2007

MARY SCHILLY KNISELY

A native of Wilmington, DE, Mary was Northern Regional and Individual State Champion in the 1500m in 1977 before graduating from Concord H.S. At U of D from where Mary graduated in 1981, she twice competed at the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) outdoor nationals for the Blue Hens in the mile run in 1979 and 1980, placed fifth in the 1500m at the 1980 EAIAW outdoor regionals, and established school records in the indoor 880yd (2:17.9) and mile (4:51.6) runs and in the outdoor 880yd run (2:21.0) and 1500m (4:23.0). Following her career at Delaware, Mary enjoyed outstanding success as one of the world’s top distance runners. She competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials three times, gold medalist in the 3000 meters at the 1987 Pan Am Games, silver medalist in the World Cup 10,000m, member of the 1985 and 1987 gold medal World Championship U.S. Cross Country teams, IAAF Grand Prix placer (1986-3rd in 3K and 1987-2nd in 5K), national champion in the 3000m at the U.S. Outdoor Championships in 1986 and 1987, and the U.S. Masters Marathon National Champion in 2001. Her P.R.’s include 4:05(1500m), 8:41(3000m), 15:12(5000m), 32:19(10,000m), and 2:35:11(marathon).

KIM MITCHELL KOGON

Kim started her running career at John Dickinson High School. On the track team at Dickinson, Kim was the Individual State Champion in the 3000m event in 1981. She ran with the boys on their cross country team because there were no girls’ XC teams at the time. She continued to run while attending the University of Delaware. Kim won five East Coast Conference individual titles during her career and had (3) top three finishes at the ECC Cross Country Championships, winning the ECC Cross Country title in 1982. She is one of only two UD runners to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships (placed 78th in 1984). Kim was the 1983 ECC outdoor championship Most Outstanding Performer when she won the 5,000m and 10,000m races. She won the ECC indoor three-mile run and distance medley relay in 1985 and was the 1985 ECC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for cross country. During her career, she led Delaware to four ECC track and field titles and set the UD record in the indoor 3-mile run and 5,000m run. Kim died on September 11, 2007 as the result of a fall.

DANTE MARINI

Dante only participated in cross country and track & field for one year at Salesianum High School. But, those experiences catapulted him into an outstanding distance running career. By the time he had finished at the University of Delaware, he had set two course records in cross country, leading the University cross country team to undefeated seasons in 1954 and 1955. He was a multiple school record holder in both cross country and track & field. Dante was an outstanding leader and captained both sports at the University in 1955 and 1956. He also proved himself further by winning the inaugural and the second State Open Cross Country titles. He continues to give to his sport and stays involved in track & field as an assistant high school coach to this day.

SHANNON MATTHEWS

Shannon ran for Wilmington High School and in 1984, he was Division II State Champion in both the 100m (:10.7) & the 200m (:21.6) events. He was also 1984 New Castle County Champion in the 200m dash and tied the State Record in the trials of that meet with a time of :21.2. Shannon went on to run for Jackson State (1984-85) and Grambling (1985-86). He came back to Delaware and began coaching at his old alma mater, Wilmington High School. He was the sprint coach at Wilmington H. S., which became the Charter School of Wilmington/Cab Calloway School of Performing Arts in 1999. During his coaching career, Shannon’s 4 x 200m team won the1999 indoor championships at the University of Delaware. Shannon was one of the co-creators of the 400 Elite Track Club, which took local athletes to National meets around the country. Shannon is tied for 1st on the Delaware H. S. All-Time Performance List (Outdoor) in the 200m with a converted time of :21.40. Sadly, Shannon died in February, 2004.

BILL REYBOLD

Bill was a Newark High School graduate and went on to be an outstanding middle distance runner at the University of Delaware in the 50’s. He set two course records in Cross Country at Delaware and finished 11th as a junior and 4th as a senior at the MAC Championships. He set Delaware Track & Field records in both the 880yd run in 1:53.9 and the mile run in 4:18.6. In 1954, he ran his 1:53.9 in his heat of the NCAA Championships, faster than either of the other two heat winners, but fourth in his heat behind Olympian Tom Courtney, failing to qualify for the final. In the MAC, Bill won the mile title in his senior year, adding a second place in the 880yd run. He captained both the Cross Country and Track & Field teams at Delaware. He was acclaimed the Outstanding Senior Athlete at UD in 1954. In the summer of 1954, he was on a team that won the medley relay at the National AAU Outdoor Championships.

2006

CYNTHIA S. BATES

Cynthia competed for Caesar Rodney High School and was one of the first four-time State Champion event winners, winning the 200m from 1977 to 1980. She was instrumental in Caesar Rodney winning 4 straight team Championships from 1977-1980. Cynthia set a State Record in the 200m (24.2) in 1978, which stood for 20 years and is 5th on the All Time List with a converted time of 24.40. She also anchored Caesar Rodney relay teams six-times (4 x 100m & 4 x 200m) in state meets to victory. Her 4 x 100m relay team set a State Record of 48.5 in 1978. That record held for 20 years, and is listed 6th on the All Time List with a converted time of 48.74. Cynthia went on to continue her running career at Auburn University from 1980-1982. She graduated from Delaware State University in 1984.

JOE W. BURDEN, SR.

Joe coached for thirty years at Delaware State University, producing dozens of championship athletes. His teams won MEAC team championships, indoors in ’83, ’84, ’86, and ’87 and outdoors in ’76 and ’92. Each time he was named the MEAC Outstanding Tournament Coach. He also received the award in 1981. Joe coached two previous inductees, Brad Morris and Mike Wilson. Brad Morris was DSU’s first All-American, earning the honor for the 440yd. Dash in 1974 and 1975. Mike Wilson holds the MEAC all-time one and two mile run records. Other athletes Joe has coached still hold nine MEAC records and eight MEAC records held by his athletes have since been broken. Joe was a star athlete at I.C. Norcum High School in Portsmouth, VA. He still holds the VA state record with 31 touchdowns and 192 points in a season. He was the first high school African American All-American from Virginia . He was a four-year letterman in football at Iowa State. He coached football and track & field at Delaware State.

