgers squad which was ranked No. 13 in New Jersey. In addition to the fact that he was a three-year starting pitcher who recorded 20 wins, Houser was a significant hitter on three teams which accumulated an 80-16 mark during that period. His career batting average was .419. After being undefeated as a pitcher in his sophomore (6-0) and junior (7-0) seasons, he went 7-3 with five saves for his senior year team which won 13 games. A one-sport star, Marc was not. He was on the Glen Ridge wrestling team for two seasons, having been named to the All-Colonial Hills Conference team in 1992 and 1993. In boys' soccer he was All-Conference in 1994 and 1995, being named third team all-county as a senior. "As a Glen Ridge High School athlete, I took great pride in being a 'team player.' It was an honor to wear Red and White and to represent all the athletes who paved the way for my individual and team success," Marc said of his Glen Ridge career. Marc matriculated to Montclair State where he posted a four-year baseball batting average of .342. In the process, he became one of three Glen Ridge athletes to play on a State Championship high school team and a National Championship college team.

William Indek - Bill Indek was GRHS Outdoor Track Coach from 1981-2003 and the Indoor Coach from 1991-2001. He was named Essex County Coach of Year in 1993 and was twice named All- Area Coach. The girls track teams under his tutelage won the 1993 Colonial Hills Conference Championship, as well as over 100 dual meets in total. He coached six individual County Champions and coached 22 individual Conference Champs for the girls. During his career, he coached 27 Sectional Winners and eight Group I State Champions. He also had two girls place in the top six at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. He had three outdoor teams win county titles: javelin in 1987, 4-mile relay in 1991 and distance medley in 1992. The girls team in 1993 also placed 5th in the State Group I Meet. While coaching indoor track, the girls Distance Medley won the Indoor State Group I Title in 1992 and set the meet record. The Boys' teams under Bill Indek's direction won the 2002 Dual Meet CHC Division Title. He coached six Conference Champions and three State Sectional Winners for the boys. At the 2001 Indoor Meet of Champions, he coached a 6th place finisher in the 55-meter dash. In 2002, he coached a 5th place finisher at the Meet of Champions in the 100-meter dash. Bill Indek served as guidance counselor at GRHS for 36 years until his retirement in June of 2008.

Miriam 'Mimi' Jones Page (Class of 1953) - One of the most prolific and diverse student/athletes of her time, Mimi Jones set a record by earning seven varsity letters. She competed in archery, softball, tennis, badminton, volleyball, and basketball, and field hockey. In 1952, her senior year, she co-captained the undefeated field hockey team and basketball teams and was named to the All-State Field Hockey Team. Jones was the co-valedictorian of her class and went on to the Pennsylvania State University where she played field hockey and participated in intramural sports. After graduating from Penn State she earned her master's degree from Columbia University.

Devon Kapler (Class of 2000) - Devon Kapler was an outstanding member of the girls basketball and track teams in both stature and accomplishments. During her four years on the basketball court she amassed 963 points while blocking 232 shots and pulled down 797 rebounds. She earned 1st Team All-Conference honors in her junior and senior years and was the Conference Player of the Year in her senior year while also gaining All-County and All State recognition. As a stellar four-year member of the track team, her versatility led to her mastering four events and setting school records in three of them (100 hurdles, 400 hurdles and high jump) while leading the girls' team to a four-year dual meet record of 26 wins and 9 losses. She won 12 medals in conference championship meets in her career, five of which were gold, (1999-100 and 400 hurdles and long jump, 2000-400 hurdles and high jump) and earned five medals in Essex County championship meets. At state sectional meets her four year total was 13 medals - eight of which were gold (1998- 400 hurdles and high jump, 1999-100 and 400 hurdles and long jump, 2000-100 and 400 hurdles and high jump). She led the team to a second-place showing in the State Sectional meet in 2000. At the State Championships she won ten medals and in her senior year won the coveted title of State Champion in the high jump. Devon earned the right to participate in the track & field Meet of Champions for three years, (1998-99-2000) in an unprecedented ten events. In her senior year she was named 1st Team All-Area in the 100 Hurdles, 1st Team All-Essex County in the high jump and 1st Team All-State in the high jump.

Bill Kennedy (Class of 1985) - Bill Kennedy was a starting player in basketball and baseball for three years and was voted outstanding male athlete in the GRHS Class of 1985. As a basketball player, he led the team in scoring all three years he was on the varsity, and amassed 1,052 points to join the exclusive Glen Ridge 1,000-point club. As the captain and only returning starter his senior year, he sparked the Ridgers to a Colonial Hills Conference Championship with a 20-4 record. He was named third-team All-Essex County in his senior year and All-State Group I Second Team in his junior and senior seasons. Kennedy went to Muhlenberg College where he was a three-year boys basketball team starter, and finished his career as captain and leading scorer in the 1988-89 season. In baseball, Kennedy batted .305 while playing second base and designated hitter as a sophomore on the 1983 Group I State Championship team. As a junior, he set a school batting record by hitting .446 and in that season he went 6-for-6, batting for the cycle against Whippany Park, which remains a school record, and for which he was named Star-Ledger Athlete of the Week. As a senior he batted .380 for the Ridgers and hit three home runs in a game against Chatham Township, a record which still stands. Playing shortstop, he was an All-Essex County Second Team selection in his junior and senior years, in addition to being picked for the All-State Group I Second Team.

David Kennedy (Class of 1988) - David Kennedy, considered by many to be the greatest all-around baseball player in Glen Ridge High School history, won four varsity baseball letters, was a member of three Colonial Hills Conference championship teams in 1986-88, was the winning pitcher on the Glen Ridge Greater Newark Tournament championship team of 1987 and the winning pitcher on the Glen Ridge 1988 Group I state championship team (27-1), ranked No. 2 in the state. He set Glen Ridge season records for victories (10), batting average (.546), runs (47), hits (55), triples (11) and home runs (7) and was selected as All State, All Groups in 1988. In basketball he was a three-year starter on teams which were Group I state runner-up in 1986, and state champion in 1988, being named MVP of the 1988 state championship game. Glen Ridge basketball teams were 60-16 with him in the lineup. Kennedy went on to play baseball at the collegiate level and played professionally for ten years.

