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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.  Back to Class of 2025

Hopewell Valley --Thrower Jen Watkins may have been the best all-around scholastic thrower in Mercer County,boy or girl, in the 20th Century. At the very least, she amassed an astounding resume. The Meet of Champions winner and first team All-State in back-to-back seasons (1990 and 1991) in the girls’ discus, Watkins went undefeated in New Jersey in the event during that time. That feat includes back-to-back Central Group II and Group II state titles, but the Bulldogs’ paragon was hardly a one-event thrower as she was team MVP four consecutive years. In 1991, Watkins was Central Group II shot-put champion and twice she was also sectional champion in the javelin. She graduated in 1991 as the Mercer County record holder in the girls’ discus after a fourth place at the Keebler International Track and Field meet and fifth at the Golden West Invitational. On the collegiate level, Watkins kept rolling with three Heps titles for Cornell (two in the discus and one in the javelin) and was the meet’s outstanding performer in 1995. This helped her earn four All-Ivy berths in 1994 and 1995 (two each season), making her an easy choice to eventually be inducted in Cornell’s Athletic Hall of Fame. In the 1995 season, Watkins was the Cornell women’s track and field MVP after setting the school record in the javelin. She graduated as one of the best discus throwers in school history, capping an amazing eight-year run.  MAJOR TITLES 2x Meet of Champions Winner - Discus 1990 & 91 2x State Group II Champion - Discus 1990 & 91 5x CJ Sectional Champion - Discus 1990 & 91, Javelin '90 & '91, Shot Put '91 4x Mercer County Champion - Discus 1989, 90, 91, Javelin 1991 Back to Class of 2025

Steinert High School -- Coach Jerry Bleistein coached the Spartans cross country teams from 1969-1994, and guided the girls track and field squad for 18 seasons. He started the first winter track program at Steinert, and began the junior high cross country program with Reynolds, Nottingham and Grice from 1973 until the middle school alignment in 1981. Known as "Bly" by his athletes, he achieved the ultimate in 1987 when his boy’s cross country team went undefeated (16-0) in dual meets, were victorious at the Mercer County and CJ Sectional Championships, and won the NJSIAA Group III state championship. 400th Career Cross Country Victory Oct 19, 1993 Other achievements for the boys program were four Central Jersey titles, six Colonial Valley Conference championships, including three in four years from 1991-94, and three undefeated seasons. Girls’ highlights featured a CJ title, seven CVC crowns, including five straight from 1978-82, and three undefeated seasons, including two straight in 1977-78. Bleistein's1987 Steinert Boys Cross Country Team NJ State Champions Bleistein coached seven individual Mercer County champions, and was named Cross Country Coach of the Year six times by either the Trenton Times or Trentonian. In 2000, he was named the CVC’s Cross Country Coach of the Decade, and in 2003 was recognized by the NJSIAA with a cross country sports award for contributions to the sport. Bleistein is also a member of the Steinert Athletic Hall of Fame. Back to Class of 2024