NEIL W. SERAFENAS

Neil was a high school discus thrower and shot putter from Wm. Penn High School. He was State Southern Regional Division I Champion in the shot put and discus. Neil threw the discus 171’8.5" to become the state high school Individual champion in 1977. That throw ranks 9th on the Delaware all-time high school list. He was the 1977 New Castle County Discus Champion and record holder at that time with a throw of 166’2". After high school, Neil went to the University of Florida after a short stint at the University of Delaware. At Delaware, he still holds both the freshman and school records in the discus. As a "Gator", he is 6th on their all-time school list in the shot put (59’5" in 1981) and discus (191’8" in 1982). In 1982, he finished 12th in the discus at the NCAA’s, making Neil an All-American.

BRIAN J. STRUSOWSKI

Brian was a superb hurdler who attended John Dickinson High School & the University of Delaware. He was a three-time Delaware AAU champion (1979,80,81). At one point in his career, he held six University of Delaware school records. He set indoor school records in the 55m high hurdles (7.58, F.A.T.) and was the anchor leg of a record setting team for the indoor shuttle hurdle relay (29.5, F.A.T.). This performance ranked the Blue Hen’s team as one of the fastest shuttle hurdle teams in the nation during the 1980 indoor season. Outdoors, Brian broke and still holds the school record for the 110-meter high hurdles (14.44, F.A.T.) and was a member of the 400m-relay team (42.00, F.A.T.), which also set a school record in this event. He went on to score championship points five times in high hurdle events in the East Coast Conference Championships and was ranked as one of the top hurdlers in the IC4A’s by qualifying six times for the IC4A’s Championships. Brian helped to lead the Blue Hen’s to consecutive Conference Championships and in his senior year, he was named co-captain of the men’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams.

2005

TERRI A. DENDY

Terri went to Concord High School where she was Division I State Champion six times and 4 time individual champion. She set a State Record in the 400 meters in 1983 with a time of 55.9. She was also six time New Castle County Champion, 1982-83, 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters. Terri continued her career at George Mason University, where she became a six time All American and two time National Champion. She set school records indoors at 300 meters (38.77), 400 meters (52.57), 500 meters (1:11.45) and outdoors 400 meters (51.45). She became an Olympian in 1988 qualifying for the 4 x 400 meter relay team. Terri won a Gold Medal running on the 4 x 400 meter relay team at the 1993 World Championships. She also was part of a number of American Record setting relay teams.

LINDA T. DOWNING-PORTER

One of the best throwers in Delaware high school history, Linda won four state Division II discus titles and three indoor and one outdoor shot put titles for Seaford High School between 1983 and 1986. At the time, she set the state records in the indoor shot put at 39’ ½", the outdoor shot put at 41’9 ¼", and the discus at 127’8". After high school, she attended Frostburg State, qualifying for the division III indoor meet and transferred to Delaware State where she established a personal best in the shot put of 47’.

MIKE LYON

In 1959, Mike was the junior high 660-yard champion (1:29.7), The next year, Laurel High School discontinued a short-lived (1957-1959) track program. Although allowed to continue representing Laurel individually, he was essentially "self-coached" and limited to 3-4 meets per year. As a 15-year-old sophomore Mike won 1960’s State Open half-mile (1:59.3). After tying the state high school at Milford’s 1961 invitational (2:00.0), he went on to win the State high school half-mile (2:00.3). As a senior, just prior to a midseason ending bout of mononucleosis, Mike set a 1962 Delaware state high school half-mile record (1:59.9). After training in Australia with the legendary Percy Cerutty, went on some notable performances at the University of Delaware. Enrolling in the University’s spring semester, Mike won 1964’s MAC outdoor freshman mile in a record-breaking 4:21.5. As a fall semester freshman, he ran a then record 14:59 on the old White Clay Creek 3-mile cross-country course. And, as a 1965 spring semester sophomore, Mike was part of University record setting 2-mile (1:53.6) and 4-mile (4:16.5) relay teams. The latter still stands.

JACK STARR

Jack began racewalking in 1992 at the age of 64. He picked up some pointers from Dave Romansky and since that time he hasn’t looked back. Starr has over forty age group National Championships, in addition to his numerous regional and club championships. Jack holds eleven national records, one of which was also a world masters record. In 1996, he won a silver medal in the Veterans Championship 30K behind a world record setter. Jack was the first American 70 years old to walk a 10K in under one hour and completed the Boston Marathon, at the age of 70, walking a pace if 11:12 per mile, 4:53:31 overall. In 2000 & 2004, he was chosen as the USATF National Masters (over 40) Track & Field "Outstanding Male Racewalker of the Year" and he was the oldest athlete ever to be chosen for that honor. He is also currently a nominee for the National USATF Masters Hall of Fame.

JAMES EDWARD WEAL

This Woodbridge High School athlete who not only raced to fame in Delaware, but qualified for, and ran in the National Indoor Championships at Madison Square Gardens against the best in the world in 1975. As a high school sprinter, Jim is considered to be the best ever from downstate Delaware. Jim won three division II state championships at 100 yards and 220 yards, running windy :09.5 100 yard dash in 1974 as a junior and :09.7 as a senior. He led three 440 yard relay teams to victory for Woodbridge between 1972 and 1975. An opposing coach reminisced that Weal never had the lead when he received the baton, but terrorized the other anchormen in the race who knew Jim would quickly blow by them. He still ranks seventh on the all-time list in the 200 meters with a converted time of :21.60.