Rich Kennedy (Class of 1994) - Having earned seven varsity letters, Rich Kennedy started basketball games all four years he played at Glen Ridge High School. He amassed 920 points and was captain and leading scorer his junior and senior seasons during which he earned All Colonial Valley Conference honors. Baseball, however, was his best sport, as he was a three-year starting pitcher and position player. He won a total of 16 games and was the winning pitcher in the 1993 Group I State Championship game. His only loss as a pitcher in 1994 was in the Greater Newark Tournament Final. He batted .423 as a sophomore. Then, as a junior, he made All-Essex County first team, with an 8-1 record plus two saves, an 0.98 earned run average, a .342 batting average and 27 RBI. As a senior with a 7-1 record and a 1.70 ERA, he batted .537 with 31 RBI, earning him All-State All-Groups 2nd team Honors in The Star-Ledger and All-State All-Groups 1st team in the Associated Press. In both seasons, he was an All-Conference Honoree and Worrell Newspapers All-Area Player of the Year selection. In his senior season, he was a Star-Ledger Athlete of the Week, going 8-for-8 at the plate, and throwing a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts against Cedar Grove, and was named Baseball Player of the Year by The Men of Essex. He went through his junior season without striking out, and was fanned just twice as a senior, which are Glen Ridge High records. After high school, Rich was a four-year starting pitcher at Rutgers and pitched for the RU 1998 Big East Tournament Championship team and in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. He played summer ball in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League.

Carolyn King (Class of 1993) - Carolyn King was a four-year member of both the indoor and outdoor track teams. Her training and flowing running form allowed her to excel at distances from 400-meters to 1600-meters as well as the high jump. During her storied career she won 24 individual medals in conference, county, and state competitions. Among that impressive total were two state championships: the 1991 indoor 800-meters, and the 1992 outdoor 800-meters. At the 1992 outdoor meet she also won the silver medal for the 1600-meters. Also in her gold medal collection are the 1991 Essex County Outdoor 800-meters title, the 1991 Conference Outdoor 800 and 1600 and the 1993 Conference Outdoor high jump, the 1991 State Sectional Outdoor 800 and 1600 and the 1993 State Sectional Outdoor 800. Carolyn earned the right to compete in the prestigious Meet of Champions in eight events in her four years as a member of the track team. Not only was she a champion in individual events, but her contributions to relay teams were just as successful. Her relay teams won eight titles at conference, county, and state meets. At the 1993 Indoor State Group Championship meet at Princeton, her 1200-leg propelled the quartet to the State Title and broke the existing meet record. In the spring of 1993, she captained the team by word and deed to the Colonial Hills Conference Championship by scoring in all four events she was entered in for Glen Ridge. By the time she graduated she owned the school record in the 1600-meters and the high jump as well as four school relay records. King continued her running career at Duke University.

Jessica King (Class of 1994) - One of the most prolific Track and Field athletes in GRHS history, Jessica King started her career by winning the Essex County Indoor and Outdoor 3200 Meter Run and the Colonial Hills Conference 1600 Meter Run as a sophomore. She repeated this feat the following year and added a 1st-place finish in the Group I 3200 Meter Run. The Star-Ledger selected her 1st-team All-State in her senior year as King was the Indoor Meet of Champions winner in the 3200 Meter Run, and again won the Essex County Indoor and Outdoor 3200 and the Colonial Hills Conference 1600 as well as the 3200. In addition to her incredible athletic achievements, she was also outstanding academically, graduating from Dartmouth University.

Tim Liddy (Class of 1988) - Tim Liddy was an outstanding performer and a three-year starter for Coach Clem Tennaro on the varsity basketball team. At the time of his induction, he is the second all-time leading scorer, scoring 1,123 points in his three varsity seasons, and is one of only six thousand-point scorers in Glen Ridge High School boys basketball history. As a sophomore, he helped guide the Ridgers to the Colonial Hills Conference Championship, the North 2 Group I Title, and the North Jersey Group I Championship, losing in the NJSIAA Group I State final to Florence High School. During his sophomore campaign, he was the team's leading scorer and was named 1st-team All-Colonial Hills Conference. Glen Ridge went 21-4 during this season. During his junior year, he earned 1st-team All-Colonial Hills Conference, 3rd-Team All-Essex, and 3rd-Team All-State Group I Honors. He helped lead the Ridgers, with 15 wins that season, to the NJSIAA Sectional Semi-Finals. As co-captain during his senior season, Liddy helped to guide Glen Ridge to a 24-3 record, a Colonial Hills Conference Championship, and the 1988 NSIAA Group I State Championship. He was the team's leading scorer at 15.3 points per game, and received the following accolades: 1st-team All-Colonial Hills, 1st-team All-North Jersey, 2nd-Team All-Essex and 1st-Team All-State Group I. After high school, Liddy was a four year starter in college. During his sophomore season, he helped lead Washington College to the 1990 NCAA Final Four and a #3 ranking in the nation. Tim Liddy returned to GRHS after college and served as the head boys basketball coach for 11 years - and coached two, one-thousand-point scorers - before stepping down and becoming the athletic director in 2006.