Published 12/16/25 This article is the latest in an ongoing series highlighting the upcoming honorees of the 3rd annual Mercer County Track and Field Hall of Fame induction class. The induction & awards banquet for the Class of 2026 will be held in May at Mercer Oaks (See here for details). Trenton Times Jun 1981 To win an all-group gold medal in NJ high school track and field is an immense challenge. Amazingly, in the spring of 1981, Mercer County high schools managed to produce 3 winners at the Outdoor NJSIAA Meet of Champions: Barry McClain, Peter Sharpless and Elliott Johnson. McClain - TCHS 1981 Barry McClain who was inducted in last year's Mercer T&F Hall of Fame Class won the 110 high hurdles at the '81 Meet of Champs with a personal best winning time of 13.8. The Trenton senior beat out the silver medalist--Camden's Martin Booker-- by 2 tenths. McClain had a great meet and narrowly missed winning a double. In his second event of the day in the 400 Hurdles he and Booker swapped positions., with McClain earning the silver in 52.9 to Booker's winning time of 52.2. For Princeton High School senior Peter Sharpless, the 1981 Meet of Champs high jump competition was an opportunity to gain a rare repeat. He had already won the MOC the previous year as a junior. Peter Sharpless PHS high jumper 1981 Sharpless didn't disappoint, as he took his 2nd straight gold with a 6'10 clearance to match his winning height from 1980. Sharpless became only the 2nd high jumper to ever win more than one career gold medal at the spring MOC. Previous to Sharpless, only Skip Johnson of Hackensack in 1971 & '72 had won multiple all-group HJ titles. In spring of '81 Sharpless ran the table on major NJ championships. Besides his gold at the Meet of Champs, he won the Mercer County Meet at 6'9, the CJ Sectional at 6'8 and the Group II State Meet with another 6'8. His senior season was a truly dominant campaign. Sharpless is congratulated by family after securing his 2nd straight MOC HJ title, (Trenton Times June 4, 1981) For Ewing's quarter miler Elliott Johnson the outdoor Meet of Champions was his shot at athletic vindication. He had narrowly missed winning an all-group indoor title in March of '81 when he took the runner-up spot in the 400 meters, losing out to West Deptford's Kevin Overton at the winter Meet of Champs. Elliott Johnson - Ewing At the '81 outdoor MOC, not only did Johnson finally take 400 gold, he also broke the meet record by two tenths, Johnson covered the one lap race with a colossal performance of 47.7 seconds. So dominant was Johnson's win that he broke the tape a full 7 tenths ahead of runner-up Leroy Ford of Westside--who came in next at a distant 48.4. Johnson shown breaking the tape for the win at the 1981 Meet of Champs. (Photo courtesy of The Modica Collection ) Like Sharpless, Johnson won all the other major NJ outdoor titles in the '81 outdoor season as well. He won the Mercer County 400m in 48.6, the Group III CJ Sectional 400 in 49.2, and the Group III State Meet 400 in 47.9. Both Elliott Johnson and Peter Sharpless will be inducted into the Mercer County Track and Field Hall of Fame-- along with 16 other honorees --at the 2026 Awards Banquet which will be conducted at Mercer Oaks on Sunday May 17th, 2026 (Click here for details). © 2025 Mercer County Track & Field Hall of Fame

The Lawrenceville School – State Champions   The Lawrenceville School won its first ever State Championship in 1920 with a dominating performance.  Out of 13 events contested in the NJSIAA Prep Division, they won 11 golds. The team was captained by George Leh who won 2 state championship gold medals in the 220 Low Hurdles and the 880 Yard Run.   Walter Seufert the school record holder in the Mile Run took home a state title in his specialty.             The state long jump crown was won by Richard Bigley Rogers who held a season best in 1920 of 21’ 10 ½ “ and a high school career best of 22' 3"--both school records.       Other Lawrenceville athletes who won state titles were Heiter (100), Jackson (220), Crowell (440), Steel (HJ), Watts (PV), Slick (Javelin) & Hoover (Discus). All together Lawrenceville scored 79 points. Their margin of victory over the 2 nd  place team was 50 points. The team was coached by Lory Prentiss Back to Historical Class

The Lawrenceville School – Mid Distance George Henry Whitely Jr graduated in Lawrenceville Prep’s Class of 1906 and specialized in the half mile run (880 yards). A late comer to the sport of track & field, in only the fourth meet of his running career Whiteley broke the world scholastic record for the half mile.  He set the new record on the 19 th  of May 1906 at the Middle States Championship held on the Franklin Field track in Philadelphia.  Hs record time was 1:57.4. As a student at Lawrenceville Prep Whiteley attended Princeton University and became the top college half miler in the country.  At Princeton he set a new personal best of 1:56.5.  He also won the 1910 college national championship (IC4A) with a time of 1:57.0 to cap off his senior year. Whitely competing at the 1910 IC4A. Winning his trial heat. Whiteley retired from running after graduating from Princeton.  He went on to become president of Denstply International Incorporated where he led the company in the field of cutting edge dental technology.   His school record at Lawrenceville Prep lasted 58 years. Back to Historical Class