2004

JAMES H. BLADES

As an outstanding athlete, Jim was an All State basketball player at Felton H.S. and at West Chester University , he competed on the track team and was a member of the Conference Championship Cross County team. At Lake Forest High School , Jim coached for 33 years where his girls’ and boys’ teams won a combined total of 16 state championships while being the runner-up 25 times. He was the "Coach of the Year" in the conference 25 times and four times in the state. In 1988, he was awarded the Region 2 cross country "Coach of the Year" by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. Jim served as the state cross country chairman and was a member of the state track & field committee. He founded the hugely successful Lake Forest Cross Country Invitational and the Keith Burgess Track & Field Invitational. He was a major force in not only the southern part of the state, but was greatly influential in the progress of our sports in the entire state for more than three decades. Jim was one of the most respected high school track & field coaches in memory.

KEITH S. BURGESS

CONNIE M. ELLERBE

During her High School career at William Penn H.S., Connie won the State Division I Championship in the 300m low hurdles 4 straight times (1984-87). She set a new State Record each time and still holds the State Record of :42.4, ranking her as 1st on the Delaware H.S. All-Time Performance List (Outdoor). Connie was 4-time New Castle County Champion in the 300m low hurdles. She also won the 200m dash in the State Division I Championship in 1987. She ran a leg on the State Record 4 x 400m relay team in 1984 with a time of 3:49.3 which still stands as the State Record. In 1987, she was the State Indoor Track "Athlete of the Year". Connie moved on to West Virginia University where she had an outstanding career. She was 4-time Collegiate All-American. In 1988, she won the Penn Relays 400m hurdles event with a time of :57.75. In 1992, Connie was 2nd in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Champions with a time of :55.87 and she finished 4th in 1991. Connie placed 5th in the 1992 Olympic Trials.

CHARLES L. HOBBS

Charles was the first Delaware schoolboy to break :50 in the 440yd dash, running :49.9 in 1965 (cinders) while representing Tower Hill. He was a double and triple sprint winner in state meet competitions, while being a triple sprint winner, three years in a row, and a triple sprint record setter in 1965 in the Independent Conference and a multiple sprint winner at the Church Farms Invitational. He set two records at Church Farms in 1964, including a :21.7 in the 220yd dash. He had one dual meet loss in three years and that was because of a pulled hamstring. He moved on to Yale University where he earned an NCAA medal in 1968 in the Indoor Mile Relay (4th) and in the Outdoor 4 x 110yd. relay (5th). In 1967, he was part of a 4 x 440yd relay that set records in the Heptagonal Meet, 3:12.4, and at the IC4A’s in 3:09.7. He set Florida Relays meet records in the 1968 Sprint Medley and the 1969 Distance Medley. In 1968 he ran his best open time, :47.5.

JOHN C. PRETTYMAN

2003

ROBERT LEWIS BRYANT

Robert was a truly outstanding runner at Delaware State. His long sprinting ability gave the Hornets many outstanding performances in the late 70’s while leading them to numerous titles. He was a two-time NAIA 600yd Champion, winning titles in 1976 and 1979. Robert anchored his mile relay to the Penn Relays college division championship in 1979. His sub 46 second speed made Delaware State the favorite in many relay competitions. He participated in the 1980 Olympic Trials. Robert was a 1972 graduate of Bridgeton Senior High School, located in Bridgeton, NJ where he also lettered in Track and Field. 

WADE COLEMAN

Wade went to the University of Delaware as a shot and discus thrower. He is still ranked by the University as second all-time in discus and in the top ten in the shot put, both indoors and outdoors. However, he found a new event while competing at Delaware, the hammer and 35# indoor weight throw. He became a three-time NCAA Championship qualifier, securing All-American honors in the hammer in 1993. In the 1993 IC4A competitions, he placed second in the weight throw, second in the discus, and seventh in the hammer. He twice won the national 56# weight throw championships. Wade also won six conference championships and holds the school records in the weight throw, 67’ 9¾", and the hammer, 207’8", by significant amounts.

BILL FRANCISCO

Bill, a Mt. Pleasant graduate, became the State’s premier 180yd Low Hurdler in 1960. That year he set the State Record of 19.9 seconds elevating the event to a new level. Bill’s :19.9, run on a cinder track, was an achievement only he attained until all-weather tracks had been in use for many years. Bill was undefeated in Dual Meets in 1960. That year he set meet or State Records in every major meet including the Conference (1959 and 1960), County, State and State Open meets. Bill’s County Meet record stood for twelve years and his State Record held up for thirteen years. Bill’s State Record of :19.9 is fifth on the all-time list. Bill also ran sprints, helping his 880yd relay team set a State Record of 1:32.0.

KIM A. HERRMAN

Kim was an exceptional hurdler for the Delaware Sports Club and University of Delaware in the 1970’s, competing in the 60 yard hurdles indoors and the 100 meter and 400 meter outdoors. Kim was selected for and competed in the 1975 Pan American Games Trials and the 1976 Olympic Trials in the 100 meter hurdles. Kim also ran the 60 yard hurdles at the National AAU Indoor Championships in 1975 and 1978. At the AAU National Junior Championships, she was fifth in 1975 and sixth in 1976 at 100 meter hurdles. As a Blue Hen, Kim held the school record at 400 meter hurdles.

GUY E. RAMSEY, SR.