Alex Lopes (Class of 2005) - Alex Lopes was a stand-out three sport athlete who earned ten varsity letters: four in lacrosse, three in football and three in basketball. He was a captain in each sport in his senior season and was selected as Glen Ridge’s Outstanding Male Athlete. At the time of his induction, he was the all-time Glen Ridge boys lacrosse scoring leader with 310 points (93 goals and 217 assists). His 217 career assists is the current all-time record for the State of New Jersey and the 94 assists he produced in his junior season is a state single-season record. His 310 overall points are 15th most in New Jersey history. In his junior season, he led all NJ scorers with 126 points. He led NJ in assists both his sophomore and junior seasons and was 9th in the state in his senior campaign. He was All-Conference his sophomore, junior and senior seasons and was the Conference Player of the Year his junior season. He was all state in his junior and senior seasons. Most importantly, he was a leading contributor to a team that won two Conference Championships and made three appearances in the state playoffs. On the football field, he was a vital contributor to the team that returned the Ridgers to the winning ways of the past. He was the starting QB for three seasons. During his tenure, the Ridgers progressed from one win to seven wins. As a senior he threw for 1,500 yards and had ten touchdown passes. He was voted to All-Conference all three years, 1st-Team as a senior. After his senior campaign he was named 3rd-Team All-Group 1st- and 2nd-Team All-Essex County. On the basketball court he was relied on to do the 'dirty work'. He was a three-year starter who was known for his tenacious defense and excellent passing and rebounding skills. He led the team in assists and steals his junior and senior seasons. Alex went on to a successful Division 1 Lacrosse career at St. Joseph’s University. At the time of his induction, he is first in games played and 9th in assists for the Hawks. He led the team in assists in both his sophomore and junior seasons. Alex has coached lacrosse at the collegiate level for seven years and is currently a Division 1 Offensive Coordinator at Jacksonville University.

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.

Rita Massot (Class of 2003) - Rita Massot's influence on female athletes in Glen Ridge cannot be understated. Her athleticism and infectious energy inspired countless young girls to play sports, which began a golden era of girls athletics for Glen Ridge High School. Massot played point guard for the basketball team and help lead the Ridgers to a record of 78-18 during her four years. She garnered 3rd-team All-State Group I Honors in her junior year. She finished her career with 730 points, 362 steals (a school record), and 265 assists. Coach Maria DiCondina says of Massot, "She is without a doubt the best, one of the quickest and most outstanding female athletes in Glen Ridge High School history." On the soccer field, Massot made history. She scored two goals in the final and led the soccer team to its first State Group I Title in 2001 by beating Pennsville 3-1. She led Glen Ridge to its first Essex County Tournament final 2002, in which the Ridgers lost 2-0 to Millburn. Massot is the school record-holder with 165 career goals, a number which ranks second all-time in Essex County and sixth all-time in the state. In 2001, she led the state in scoring with 51 goals and, and she followed that by leading state in goals in 2002 with 45. A three-time 1st-Team All-Essex County Team selection, she also earned All-State Group I First Team honors in 2000, 2001 and 2002. In 2001 and 2002, Massot was voted by the Colonial Hills Conference as its player of the year and by The Star-Ledger as its Essex County player of the year. After graduating from GRHS, Massot went on to play for Seton Hall University. Her accomplishments at the collegiate level included leading the Pirates in points (12) and goals (5) as a freshman, being selected to the All-Big East Rookie Team, and being named a Big East Academic All-Star.

Mike Matey (Class of 1965) - Mike Matey was a gifted three sport athlete during a golden era of GRHS sports. He earned ten varsity letters, three each in football and basketball and four in baseball. A three-year starter at linebacker and offensive tackle and as a co-captain his senior year, he helped the Ridgers earn a third consecutive undefeated season, North Jersey Conference Title, and Group 1 State Championship. Matey never experienced a loss as a member of the GRHS football program going 6-0 as a freshman and 24-0 on the varsity level. For his efforts on the gridiron, his senior year he was named 1st team All-North Jersey Conference (2nd team as a junior), 3rd team All-Essex County, and 1st team All-State Group 1 (2nd team as a junior). Matey also handled the place kicking duties his senior year converting 20 PATs. A three year starter in basketball, Mike was the 2nd leading rebounder and 3rd leading scorer on the team. His teams won North Jersey Conference titles his junior and senior seasons, a Group 1 championship his junior year and went to the sectional final his senior year. During his three-year varsity career his teams went 50-11. On the baseball diamond, Matey was a co-captain his senior year. A four-year starter at third base, he led the team in batting his freshman year with a .327 average. His teams won North Jersey Conference championships his sophomore and junior years going 13-3 and 14-1 respectively. Mike received All-North Jersey Conference recognition in his junior and senior years.

Don McCormick (Class of 1982) - Don McCormick was one of the greatest basketball players in Glen Ridge High School history. An outstanding all around athlete, McCormick also excelled in track & field earning three letters being named All-Conference, All-Essex County and All-State Group I while participating in the high jump, long jump and javelin events. He earned four varsity letters in basketball and stands at his time of induction as the all time leading scorer with 1,552 points and the all time leading rebounder with 1,223. These records have remained unmatched for decades. During his junior and senior season's, McCormick's teams compiled an astounding 40-8 record, and he earned All-Conference, All-Essex County and All-State Group I Honors. He led his teams to two consecutive sectional finals in 1981 and 1982. McCormick's intensity and all-out hustling mentality served as a model for GRHS basketball players for years and his achievements continue to be benchmarks for players today. After high school he went on to a very successful collegiate basketball career at Fordham University. In 1986, McCormick was drafted by the New Jersey Nets and played professionally in Europe.

Mark Melito (Class of 1990) - As an individual, Mark Melito excelled in two sports. His records show that. But if you were able to get him to brag about anything, which is very difficult, he would tell you how proud he was to play on such great teams. As a four-year starting shortstop and pitcher for Glen Ridge High, Melito was a member of two Greater Newark Tournament championship squads and one Group I state championship nine. That means he was a member of a significant championship team in three of his four years at Glen Ridge High. Melito never lost a pitching decision for the Ridgers, having compiled a 26-0 record over four years. In addition, he was named All State, All Groups shortstop in 1990, his final season in a Glen Ridge uniform. After high school, he was a four-year starting shortstop for Wake Forest University and played three seasons of minor league professional baseball. Baseball was his best, but not his only sport. He was a three-year starter and two-season captain for the Glen Ridge basketball team. In his sophomore year, Melito was a member of the Ridgers' 1988 Group I State Championship Team, something the school has accomplished just twice. Melito finished his outstanding basketball career just a few points shy of the 1,000-point plateau. Mark Melito was not just a great athlete. He was voted by his 1990 classmates as its scholar-athlete. He also was a very good student at Wake Forest.