Published 11/20/25 Led by the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Peter Morgan , Trenton Central High School won The National Interscholastic Cross Country Championship , held in South Orange NJ, on the 20th of November of 1941 . The win was the first of 2 national titles won by the Tornado XC program . The Trenton Times - Fri, Nov 21, 1941 Coach Peter Morgan Trenton's November 20th victory was the 10th and final win in the fall of '41, and capped off an undefeated season--which included a NJ state title won weeks earlier. The Trenton Times - Fri, Nov 21, 1941 On the scoreboard, the results of the top 3 teams in the country were as follows... The Associated Press - Nov 21, 1941 Trenton's pack was solid. They put 4 of their 5 scorers in the top 15 places, with their 5th man finishing 26th. The individual results for Trenton were as follows: Donald Thoms 5th Jack Morrison 7th Ben Richardson 13th Louis Hardin 15th Frank Kocubinski 26th Trenton's top 2 finishers The 1941 meet was held on the course at Seton Hall's campus. It was the 16th annual national championship. The win was a momentous occasion for TCHS and their coach. The Trenton Times - Fri, Nov 21, 1941 © 2025 Mercer County Track & Field Hall of Fame

Published 12/3/25 Setting records was a habit for pole vaulter Gil Botvin. The Notre Dame and Peddie alumnus was not only the best high school vaulter in New Jersey during the mid-1960s, he was also better than anyone in the history of the state. By the end of his high school career he had won multiple major championships and raised the all-time state record more than once--eventually becoming the first NJ high schooler to clear 14 feet. That is why when the Mercer County Track and Field Hall of Fame hosts its annual spring awards dinner on May 17th of 2026 , Gil Botvin will be honored as a member of the Induction Class of 2026. In this article he tells the story of his track and field journey in his own words. Q: What age were you when you started vaulting? Gil Botvin : I started vaulting around the 7th or 8th grade, when I was still in elementary school. I taught myself, and began vaulting in my backyard. Q: First, were you on steel or fiberglass in high school? How did your vaulting evolve as far as using different poles? Gil Botvin : Believe it or not, I started out on a bamboo pole that a friend of my father’s had. It came in a rug he bought.  Bamboo  I was in the seventh or eighth grade at the time. I had been high jumping into a pit I made in my back yard. But after seeing Bob Richards on Wheaties boxes, I was inspired to try pole vaulting. So I started fooling around with the bamboo pole, and taught myself to pole vault in my backyard. However, one of the downsides of teaching myself is that I learned to vault the way a left-handed person would, even though I am right-handed.  Aluminum  After I showed an interest in pole vaulting and some early signs of promise, my parents bought me an aluminum pole. At that time, pole vaulters were mostly using aluminum poles, and some were using Swedish steel poles. Within a few years, I was one of the best pole vaulters in New Jersey. As a sophomore, I was in the top ten in the state.  Fiberglass I used an aluminum pole for a few years and then, after fiberglass poles started to be widely used, I switched over to fiberglass. That was a surprisingly difficult transition. The technique and timing needed to vault on fiberglass were quite a bit different from what I had learned on an aluminum pole. But eventually I got it.  Q: Did you have a vault coach? Gil Botvin: Don Bragg. A friend of my dad’s, Bernie Daly, introduced me to Don Bragg — Olympic champion and World Record holder in the pole vault, as I’m sure you know. He took an interest in me, came to my home on many occasions, and started coaching me.  One time, shortly after my parents bought me a new fiberglass pole, Don Bragg came to my house. Because of the way the poles were made at the time, they were designed to flex at a certain point on the pole. Don Bragg felt that the pole I had was too stiff for me and asked my dad for a saw. Although my dad wasn’t sure why Don Bragg wanted a saw, he got it anyway. My dad was shocked at what happened next.  Don Bragg took the saw and proceeded to cut off the end of my brand new $65 fiberglass pole. In theory, he explained, that would change the flex point and make it easier for me to bend the pole. My dad looked like he was going to pass out as Don Bragg cut about a foot off the pole. And it turned out he was right! The pole was much easier for me to use.  Q: Can you discuss some of your championship experiences? Gil Botvin : NJ State Champion As a junior at Notre Dame High School, I went on to become state champion in my division, win the champion of champions meet the following week, and set a new state record of 13’2” which broke the record set by Don Bragg as a NJ schoolboy from Penns Grove.  The Times Trenton, New Jersey · Sunday, June 07, 1964 NJ State Champion (Prep) The following year I transferred to The Peddie School, in Hightstown. That year, I also won the state championship — this time in the prep school division. That year I believe I did 14’3” or 14’6” during the spring outdoor season. I don’t recall my winning height at the state championship meet.  (Note: Botvin's Prep State win was at 13'6". He cleared 14 feet for the first time at a dual vs CBA on May 25, 1965. See article clippings below) The Times Sun May 23, 1965 Asbury Park Press Wed, May 26, 1965 East Coast Champion As fate would have it, the Eastern Interscholastic Track and Field Championship Meet was on the same day as my graduation from Peddie. Although I wasn’t able to skip graduation, the headmaster did agree to let me leave graduation early — after my name was called and I received my diploma. Fortunately, my name put me at the beginning of the alphabet and among the first seniors to receive their diplomas.  As soon as I received my diploma, I raced out of graduation and over to the parking lot where my dad was waiting in our car. We then headed for the NJ Turnpike on our way to New York City’s Randall’s Island, over an hour away. During the trip I changed into my track clothes and hoped we’d make it in time for me to compete. But I don’t think either one of us thought I’d make it in time. When we arrived at the stadium on Randall’s Island, the pole vault event was nearly over, with only a few contestants left. Even though I was late, the officials agreed to let me compete — but I had to start at the current height (which I believe was around 12’). I quickly warmed up and measured out my steps. And missed on my first two jumps! But I made it on my third try, and went on to win at 13’7 1/2”. Winning the Eastern Championship - The Times, Sun Jun 13, 1965 The Courier-News Mon, Jun 14, 1965 Q: Where did you attend college? Gil Botvin : Colgate. I had the opportunity to go to Villanova and a few other schools that would have been a better choice for pole vaulting than a school in upstate New York. Colgate was (and still is) an excellent liberal arts school. I got a fabulous education. But it had limited indoor facilities and, due to the weather, it had a very short outdoor season. So, for me, choosing Colgate meant choosing academics over sports. I competed on the varsity team all four years at Colgate. But never vaulted higher than I did in high school.  Q: When did you retire from vaulting? Gil Botvin: I retired from vaulting after college. -- After graduating from Colgate, Botvin earned a Ph.D in psychology from Columbia University. He is currently the Professor Emeritus at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He has served on the faculty at Cornell since 1980, On the impact impact that track and field had on his life, Botvin said the folowing: "I truly believe that becoming a two-time state champion in the pole vault and Eastern Interscholastic Champion created an awakening in me that ultimately contributed to my success later in life. It changed my self image and gave me the confidence, discipline, fortitude, and perseverance to succeed in other aspects of my life — as a graduate student at Columbia, as a behavior scientist at Cornell’s medical school, as an entrepreneur, and as a father. " -Gil Botvin Botvin along with 17 other past Mercer County track and field greats will be formally inducted into the MCTF Hall of Fame on Sunday May 17th, 2026 at Mercer Oaks. For RSVP information, go to our banquet page HERE. © 2025 Mercer County Track & Field Hall of Fame