As a high school senior at Dover Air High School, Guy jumped into second place at the prestigious Penn Relays high school high jumping championship with a leap of 6’10¾" in 1976. He was the state champion in that event in both 1975 and 1976 and still is listed as the second best Delaware high school high jumper ever. His Penn Relay jump was, at that time, better than the state record. But, it was not ratified because an application for a new record was not submitted. Guy competed for the University of Delaware for three years while also playing free safety on the UD Divisional II Championship football team. He placed third in the Penn Relays at 7’ 1¾" in 1978 and is still listed second on both the indoor and outdoor University all-time lists.

2002

RAYMOND BOARDLEY

A Dickinson High School graduate, Raymond was an outstanding sprinter and collected 28 medals from 1978-81. He was the New Castle County Champion in the 100m, 200m, and 400m dashes. He was a three-time State Division I Champion: once in the 200m dash in 1981 (:22.1), and twice in the 400m dash (1980 and 1981), running :48.3 in 1981, a time which is still fifth on the all-time list. Raymond went on to run as a collegiate at Florida A & M where he was Freshman Track Athlete of the Year. He also clocked a :46.7 400m dash while at Florida A & M.

HENRY L. BURTON

This Howard High athlete dominated the distance events in the late 1950’s like very few had done in the past. During his senior year, he won the State High School as well as the State Open Cross Country championships, the State mile championship in 4:32.6 on cinders, the New Castle County championships, and was undefeated that year. He was also a State Open two mile Champion. He anchored Howard H.S. to a third place finish in the distance medley relay at the Penn Relays Championship of America race. He ran as a collegiate at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was elected to the Cross Country 50’s All-Decade Team.

ROMAN "RAY" CIESINSKI

During the 32 years Ray coached at Newark High School from 1949 to 1981, he spent 23 years as the head coach of cross country and 19 years as the head coach of track and field. Ray was one of the founding fathers of the Blue Hen Conference. He won more than 20 Blue Hen cross country and track and field titles as well as two State cross country championships. Outstanding athletes include Chris Dunn, Olympic high jumper, John Greenplate, two-time State cross country champion, and Pat Walker, State champion hurdler. Many of his other athletes won individual State championships. Ray was instrumental in starting teams for girls in both cross country and track and field. In 1971, he was honored with the "Coach of the Year" award.

Dana had an outstanding career competing for Padua Academy from 1984-87. During her high school years, she was first team All-State five times and accumulated 23 state championship medals and was a ten- time state champion on eight state championship teams. In 1987, she set a state record in winning the New Castle County 400m dash in :55.0 which still remains as the state high school record. During indoor track and field, she was the state MVP in 1987, winning four gold medals, setting three state records and another meet record, and was also the Delaware Valley 300yd champion. She went to Temple on a scholarship, but was unable to compete due to an injury.

Arnold was a great sprinter who held the state 440yd dash for over 20 years. In 1967, his junior year at DeLaWarr, he won the 100yd dash in :09.8, the 220yd dash in :21.8 and the 440yd dash in :48.1. The first two were division records and the third was the state record. Arnold also won the 440yd Dash in :48.8 at the Meet of Champions in Philadelphia. Who knows what might have happened during his senior year had he not been sidelined with injuries.

2001

PHILIP MYRLE ANDERSON, Sr.

A Howard High School schoolboy middle distance runner who was a member of the state championship mile relay team in 1959, 1960, and 1961 when that team was also New Castle County champion.  Phil was the individual county meet champion in the 880 in 1961 and at the Meet of Champions that spring anchored the victorious Howard mile relay team, which posted a state record time of 3:22.3, a record which lasted for twenty-four years. Phil graduated valedictorian from Howard High School with distinguished honors and awards.  While a student at the University of Delaware, Phil set a school record of 1:53.6 in the 880, which stood for fifteen years.  In 1967, he graduated magna cum laude from the University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.  His loving kindness and devotion was revered and he took special pride in the success and achievements of all those he loved.  Phil died prematurely in June of 2000.

REGGIE BRIGHT, Jr.

Reggie was a Delaware high school track and field phenomenon who represented Delcastle Technical H.S. from 1980-1983. During that period of time, he won three state and county 100m dashes, posting a best time of :10.7.  He also won three 200m championships at the same meets. In 1983, he set a state record in the 200m dash of :21.2, which still stands as the co-record today.  Reggie ran :10.5 in the 100m to win in Philadelphia’s Meet of Champions, which ranks as a third place tie on the all-time list.  During his track career at Delcastle Technical H.S., he was undefeated in dual meet competition and won additional titles in the long jump with a PR of 23’ 5¾"w. Reggie continued his outstanding track and field career at Texas Southern University on a track and field scholarship.

JEFFREY J. BROKAW 

Jeff was an outstanding distance runner in the late 60’s for Tower Hill.  In cross country, he was the Division II champion three times, and won the state AAU Open title twice, setting course records.  While at Harvard University, he made the All-Ivy team.  On the track he won four one mile state titles and two more at the 880yd distance.  Jeff broke the high school one mile record on three different occasions, his best time being 4:19.9.  He was the Greater Philadelphia indoor two mile champion while in high school and the Greater Boston three mile freshman champion while at Harvard.  Brokaw also was named to the All-Ivy track and field team.

VICKI HUBER-RUDAWSKY

Vicki graduated from Concord High School where she won five state titles.  She still holds the state high school records in the 800m (2:11.8) and 1600m (4:54.4) events.  Vicki went to Villanova where she won eight NCAA titles (one cross country, four indoor, and three outdoor) and seven Penn Relay watches. She made two Olympic teams, finishing sixth in the 3000m run, and one World Cross Country team, a team that placed second while placing fourth as an individual.  The NCAA named Vicki the Track & Field Athlete of the Year for ’88-’89 and ’89-’90 and she was named the Broderick Award Winner, an NCAA award which is given to the overall Athlete of the Year for the ’88-’89 school year. 