Donald Merkelbach - Dan Gleeson Award for Meritorious Service

Rachael Miscia Hogan (Class of 1996) - The most-decorated softball player in Glen Ridge High School history, Rachael Miscia Hogan is the owner of numerous Ridger records. She drove in 39 runs and batted .511 in the 1996 season, which made her an All-Area and All-Colonial Hills Conference selection for a 3rd-consecutive year during which she served as the team's captain. She also was selected as 1st-team All-Essex, marking the 3rd-successive season in which she was named All-Essex (3rd team in 1994 and 2nd team in 1995). Rachael's career totals of 202 at-bats, 83 runs, 89 walks, 56 RBIs 101 hits and a .410 batting average are what made her Glen Ridge's leader in those categories. She also played field hockey and girls basketball, earning 12 varsity letters. In 1995, Rachael earned All-Conference Honorable Mention in field hockey. She was a member of the Glen Ridge team which won the Colonial Hills Conference girls basketball championship in 1995, and was honorable mention All-Conference during the 1996 girls' basketball season in which she served as team captain. After graduating from Rowan University, Rachael returned to the Glen Ridge public schools system as a physical education teacher. She has been a physical education teacher at Glen Ridge high school since 2002, and served as Glen Ridge High School Interim-Athletic Director during a portion of the 2015-16 school year.

Kathy Mueller Rohan (Class of 1974) - When Kathy Mueller graduated from Glen Ridge High School in 1974, Title IX was in its infancy and state and county championship tournaments were not held in girls sports. While Kathy was a four year starting guard and top performer on the girls varsity basketball team, her greatest impact came on the tennis courts. Kathy culminated an outstanding four year varsity tennis career with a perfect 18-0 first singles record in her senior year, which still stands as a school record. Kathy used her perfect senior season at GRHS as a springboard to collegiate tennis at Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey), where she competed against all divisions and compiled a perfect 96-0 record over four years at first singles during team match play. Kathy was the Eastern Collegiate Champion in 1977 and 1978. She was named an All-American in all divisions in 1977 and 1978 and awarded the Broderick Cup (now the Honda Award) as the top women's collegiate player in the United States in 1977. After completing her collegiate career, Kathy went on to play in the Women's Professional Tour in 1979 and 1980 and was ranked 150th in the world. She was inducted into the Trenton State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. Kathy is a girls' sports pioneer for Glen Ridge High, being the only graduate to have received collegiate All American Honors and played professional tennis.

Bill Murphy (Class of 1964) - An outstanding three-sport athlete at Glen Ridge High School, Bill Murphy accumulated nine varsity letters before graduating in 1964. In football, to become his hallmark sport, he was a split end and defensive back which earned him All-Colonial Hills first team and All-State Group I third team honors in 1962 and 1963, as his Glen Ridge High School teams won all 16 of its games to collect North Jersey Conference and Group I State Championship Honors. As a three-year starter and senior co-captain in basketball, Murphy led the 1963-64 Ridgers' squad to a 17-2 record, averaging 13 points per game and first team all-conference, as the team became conference and Group I, Section 2 champion. In Track & Field, Murphy's event was the 180-yard low hurdles. At the 1964 conference championship meet, he finished third. At the Group I State Meet, that year, he captured the gold medal. He was voted outstanding athlete in the Class of 1964. At Cornell University 1964-1968, he became a sensational football wide receiver. In 1967, he set six Cornell and three Ivy League receiving records, which led to his selection on two All-Ivy all-star teams and honorable mention All-America. In 1988 he was inducted into the Cornell Hall of Fame. After college, Murphy was the leading receiver for the Lowell Patriots of the Atlantic Coast Football League, which led to him playing in 1968 in the National Football League for the Boston Patriots.

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.

Tom Murphy (Class of 1981) - A key player of every team he was on, Tom Murphy led by example and inspired his teammates by delivering his best with determination and a level-headed sense of cool. He never criticized anyone, and was always there to pick up a player who needed a boost. People gravitated toward Tom Murphy because of his sincere kindness, and with a quick comment and smile, he could calm any tense situation. A three-year starter for the basketball team at point guard, Murphy was the team leader in assists each year and directed the team to a record of 39 wins and 11 losses in his junior and senior years. As a junior, Murphy spurred the team to the Group I, Section 2 semifinal. As a senior he guided the team to the Group I, Section 2 final. Murphy was not only a tremendously skilled player, but generally was the smartest guy on the court, because he was one of the best passers the school has ever seen. He easily could have scored more, but took great pride and enjoyment in sending a no-look pass to a teammate for an easy basket. With Murphy at second base and on the mound, the baseball team was 48-10 during his two years as a starter. Despite battling a back injury, Murphy helped the team to its first-ever Colonial Hills Conference Championship and the Group I, Section 2 Final his junior year in 1980. Then, everything came together for Murphy and the baseball team in 1981. Murphy pitched to a 6-1 record with an ERA of 0.45 and played a solid second base. The team won the Group I State Championship and finished the year ranked second in Essex County and No. 10 in New Jersey. After graduating from GRHS, Murphy continued his basketball career at Trenton State College where he was a four-year letter winner and captain of the 1985 team which won the NJSAC and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament. He recorded more than 100 assists for three consecutive years and was inducted into the Trenton State Hall of Fame as a member of the 1985 team.

Roger Nelson - Roger Nelson earned nine varsity letters in football, basketball, track & field during his outstanding career at Glen Ridge High School. As a football co-captain, Nelson garnered All-Essex County honors his senior year. He also co-captained the track & field team and won the NJ Group I 100-yard dash State Championship in 1952. After graduating from GRHS, he went on to participate in football, basketball and track & field at Wesleyan University and later received his law degree from Cornell Law School. Nelson's history of devotion to the community of Glen Ridge is unmatched and his civic achievements are almost too numerous to mention. He has served as a member of both the board of education and the town council and was a founding member of the Freeman Gardens Association and the Historic Preservation Committee. Roger Nelson is truly a treasure to the Borough of Glen Ridge.

