AARON ECHTERNACHT
- mercertrackhall
- Sep 20, 2025
- 1 min read
Updated: Jan 13
Hopewell Valley -- Thrower
The owner of nine school records, in both track and in the field, Echternacht was the embodiment of power and consistency as one of Mercer County’s greatest all-around throwers.
An accomplished pentathlete, Echternacht was a seven-time varsity letterman (three times indoors and four times outdoors). He earned All-American recognition as a senior at Hopewell Valley in 1991 when he earned victories in the shot put in three of the nation’s biggest events: the Penn Relays, the East Coast Championships and Acadia Invitational. In fact, the only difficult question when it comes to his credentials is whether he was better in the shot or the discus in the magical 1991 season, such was his level of dominance, not only over Mercer County but over all of New Jersey.
A six-time All-CVC and All-Mercer performer, Echternacht earned All-State recognition four times (twice in 1990 and twice in 1991, when he was the only male in the spring season to earn first-team honors in two events in both New Jersey Track and the Star-Ledger).
What did it? He threw the discus over 170 feet several times with a best of 179-9, winning the 1991 Group II title by almost 24 feet. That same weekend he won the shot put by over four feet with what for him was actually a disappointing effort of 62 feet, more than three feet short of his best effort.
Indoors he thrilled local fans by winning the shot put at the Eastern States Invitational at Jadwin Gym, and followed his scholastic career by competing at Texas A&M University.