DAVID L. SHEPPARD, Jr.

A William Penn grad that had a solid high school career, David blossomed when he reached the University of Delaware.  David collected fourteen collegiate conference championships, eight at distances ranging from 200m to 500m plus six as a member of the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relays.  In his senior year, he ran an indoor NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 400m of :47.98 and placed at the 1990 IC4A outdoor meet in both the 200m and 400m, running the 400m in :47.02.  He was a member of Shore A.C. 4 x 200m national club championship team. He currently holds four records at the University of Delaware. 

SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

1958 HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

(Left picture, banquet, 2001, left to right, Emmett Osburn, Art Collins, Calvin Perry, Marvin Hackett, Melvin Perry, Bob King, missing Phil Anderson deceased, Right picture, 1958 State Championship picture, top row left to right, Calvin Perry, Marvin Hackett, Melvin Perry, Bob King, bottom row left to right, Art Collins, Emmett Osburn, and, Phil Anderson)  

Arguably the greatest Delaware high school boy’s cross country team of All Time.  The 1958 State Champion team set and still holds the record for the lowest score ever, 17 (only one division in 1958). They were undefeated in dual meets and took the City Title with a score of 18.  This historical team was coached by the late and legendary George Johnson, who was inducted into both the State Hall of Fame and the State Track & Field Hall of Fame.  Their order of finish; Bob King, 1st, Melvin Perry, 2nd, Marvin Hackett, 3rd, Calvin Perry, 4th, Art Collins, 7th, Phil Anderson, 15th, and Emmett Osburn, 55th.

2000

BERNARD "BUNNY" BLANEY

Bunny is a 1981 inductee into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.  Blaney, though mainly known for his football exploits, was also an exceptional sprinter at Newark High School in the early 1950’s.  He was the state’s Junior High Champion at 50 yards and 100 yards in 1949.  He finished 2nd in 1950 in the 100 yards and was a state champion in 1951 and 1952 (where he ran the first :9.9 100 yard dash in the state).  In winning the 220 yards in 1952 with a time of :22.6, he broke the oldest standing state record in the books, which was set in 1932. He was also county champion in both the 100 yard dash (1951 and 1952) and the 220 yard dash (1952). 

ERIC CANNON

Eric is one of the state’s greatest hurdlers. He graduated from Delcastle where he was the state 110m high hurdle champion in 1983, 1984, and 1985 and the 55m HH and 50 yd dash indoor champion in 1984 and 1985.  He was also the State Division I 100m champion in 1985.  Eric was National Scholastic Indoor Champion in the 55m HH with a time of :07.30 which is still the state record.  He still holds the state record for the 110m HH of :13.8 which he set in 1985.  He moved on to Pittsburg where he finished as high as second in the HH’s in the NCAA Meet and was six-time All-American.  He was a two-time Big East and IC4A Champion.  Eric qualified for numerous national meets and trials and was considered one of the best hurdlers in the nation. 

TISHA MILLIGAN DESHIELDS

Tisha was one of the best all-around track & field athletes in Delaware girls’ track & field history.  She completed for Seaford from 1986-89 and was the indoor and outdoor high jump champion, four times each, with a state record 5’ 8¼" jump.  She won one indoor and three outdoor hurdles championships and one indoor and one outdoor shot put championship.  She placed fifth (fourth American, since one girl was from Canada) in the nation in the pentathlon and sixth in the high jump at the National Scholastic Indoor Meet.  She twice qualified for the NCAA Meet in the heptathlon and became an All-American for the University of Tennessee. 

GEORGE GARDNER

George was an outstanding track and field coach for 31 years starting at Laurel in 1927 and continuing at Wilmington High School from 1931 until he retired following the 1957 season.  At Wilmington H.S., he produced four state championship teams (1949, 1950, 1951, and 1954) and numerous individual state champions.  In the 1930’s and early 1940’s, his teams competed primarily against Pennsylvania schools. He was one of the true pioneers of track and field in Delaware.  For many years, he encouraged the development of track and field in Delaware, and helped plan and run meets along with Frank Newlin, another Hall of Fame inductee, at Baynard Stadium. 

DAN RINCON

Dan was an outstanding distance runner for Dover Air Force Base High School. While in high school, he won two state cross country titles (1969 and 1970) and (2) two-mile championships (1970 and 1971) with a personal best of 9:33.0.  He also won Henlopen Conference championships in cross country (1969 and 1971) and in track & field (1970 and 1971).  While at the University of Maryland, he was the ACC six-mile champion and a cross country All-American.  He qualified in the marathon for the 1976 Olympic Trials with a 2:20:07, running for the Delaware Sports Club. 

SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

1962 HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL 440 YARD RELAY TEAM
(Lee Williams, Courtland Camper, Randy Brittingham, Spencer Henry)

(Left to Right, Lee Williams, Courtland Camper, Randy Brittingham, Specer Henry)

From one of Delaware’s smallest school’s competing in the finals of the Championship of America, Howard’s relay team set a state record of 43.0 on cinders, winning the Championship of America at the Penn Relays in 1962.  The team consisted of (in order of running) Lee Williams, Courtland Camper, Randy Brittingham and Spencer Henry and was coached by the late Quinton Sterling.  To this day, no other Delaware school has won a Championship of America race.  Also, to demonstrate their sprinting superiority in winning the State Championship in 1962, Howard’s sprinters ran 1,2,3 in the 100 yards (Brittingham, Henry & Williams) and 220 yards (Henry, Brittingham & Williams) when there was only one division in the state. 