Greg Ortman (Class of 1983) - Greg Ortman's athletic tenure at Glen Ridge is captured best by two words: Leader and Winner. He was the kind of leader that played big in big games, made the players around him better and practically willed the teams he played for to win. In both baseball and football, he went from being a standout contributor as a sophomore to an excellent player as a junior and a star athlete as a senior. As a starter for three years in baseball and football, Ortman earned six varsity letters. He garnered all conference recognition two times in both baseball and football, all country honors in baseball, and as a senior, was the leading scorer in Essex County football scoring 19 touchdowns, and all state Group I in both baseball and football. He led the baseball team in batting his junior year and as a captain was invited to the play in the NJ All-Star game his senior year. Greg Ortman started and was a key component on four state championship teams, two in baseball and football in both his sophomore and senior years. He capped his senior football season by scoring four touchdowns in the state championship victory over a favored New Providence team. In three years playing at the varsity level, he led his teams to a 19-6 record in football and an astounding 74-15 record in baseball. After high school Ortman went on to play football and star at the University of New Haven where he set and the single season pass reception record and was elected sole captain of the team as a senior.

Stephen Ortman (Class of 1981) - The multi-sport accomplishments of the Ortman family are legendary in Glen Ridge. Stephen Ortman captained both the GRHS football and baseball teams to State Championships in his senior year ('80-'81). As of his enshrinement, he holds multiple baseball records including the record for stolen bases in a season (31). Ortman hit in the leadoff spot for the 1981 baseball team that finished the year with a school record 28 wins and a top-five finish in the Star-Ledger rankings. He was the focal point of the offense for the 1980 football team and led all of Essex County in scoring. Ortman holds the distinction of being named 1st-team All-County and 1st-team All State (Group I) in two different sports (football and baseball) his senior year. The epitome of a student-athlete, Ortman was as outstanding academically as he was athletically, as he went on to star on the football field and in the classroom at the University of Pennsylvania.

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.

Joan Page Hayes (Class of 1953) - Joan Page competed in field hockey, basketball, tennis, and volleyball, baseball and modern dance during her distinguished scholastic athletic career. In her senior year she was the captain of volleyball team and she co-captained the 1952-53 undefeated basketball team. Page went on to Skidmore College where she served as president for the class of 1957. Joan Page Hayes has devoted herself to numerous community service projects and organizations over the years. She helped to create the Glen Ridge Historical Society and serving as its president from 1980-1984. She was president of the Glen Ridge Women's Club from 1984-1988 and has been on its board ever since. In 1988 she and her husband Bob co-chaired the Glen Ridge Congregational Church Centennial year celebration. She has served on the Church Council and is currently co-chair of its Garden of Memory. In the 1990's she and her husband co-chaired the Glen Ridge Public Library's expansion campaign and has served on the Library Board of Trustees for 14 years, six as president. She and Bob co-chaired the 2007 Glen Ridge Gala.

Paul Perna - Paul Perna was the head girls tennis coach at Glen Ridge High School from 1978-1993. During his tenure as the head coach, his teams appeared in three North Jersey Section 2 Group 1 Finals. Paul Perna spent his fall and spring seasons piloting Glen Ridge High School girls and boys tennis teams for just short of twenty years. As head boys tennis coach from 1976-1994, he guided the boys teams to three Colonial Hills Conference Championships, three North Jersey Section II Championships, two North Jersey Group I Championships, and the Group I State title in 1978 and 1979. His 1979 team reached the New Jersey Tournament of Champions Finals. That team lost in the final 3-2 to Cherry Hill East and finished the season ranked #4 in the state of New Jersey by the Star Ledger. In 1980, Coach Perna guided Ron Erskine (GRHS Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2005) to the New Jersey High School State Singles Title. During his coaching tenure Paul Perna won over 350 matches. He was named Colonial Hills Conference Coach of the Year several times during his coaching career. In 1990, he was named the Star-Ledger Girls Tennis Coach of the Year.

Rich SanFillipo - Coach 1971 - 1984 After serving as an assistant to legendary coach Bill Horey for eight years, Rich SanFillipo took over the GRHS football program for the retired Horey in 1979. Coming off a .500 season the year before, SanFillipo returned the program to glory through discipline, simple effective execution, and unmatched conditioning. SanFillipo introduced the modern 'I' backfield and added multiple sets to the offense that allowed for a balanced run/pass attack with the flexibility to adapt to strengths of his personnel. In just his second year at the helm he led the team to the Group I Section 2 State Championship. In his six years as head football coach, SanFillipo guided the team to four playoff appearances, two State Championships (1980 and 1982) and a 42-14 record. He was a consummate teacher with very high standards who truly hated to lose. A great athlete himself, SanFillipo was a players' coach that never allowed himself to get too close to the players. He brought out the best in his players by making it clear that he would accept nothing less than 100% effort each and every day. SanFillipo was able to strike the perfect balance between being extremely demanding and extremely fair. He believed that tough fundamental football was the key to winning and that the team should always come before the individual. These beliefs helped foster a team and school spirit that is still felt in the hearts of the players he coached. SanFillipo was a firm, no-nonsense leader who did things the right way and his hard work, ability to motivate young men, and the way he handled himself in all situations set an outstanding example for his players. Rich SanFillipo taught his players the positives of the commitment to team, self-sacrifice, and poise under pressure. Rich SanFillipo set a standard of what it takes and what it means to compete on the athletic fields of Glen Ridge High School and is one of the greatest coaches in school history.