Ewing High School -- Sprinter In the first days of the 21st Century, Ewing High’s Adian Sanderson compiled one of the most impressive and inspiring scholastic and collegiate resumes in Mercer County boys’ track history. How dominant and talented was Sanderson? The Blue Devils’ star earned All-State recognition in four consecutive years (over eight seasons, spanning late 2000 through the spring of 2004). Such were his accomplishments that it is extremely debatable as to what was actually the high point, as he found success in the 55, 60, 100, 200, 400 and 4x400 meters at both Ewing and East Carolina University. In 2003, Sanderson led Ewing to the Group III indoor state title when he won the 55 and 400 meters. He was 55-meter All-Group champion, set an indoor state record in the 200 (21.34) and finished the season second in that event at the Indoor National Championships. The 2003 spring season saw Sanderson find even greater glory including the rare trifecta of winning the 100, 200 and 400 at the Mercer County Track Championships as he combined with teammate Basil Campbell to lead Ewing to the greatest track era in the school’s history.  Sanderson’s 400 scholastic best was a blazing 46.86 but in the collegiate ranks he found even greater success in the shorter distances, taking second indoors at the Conference USA Championships at 60 meters (6.7). Outdoors he was second in the conference at 100 meters (10.4) and contributed to the conference-winning 4x100, culminating one of the most successful spring resumes ever by a Mercer County athlete. Back to Class of 2025