1999

JAMES E. "JIMMY" FLYNN 

In 1954, Jimmy ran a 5.3, 50yd dash on an indoor dirt track for a University of Delaware record that still stands!  It was later tied by Mike Brown, also a Hall of Fame member.  Not only a short dash sprinter; he also ran a leg on a University, record setting, mile relay team. In the fall of 1960 Jimmy was named Head Coach of Track and Field and an assistant Football coach at the University of Delaware.  In the Spring of 1961 he took a struggling program and in just two years, turned it into a conference championship team with mostly Delaware H.S. athletes, the first ever for a University of Delaware track and field team.  His nineteen-year dual meet won and loss record was 93-28 (76.8%). He coached a number of athletes who still hold University records.  He was director of the state High School championship meet for many years and was a tireless promoter of track & field in the state of Delaware.  He hosted many college and high school indoor meets and was a strong supporter of the University’s women program and helped support it when it was in its infancy.  He coached track & field because it was fun.  He had a genuine love for the sport, was highly principled, held very high standards for the conduct of the sport, and would not compromise those standards. 

TOM HICKMAN 

The dean of downstate track & field coaches, Hickman coached three Cape Henlopen High School teams to victory as Division II State Champions in 1971, 1972, and 1973.  The first person to receive the 1971 Delaware Sports Club "Coach of the Year", he pioneered winter track downstate, and ran youth programs during the summer in Milton, Rehoboth and Lewes.  Among the great runners he nurtured, and in some cases discovered, were Emory Howell, who never lost a race in high school, Jerry Maull, a state champion in the high jump, and Brad Waples, who anchored Cape’s winning mile relay team.  Tom discovered future great Lance White who was just a youngster running in the fields of Slaughter Neck. Other state champions were Vincent Lewis, Larry Savage, Leslie Freeman, Henry Brisco, Paul Jones, and Henry White and a host of others.  Hickman was and remains a staunch supporter of scores of ex-lower Delaware runners, and is still a modest and selfless champion for those he coached. 

VERNON "CHIC" REED

The late Chic Reed is still a great name from the past that old-timers still mention.  This Middletown High School boy won the National high School high jump championship, sponsored by the AAU, in 1940 at Madison Square Garden with a record jump of 6' 0".  That record is said to have lasted in Delaware for 22 years and was set when Reed used the western roll. Reed was Delaware state high school champion in both the high jump and broad jump in 1938, 1939, and 1940. He set a state record of 5'10½" in 1938, and a meet record an inch higher the following year at the state meet.  Reed also won a total of four New Castle County meet championships in the broad jump and high jump in 1938 and 1939.  In 1938 at the age of 16, Reed broad jumped 22' 3½" at the Tome School interscholastic meet. Chic had a best of 6’ 3¼" in the high jump and a broad jump of 22’ 8½" in 1940.

DAVE ROMANSKY

Dave represented the Delaware Sports Club from 1967 to 1976.  During that time, he set three world records and twelve national records as a racewalker.  He was an Olympian in 1968 in the 50K walk and won the first of twelve National Championships in the 40K in 1968.  Dave placed eighth in the World Championships in the 20K in 1970 and placed third in the USA-USSR dual meet in 1972.  Dave was named the U.S. Outstanding Walker of the Year in 1970.  He represented the USA every year from 1968 through 1972.  He is an active walker, and coaches race walking competitions. He was named Walker of the Year for ages 55-59 from 1995 through 1998.  He also was named Walker of the Year for 40 & over in the nation in 1997 and 1998.  

KEN WILLIAMS

A 1976 graduate of Tower Hill, Ken was a state meet triple winner three times, winning in seven different events (100m, 200m, HH, IH, LH, LJ, TJ) in a period when there was a three event limit.  Ken, at one time, held state records in the high hurdles and triple jump, and still holds the 180yd. low hurdle record.  He set three records at the New Castle county meet in 1976.  At the University of Pennsylvania, he went on to score seven times in the high hurdles in the Heptagonal Conference and three times in the IC4A competitions.  He co-captained the 1981 team which won the indoor Heptagonal meet.  Ken was able to accomplish all this in spite of suffering a serious ankle injury during the Blue-Gold Football Game.

1998

RANDY LAMBERT

An outstanding long and high jumper and sprinter both at Mount Pleasant High School and the University of Delaware.  While a schoolboy, Lambert was a seven time High School State Champion in the High Jump (3x indoors, 1x outdoors), and the Long Jump (1x indoors and 2X outdoors).  He set state records of 23’ 5½" indoors and 23’10½" outdoors in the Long Jump.  As a collegian, Randy was an eight time qualifier for the IC4A Championship in the Long Jump.  At the U of D, he leaped to three outdoor Conference championships and had a best of 24’ 9¼", still the school record outdoors, to win the Penn State Open Track and Field Invitational.  He also ran the leadoff leg for the winning 400m relay team that set a school record of 41.23 at the Conference Championship. Indoors, he won two Conference titles, one with a leap of 23’ 9½", another school record.  Lambert remains second on the all-time indoor and outdoor performance list by a Delaware schoolboy.

DENISE MARINI

Denise was a seven time State Champion while competing for Padua Academy from 1977-1980. She established a state record of 10:04.7 in the 3000 meters, which converts to 10:49.2 in today’s 3200 meter run, still first on the Delaware high school all-time list for that event.  Denise was State Champion in the 800 meters four times with a best of 2:15.5, and three times in the 1500 meters, with a best of 4:39.0.  She was the National Junior Olympic Champion at 3000 meters in 1980 with a time of 9:37.7. She was selected for the 1980 Prep School Girls All-American track team by Track and Field News.  She later competed for the University of Florida where she was a two time national qualifier in cross country, and ran a best of 17:34 for the 5K cross country race.  She transferred to James Madison University and continued her distance domination by winning the ECAC cross country championship.  Her 3000 meter and 2 mile times at JMU remain as school records.