Victor See (Class of 1976) - Victor See earned six varsity letters in baseball and football during an outstanding career at Glen Ridge High School. He honed his leadership skills as the co-captain of the football and baseball teams his senior year. In football, See lettered three times as a defensive back, running back, kick returner, and punter. In his junior year, See played a key role by making several long runs, as the Ridgers defeated Mountain Lakes, 19-13, to end their rival's 23-game winning streak. The headline the next day read, "The Herd Finally Halted". As the starting left fielder in his junior year he was pivotal in leading the team to a 23-4 record and coach Lou Calderone's first Group I State Championship. See finished the season with a .460 batting average, set the record for stolen bases in a season, and was named 2nd-team All-State All-Groups, 1st-team All-State Group I, 1st-team All-County, 1st-team All-Conference, and was named a 1st-Team All-Metropolitan All-Star by the New York Daily News. See played centerfield his senior year and broke his own stolen base record, swiping 25 bags. He was named 1st-Team All-State Group I, 1st-Team All-County, 1st-Team All-Conference, and was a repeat member of the New York Daily News 1st-Team All-Metropolitan All-Stars. That team won the Group I Sectional State Championship. After graduation, See attended the United States Naval Academy and led its baseball team to the 1979 Eastern Intercollegiate League Championship and the NCAA Tournament Northeast Regional. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1980, See became a helicopter pilot and an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer for the U.S. Navy. He was the first member of his class to be promoted to Rear Admiral (One Star and Two Star) and became the leader of Navy Space during his last five years of service.

Bill Stableford (Class of 1965) - Bill Stableford was a tremendous three sport athlete at Glen Ridge High School during a golden era for school sports. He earned a total of ten varsity letters, two in football, four in track & field, and four in basketball. As an offensive and defensive end, Stableford helped lead the football team to North Jersey Conference championships and state championships in 1963 and 1964 and a perfect 16-0 record. In track and field Stableford competed in the high jump and high hurdles, and helped the team to North Jersey Conference Championships and State Championships in 1963, 1964, and 1965. As accomplished as he was on the gridiron and on the track team, it was on the hardwood that Stableford's star shone the brightest. He was the first player to score 1,000 points at Glen Ridge High School. As of his enshrinement, his 1,075 points rank him as the third highest scorer in school history. Stableford led the 1964 and 1965 boys' basketball teams to North Jersey Conference championships, and as captain, led the 1965 team to the sectional final. All totaled, Bill Stableford's teams won eight conference championships and six state titles. An outstanding student, he went on to play Ivy League basketball at Dartmouth.

Jamie Stanisci (Class of 1990) - Earning varsity letters in four sports, Jamie Stanisci was an outstanding football player and a wrestling team star. In football, he won three letters and was the team's No. 1 running back and leader in all-purpose yards and touchdowns his final two seasons. In 1990, he earned 1st-team All-Colonial Hills Conference and 3rd-team All-Essex County. Wrestling clearly was his best sport as he dominated on the mat. During his sophomore through senior years, Jamie was 24-0 in CHC matches and named 1st-team All-CHC all three years. He was a two-time Essex-County and District 13 Champion and the first Glen Ridge wrestler ever to appear in three-consecutive Essex County and District 13 Finals. In 1990, Stanisci was ranked No. 4 in the state at 145 pounds and captured the Region 2 Championship. Over his career, Stanisci amassed a 75-18 record, 65-8 in his final three seasons. He led the 1989 team to a CHC Championship and its highest ever team showing at the Essex County Tournament by placing third. After a brief college wrestling career, Stanisci became an assistant coach in the Glen Ridge High wrestling program, a position he held from 1994-2002. During that period, Glen Ridge compiled an 85-54 record and in 1998, Stanisci was named the District 13 Assistant Coach of the year. As a GR assistant, he coached three future Ridger Hall of Fame inductees -- Sam Delaney, John Csuka and Joe Dubuque. He was instrumental in guiding the 2001 team to the school's only district team title. Csuka and Dubuque became Glen Ridge's first two wrestlers to reach the 100-win plateau, with Dubuque capturing the 2000 and 2001 state championships. In addition to his two primary sports, Stanisci earned varsity letters in baseball and track & field, having been an outfielder on the 1989 GR baseball team that went 23-2 and won a Greater Newark Tournament Championship.

Michael Stanisci (Class of 1983) - One of the greatest two-way football players in school history, Michael Stanisci started on offense and defense for three years (28 games), never missed a game, and led the team to a 22-5-1 record and two State Championships in that span. As a captain his senior year, he amassed 1,450 passing yards and 13 TD passes, 535 rushing yards and five rushing TDs on offense and directed the team to Group I Sectional State Championship and a 9-1 record and was named first team All State Group I, first team All-Essex County and first team All-Colonial Hills Conference Quarterback. Stanisci could just as easily received the same honors as a linebacker that season as he recorded 78 tackles, 50 of which were unassisted, three interceptions one returned for a TD. In the 1982 Group I Sectional State Championship Game, Glen Ridge was an underdog against a powerful New Providence team, and to make matter worse, Stanisci was injured the previous week and practiced only once during the week of preparation for the game. He went on to complete 14 passes in 20 attempts for 220 yards and three TD passes and led the team to a convincing 28-14 victory. His head coach, Rich SanFillipo, claimed that Stanisci was the most talented quarterback in terms of overall athletic ability and pure passing skill that he coached in 19 years as a head coach. Stanisci was also a three-year starter for the baseball team and a captain his senior year. The clean-up hitter batted .356 with four HRs and 20 RBI and a 6-2 pitching record his junior year for the 21-5 team and hit .300 with three HRs and 17 RBI for the 23-5, Group I State Champion Team. Overall, the team played to a 72-15 record in Stanisci's career. During a golden age of GRHS athletics, Michael Stanisci stood out as one of the school's most versatile and accomplished competitors.

Jim Studwell (Class of 1945) - Jim Studwell is regarded by many as one of the greatest leaders ever to play at Glen Ridge High School. In his senior year he co-captained, and called all the plays on the field on both offense and defense for the 1944 football team that won the conference championship and the State Group I championship while outscoring their opponents 224-26. The Newark Sunday Call awarded the 1944 team the annual state championship trophy naming the first undefeated and untied football team in Glen Ridge High School history as the best team in the state of New Jersey. Studwell recorded 19 touchdowns in his senior year, but, to a man, his teammates claim that his extraordinary leadership qualities overshadowed his impressive statistics.