Ewing High School -- Sprinter & Hurdler So impressive is the resume of this Ewing product that he could have received this honor twice: once for his vast scholastic achievements while at Ewing High and equally for his plethora of successes at the University of Connecticut. A two-year captain for the Huskies (2007-08), Campbell blazed to a school-record indoor time of 21.12 seconds at the New England IC4As in 2006. Campbell spearheaded three Big East team championships indoors and individually won or was part of three Big East titles outdoors (taking the 200 in 2008, the 110-meter hurdles in 2006 and running a leg in the victorious 4x100 in 2007). He also added second-place Big East finishes in the 60-meter hurdles and 200 (twice).  In high school, he helped raise the Ewing High program to arguably its greatest heights, beginning with the Group III indoor team championship in 2003. In the spring, he set a school record of 52.47 in the 400-meter hurdles and won the Meet of Champions. At that same meet, he took second in the 110-meter hurdles and sixth in the 200, a rare triple-medal winning performance at New Jersey’s biggest meet.  But Campbell’s greatest weekend may have been at the Group III state meet the week before when he won two state titles (in the 110 and 400-meter hurdles), took second in the 200 and third in the 100-meter dash, one of the great individual performances by a New Jersey scholastic athlete that decade.  Back to Class of 2025

Notre Dame High School -- Coach The legacy of Notre Dame High track coach Joe Wroblewski cannot be limited to championships or the victories counted on a scoreboard. How can character be described in a sentence or lessons of life that transcend sport be encapsulated by a plaque or on a dais? He was dynamic, intense and engaging, even intimidating to some. A huge fan of the Green Bay Packers, Wroblewski embodied the Vince Lombardi spirit and tireless work ethic which he fit into the track and field mindset in a unique manner. Hired at Notre Dame in 1985, Wroblewski sought to blend the on-the-field habits of his most respected peers like Al Jennings and Anthony Genovesi, while instilling the work ethic of a Thomas Edison. Consequently several of his track athletes went on greater successes beyond high school including international standouts Todd Matthews, Deirdre Mullen and Ed Moran.  At Notre Dame, Wroblewski was named Star-Ledger 1996 New Jersey Outdoor Coach of the Year by fielding one of Mercer County’s greatest teams, one that won seven straight Parochial A state championships, four consecutive New Jersey Catholic Track Conference titles and a bevy of individual county, sectional and state winners.  In dual meets, Wroblewski was a complex strategist, called by one writer ‘’one of the greatest track minds the state has seen.’’ Taken at the age of 37 in 1998 by leukemia and cancer, he left his school, program and county with a lasting commitment to success and respect. MAJOR TITLES 5x Girls Parochial A State Track Championships (Outdoor) 1993 to 1997 2x Girls Group State Track Championships (Indoor) Group III1996, Group II '97 3x Boys Parochial A State Track Championships (Outdoor) 1992, '96', '97 2x Boys Group State Track Championships (Indoor) Group II 1997, Group III 1998 8x Girls Mercer County Track Championships (Indoor) 1995. '96, '97, '98, (Outdoor) 1994, '95, '96', '97 9x Boys Mercer County Track Championships (Indoor) 1991, '92, '93, '96 '97 (Outdoor) 1991, '92, '96, '97 Back to Class of 2025

Notre Dame High School 1997 -- All-Around Champion Notre Dame's Danielle Grady led the girls track team to tremendous success from 1994 to 1997. Danielle helped Notre Dame's girls squad to 4 consecutive Parochial A State Championships in a row from 1994-1997. In her junior year at the 1996 parochial state meet she not only won gold in the 100m and 4x400 relay, she won a third state title in the shot put. In her senior year at the '97 parochial state meet Grady was a triple individual winner, taking firsts in the 100m, the 100 hurdles, and the Long Jump. Grady won county championships in 5 different events. She won the county100 meters twice--in 1994 & '95. She won the 200 meters for three consecutive years--from1994 to 1996. She also hurdled, taking gold in the 100m Hurdles in 1997. In the field she was county long jump champion for 2 consecutive years--in 1994 and '95. She also she ran a leg on Notre Dame's 4x400 county champion relay team in '97. , Grady was not just a track star. She she played varsity basketball for Notre Dame and earned All-CVC honors. She was selected the 1990s Trenton Times Athlete of the Decade in Track and Field. She is also a member of the Notre Dame HS Sports Hall of Fame MAJOR TITLES 9x Parochial A State Champion 8x Mercer County Champion Back to Class of 2024