BARBARA SOWDEN NOWELL

An national class woman sprinter of earlier times from Delaware who competed for the Delaware Track & Field Club long before organized track was available for females in high school or college.  Barbara was selected for the 1964 Olympic Trials where she advanced to the semi-finals in the 100 yard dash.  In 1966, in addition to reigning as the premier woman sprinter in the Middle Atlantic area, she anchored the DTFC’s relay team to win the Penn Relays 440 yard relay championship with a time of 49.5, beating such well known teams as The Atoms Track Club of Brooklyn and the Mayor Daley Youth Foundation of Chicago, which had a number of Olympians on it’s team.  Miss Sowden won numerous sprint titles indoors and outdoors from 1964 through 1968 when she retired.

CANDY CASHELL O’MALLEY

Candy stands out as the finest woman high jumper ever from Delaware with a best of 6’ 3¼", which has not been approached by any other Delaware jumper.  In 1982, she was an All-American at Utah State. Candy was also accorded All-American honors as a University of Delaware student after competing in the 1986 NCAA championships, placing 6th with a mark of 6’ 0½".  She was selected for and competed in the 1988 US Olympic Trials.  Candy won the Gatorade Invitational in Knoxville, TN in 1986, 1987 and 1988, and won the Jesse Owens Invitational at Ohio State University in 1988 after finishing as a runner-up in that meet in 1987.  TAFNEWS ranked Candy 8th in the U.S.A. in 1988 and 10th in 1989.

MIKE WILSON

The greatest distance runner in Delaware State University history and certainly one of the best ever from Delaware. At DSU, Mike is the school record holder for every distance over 880 yards.  Representing the Hornets, he holds school records for the mile (4:06.9), two mile, three mile (13:54.9) and six mile (29:29.0). He was named Delaware State College "Athlete of the Year" in 1972, 1973, and 1974.  He was the first Delaware State runner to compete in the NAIA National Championship (cross country).  As a collegian, Mike won numerous cross country and track competitions and was named the "Most Outstanding Athlete" in the South Carolina State University Relays in 1972, 1973, and 1974.  Mike was also the "Most Outstanding Athlete" in the Norfolk State Relays in 1974

1997

JAMES BRAY

Jim was the foremost miler in the state schoolboy history, having run a 4:15.7 at the New Castle County Championships in 1972, a mark which is a superior performance to today’s State Record in the 1600 meters.  He also ran a 4:16.4 at the State Championships in 1972 which remains the State Meet mark to this day.  Jim placed second at the State Cross Country Championships in 1971, when Newark defeated Salesianum for the team championship, a rare feat in those days. Due to injury and mononucleosis, Jim was only able to compete for about three fourths of one season in college.  He set one of the more long standing University of Delaware records in the Steeplechase with a time of 9:10.4 in 1975 when he won the Colonial Relays Steeplechase.  In 1976, he was named to the IC4A All East team in cross country.

WILLIAM DEGNAN

Coach Degnan is revered by all who knew him as one of the most successful coaches ever from lower Delaware.  Bill passed away unexpectedly and suddenly in the prime of his life in 1996 at the age of 43. His coaching successes include leading Woodbridge High School, the smallest school in the state at the time, to a Division II State Champion in Cross Country in 1978, and also winning the outdoor track & field title the following spring in 1979.  Woodbridge won the Henlopen Conference title in 1981, and culminated an undefeated season the following year by again winning the State Championship team title in Division II. Later at Cape Henlopen High School, Bill also led a team to the Division I State Championship in 1986 and was named Delaware’s State Coach of the Year.  Bill’s contributions can hardly be measured by a won-loss record.  He came to mean so much to the Woodbridge and Cape Henlopen communities through his personal inspiration to countless young men and women who learned a love for track and field and the purity of the sport.

MARSHALL L. DICKERSON

A star coached by George Johnson at Howard High School and one of the finest school-boy track men from Delaware in the 1950’s.  Marshall won the State High School Championship at 880 yards twice and set a State Record of 2:00 flat in 1957.  He was a member of the fine Howard mile relay team that won the championship in 1955 and 1956 at the Penn Relays.  Dickerson was the first Delaware high school runner to consistently run the 880 around the 2 minute mark.  Later, Marshall attended the University of Michigan and ran the quarter in 47.2 and the 600 yards in 1:12.2.  He competed throughout the Midwest for the Wolverines including the Penn Relays, Ohio State Relays, Cleveland Relays, Chicago Relays, and the Los Angles Relays.

ED MCCREARY

Although Ed won a "gimmick" race of 100 yards at Brandywine Raceway against a standard bred horse and a Model T Ford at the same time, it is his effort against other humans and his records at the University of Delaware that set him apart.  His old coach said that his great drive and ability to get everything possible from his performances, made him a special person.  McCreary still holds the UD record at 10.33 for 100 meters and 21.00 for 200 meters run in 1980, in addition to records for every sprint event at the University.  He qualified for and ran in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 100 meters, and also qualified for the Olympic Trials in 1980.  While in high school at Brandywine in 1976, Ed was New Castle County’s 100 yard & 220 yard Champion and Northern Regional Division I Champion in the 100 meters & 200 meters.

EDWIN L. MONGAN III

A versatile athlete who went from a two time State High School Champion at Tower Hill School in the Triple Jump, to the Indoor IC4A quarter mile champion, as will as a school record holder at the University of Delaware in the 440 yard Intermediate Hurdles, and the Indoor 440 yard dash, and Indoor 880 yards.  Ed was a seventh place finisher in the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 400 meters in 1973.  Ed anchored the University of Delaware mile relay team to victory in the East Coast Conference Championships in 1972, setting a conference record and the school record (still standing) for the mile relay both indoors and outdoors along the way.  Mongan ran for the Philadelphia Athletic Club mile relay teams that won at the Millrose Games and the Philadelphia Track Classic and he anchored the Delaware Sports Club mile relay team (which included Brad Morris) that won at the Penn Relays in 1976.