Cecilia Szakacs - Considered one of the earliest advocates for girl's athletics at Glen Ridge High School, Cecilia Szakacs was instrumental in fostering a competitive atmosphere for females and implemented numerous programs. Considered an excellent athlete herself, Szakacs came to the United States from Hungary before the revolution in that country. While teaching in Glen Ridge for 26 years she ran virtually all of the girl's athletic programs, including field hockey, gymnastics and basketball, all by herself. Without a pioneer like Cecilia Szakacs, we would not know girl's high school athletics as we know them today and each and every young female that competes for Glen Ridge High School owes her a debt of gratitude.

Clem Tennaro - Clem Tennaro coached his boys basketball teams to a 431-222 record including ten conference championships, five sectional championships and in 1988, the Group I State championship. He coached five 1,000 point scorers at GRHS. Tennaro earned respect from his players, his fellow coaches, and the coaches and players on rival teams by conducting himself with class and dignity at all times. He holds the record for most points scored in a game (47) while playing at Montclair State College and was inducted into the Montclair Sate University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.

John Tomasko (Class of 1957) - The first of three Tomasko brothers to excel in football and track at Glen Ridge High School, John earned six varsity letters, three in each sport. Although his football teams never compiled a winning record, John, a three-year starter at halfback, was the workhorse in the backfield, scoring most of the Ridgers points, all while competing in the tough Suburban Conference. In John's junior year, he was selected as 3rd-team All-Essex, 3rd-team All-State Group I and 2nd-team All-Suburban Conference, despite the Ridgers' overall record of 2-4-1. Elected co-captain his senior year, he suffered torn ankle ligaments in the season opener against Clifford Scott, which limited his playing time that season. In track & field, John was a star in the dashes and was the Group I State Champion in the long jump, with a leap of 19-9. John resumed his football and track careers at Franklin & Marshall College. In his senior year there (1960), he established single-season records in rushing (886 yards), and in yards-per-carry (6.1) as he scored 13 touchdowns and scored 80 points to gain the Pennsylvania State Collegiate scoring title, all in an eight-game schedule. For his efforts, he was selected to the Eastern College Athletic Conference weekly All-East teams twice, to the 1960 Associated Press All-Pennsylvania College team (with Mike Ditka of Pitt) and was named the outstanding player in the Middle Atlantic Conference's Southern Division. As a star Franklin & Marshall track and field athlete, John set his college's long jump record with a leap of 22-8 1/4. Tragically, John Tomasko died in an automobile accident in 1979 at the age of 40.

Roger Tomasko (Class of 1966) - Following his brothers, John and Robert, as football halfbacks and track and field stars at Glen Ridge High School, Roger earned seven varsity letters, four in track and three in football. His track career started as a freshman, competing in the low and high hurdles, and helping the Ridgers to four state championships. By the time he was graduated from GRHS, he was a dominant performer in his favorite event (180-yard low hurdles) and had become a two-time Group I State Champion, and had set the state record at 19.4 seconds in that event. Other major wins included the Newark Board of Education Meet (two-time champion), the Essex County and North Jersey Conference Championships. He also was a member of the Glen Ridge mile-relay championship team at the prestigious Penn Relays. Roger remains part of four GRHS track-records, established in 1966 in the high and low hurdles plus two relay events. On the gridiron, Roger was a three-year starter at halfback, scoring 27 touchdowns and amassing a total of 178 points. His football teams compiled an overall record of 23-1 and were undefeated in 21 conference games. The Roger Tomasko Ridger teams earned three Sectional State Championships and three North Jersey Conference Titles. As a football co-captain his senior year, he was an honorable mention All-Essex selection, a first team All-State Group I selection and a first team North Jersey Conference All-Star, also having been All-Conference as a junior. After graduation, Roger Tomasko was on the football and track teams at Taft College in California.

George H. (Nick) Van Tassel (Class of 1963) - Despite being small in stature at 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, Nick Van Tassel often stood head and shoulders above all others on the baseball diamond and basketball hardwood. A gifted athlete with exceptional hand-eye coordination, Van Tassel was ambidextrous. He threw a baseball left handed, batted right handed, and in basketball, could go to the hoop left-handed or right-handed. He played golf right-handed and scored in the high seventies. A four-year starter in baseball as a pitcher/outfielder, Nick was elected Co-Captain his junior and senior years. He led the team in most offensive categories while also serving as the team's go-to pitcher. A highlight of his senior season was his two homeruns over the left field fence at Hurrell Field in a game vs. Park Ridge. For his efforts in baseball his senior year he was a 2nd-Team All-State All-Groups outfield selection, as well as being named 1st-Team All-State Group 1, 1st-Team All-Essex County, and 1st-Team All-Conference. In basketball, his senior year, he led an inexperienced starting lineup which included three sophomores and a junior to a 13-6 record. It was the first winning record in three seasons for the squad. A co-captain as a senior, Van Tassel scored 294 points for a 15.4 points-per-game average. Van Tassel could have scored more points, but as a point guard, and being the complete player, he led the team in assists, enabling his teammates to contribute to the scoring as well. Describing Van Tassel's quickness on the court, coach Jack Curtis remarked, "He sucks 'em in with a feint, the defender gives him half a step and Nick's gone." His basketball honors include being selected 1st-Team All-State Group 1 (Star-Ledger), 3rd-Team All-State Group 1 (Newark News), as well as garnering All-Conference recognition. While attending the University of Vermont, Nick Van Tassel died tragically in an automobile accident at the age of 21. Those who knew him will never forget him.

William F. Vesterman (Class of 1937) - Bill Vesterman was quarterback and sole captain of the football team for both the 1935 and 1936 GRHS football teams. His 1936 team won the first Suburban Conference Championship (his son, William R., would be on the 1957 team that took the Championship in the last year Glen Ridge played in the Suburban Conference). Vesterman played on the Ridgers' offensive and defensive units, and was selected first-team All-Essex County in his senior year and second-team All-State. As might be expected of someone who was elected captain by his teammates after his sophomore season, Vesterman was a born leader and an inspiring player, and though he weighed only 135 pounds, he was known as a fierce tackler. Bill Vesterman later served for many, many years as a firefighter in the borough and was the last chief of the now extinct Glen Ridge Fire Department. All eight of Vesterman's children were educated in the Glen Ridge school system.

Paul Vinges (Class of 1985) - His teammates describe him as a player possessing "incredible passion, drive and determination," while coaches felt blessed to have such a strong leader on the field. Many of Paul Vinges' accomplishments did not appear on a statistics sheet. What is on the record is that he was captain of his team in three sports during his senior year. As a three-year starter in football, he was part of a Group I Sectional State Championship Team (10-1) as its sophomore middle linebacker in 1982, and led the Ridgers to an 8-1 mark and Co-Conference Championship in 1984 as its offensive center and defensive middle linebacker. He earned All-Conference and 3rd-team Group I All-State Honors in his senior season. In the winter, Vinges was a 188-pound wrestler for Glen Ridge and was the best in the Colonial Hills Conference at that weight in his junior and senior years. In his senior season, Vinges was second in the Essex County Tournament, second in District 32, and third in Region 8 in that weight division, which qualified him for the State Tournament at Jadwin Gym of Princeton University, something that fewer than ten Glen Ridge wrestlers had accomplished. While his best sports were football and wrestling, Vinges' favorite sport was baseball. He was a member of the 1983 Glen Ridge Group I State Championship team, and he concluded his high school career as the Ridgers' two-year starting catcher. From behind the plate, Vinges called an excellent game for his pitchers and was adept at throwing out would-be base stealers. Vinges is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, where he was the starting baseball catcher for two years, before he fractured his ankle in an auto accident which ended his college sports career.

Tim Vinges (Class of 1990) - By the time Tim Vinges graduated from Glen Ridge High School in 1990, he had been a part of a remarkable run of Ridgers' baseball successes. He was on two Greater Newark Tournament Championship teams and was the winning pitcher in the 1989 title game, hurling a one-hitter against Livingston. He was a member of the 1988 Group I State Championship team and was the winning pitcher in the sectional championship game that year, out-pitching an opponent who made All-State, All-Groups and won the Union County Tournament Title. During that four-year span Glen Ridge was 93-11, also capturing three Colonial Conference crowns. Vinges pitched to a 22-5 career record (5-2 in 1987, 5-0 in 1988, 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA in 1989 and 7-3 with a 1.10 ERA in 1990). In addition, as a first baseman/pitcher, he recorded more than 500 fielding chances, committing just one error. At bat, Vinges hit better than .400 for three seasons, leading the Ridgers in batting average, extra base hits and runs batted in as a junior and senior. Vinges was named to the All-Conference All-Star team in 1989 and 1990. He was named to the All-Essex First Team by the Newark Star-Ledger in his junior and senior seasons. And he was All-State, Group I First Team as a senior, after making the Group I Second Team as a junior. Vinges' championship success did not end in high school. He was a four-year member of the William Paterson University baseball team and an integral part of WPU's National Division III championship squad in 1992, starring as a relief pitcher in the College World Series. With that team Vinges has been inducted into the WPU Hall of Fame. Baseball clearly was his best sport, but Vinges also earned three varsity letters as a wide receiver on the Ridgers football team.

John Volpe

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.

Danny Williams (Class of 1961) - Danny Williams was an outstanding three-sport athlete accumulating nine varsity letters while at GRHS. He earned three in football, two in basketball, and four in baseball, the sport at which he was best. In three years of varsity football, Williams scored 22 touchdowns as a half-back and was voted first-team All-Essex/Union County All-Stars (all groups). As a sophomore letter winner, he helped the team to a State Championship. An outstanding basketball player, he was selected first team all conference his senior year. But it was on the baseball diamond that Danny Williams made his mark. With Williams at third base, the team won the State Sectional Championship his sophomore year. His junior year he led the team and conference in hitting by batting .409. His senior year he once again led the team and conference with a .453 average. Williams was named first team All-State Group I in his junior and senior years. After high school Williams attended the University of Miami on a baseball scholarship and was a three-year starter there, helping the team to qualify for the College World Series. As a testament to his versatility, he was also an intercollegiate boxing champion at Miami for three years as a middleweight.

Robert Zeuner (Class of 1983) - Rob Zeuner was a tremendous all-around athlete for Glen Ridge High School and gained a reputation for excelling in pressure situations. On the football field he returned punts on the 1980 Group I Section II state championship team as a sophomore. In his junior year he started at tight end and cornerback for the 1981 Group I Sectional Semi-final Team that finished 7 - 2, and had 42 receptions for 875 yards and 5 TDs and 3 interceptions. For those accomplishments, Zeuner was named 2nd-team All-Essex County and 2nd team All-State Group I. He was a captain for the 9-1, 1982 Group I Section II Championship Team his senior year, had 39 receptions for 650 yards and 5 TDs and was among the team leaders in tackles from his cornerback spot on defense. He had six receptions for 130 yards (each of them big, game changing plays) vs. New Providence in the State Championship game and also had ten tackles in the game. Zeuner was named 2nd-team All-Essex County and 1st-team All-State Group I that year. In baseball his sophomore year, Zeuner started as part of a platoon in the outfield and batted .333 for the 1981 Group I Section II State Championship team that finished 28-5. An extremely versatile player who could have played any position on the diamond, he was the starting catcher on the 1982 Group I Sectional Semi-final team and once again batted .333 for the club that finished 21-5. He played catcher and in the outfield and was a captain for the 1983 Group I Section II Championship team his senior year. He led the 23-5 team with a .398 batting average and had 30 RBI and 6 game winning hits, and was named 3rd-team All-Essex County, and 2nd-team All-State Group I. Robert Zeuner was an outstanding leader, who when the game got tight, was at his best. He refused to consider losing as a possibility and was very much a team player who would do anything asked of him.