BRADFORD E. MORRIS

Brad, a two time NCAA Division I All American at Delaware State University, was the first student athlete in the history of the school in any sport to receive NCAA Division I All American recognition.  Brad finished fifth indoors at the NCAA Championships in 1975 with a time of 49.1 and was an MEAC Conference Champion and the team captain at Delaware State.  In 1974 and 1975, Brad was an NAIA All American in the sprints.  During 1974, he either held or was a co-holder of five of Delaware residents all time track and field records; quarter mile, 47.3; 440 yard relay, 41.9; 880 yard relay, 1:27.8; distance medley, 10:05.2; and sprint medley, 3:22.2.  His best time in the 440 yard was 46.7 and he ran the 100 yard and 220 yard in 9.6 and 21.7.

MIKE SEITZ

Seitz was an accomplished Mount Pleasant High School sprinter who almost never lost a dual meet race over a three year period.  In 1973, Mike was undefeated at 100 and 220 yards, winning those races in 9.7 and 22.0, along with a record of 48.6 in the 440 yards at the State High School Championships.  Mike was the National Junior Olympics Champion in the 100 yards in 1973, after finishing second in that event at the Regional Championship the previous year.  The University of Pennsylvania elected Mike their team captain, and he was the Heptagonal Champion in the 100 yards in 9.7, and the 220 yards in 21.1 in 1974.  In a triangular Indoor meet against Princeton, Mike won the 55 meter dash in 6.36, a University of Pennsylvania record.  Mike represented the USA at the Maccabbiah Games in Israel in 1977.

1996

ROBERT V. (BOB) BEHR

One of the truly outstanding high school and club coaches in state track and field history, Bob coached Tower Hill School from 1962 to 1981 and also helped initiate as well as coach the Delaware Track & Field Club women’s (won seven Middle Atlantic titles) and men’s (1975 title) teams.  He was also a sprinting consultant for the Phillies for 12 years.  Tower Hill, one of the state's smallest schools, became a force in T & F competition beginning with the New Castle County title in 1964.  Hiller athletes set eight state records: Chuck Hobbs was the first Delaware schoolboy under :50 in the quarter, Jeff Brokaw the first miler under 4:20, Bill Neff the first vaulter over 13’, Kenny Williams the first to triple jump over 46’ and the first to hurdle 14.2, Ty Roberts the first to triple jump over 49' and J.D. Carroll still holds the state outdoor record of 6'11¼" in the high jump.  Behr’s dual meet record was 160-28-2. His mile relay teams won their class at the Penn Relays four times and 56 Hillers won State II titles.  Behr’s teams won the state crown three times.  In cross country, his teams won 124 dual meets plus conference and state titles. Individual state champions included Mac Thornton, Jeff Brokaw three times and Rick McCabe twice.

PEGGY (McVEY) McCOY

Peggy was an All American College performer at George Mason University.  She was Outdoor All American in the Long Jump with a distance of 20’1½" in 1985 and in 1984 was on the National Championship Division II 4 x 400m relay team which ran 3:37.70.  She had an outstanding college career at G.M.U., and was inducted into G.M.U.’s Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1991.  In 1985, her senior year, Peggy was the MVP of the Conference Championship Meet.  At Padua Academy, Peggy was many times Division I State Champion (1980, 400m 58.7; 1981, 400m 58.4, 200m 25.2, 200m hurdles 29.3).  She was New Castle County Champion (1980, 400m 58.9, 200m 25.5, Long Jump 17’6"; 1981, 400m 57.5 to tie State Record, 200m hurdles 29.2).  Peggy also set a State Record in the 1981 Catholic Conference of 28.6 in the 200m hurdles.

WILLIAM C. MOORE

Bill Moore was one of Howard High School’s outstanding runners. He was a member of Howard’s New Castle County and State Championship Teams of 1959, 1960, and 1961 (when there was only one division). In 1961 Moore won the State and New Castle County Championships in the 440y.  He was also the suburban 880y champion at the Philadelphia Spike and Shoe Meet at Franklin Field.  In 1962 he was the State Open Meet Champion in the 880y.  In 1963 and 1964 he was the State Open Meet Champion in the 440y. He broke the meet record in 1963 and his own record in 1964. In 1964 he competed in the Indoor National AAU Championships at Madison Square Garden, in the 600y run with a time of 1:12.5, a school record for Delaware State College.  In addition, in 1964 at Delaware State College, he anchored relay teams that set school records in the 440y, 880y, sprint medley, and mile relay teams.  He also set school records in the 220y and the 440y with a time of 47.8. During the summers and after graduating college, Moore was a regular relay runner for the Philadelphia Pioneer Club.

GREGORY ROWE

Greg was the preeminent high school weight thrower of his time, winning the state championship, both indoor & outdoor, for Woodbridge High in the shot put three times with a best of 60' 8" set in 1979.  Greg established a new state record in his junior year and reestablished it several times.  Greg was credited by Track & Field News with the nation’s best schoolboy throw indoors for several weeks in 1979. Greg also won the state title three times in the discus and had a PR in that event of 188' 8" which stood as the state record for several years until Terry Thomas came along. As a high school senior, Greg won the Penn Relays in the shot put.  Greg was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Maryland and while competing was the Atlantic Coast Conference champion in the shot put and won the Penn Relays Collegiate division in both the shot and discus in 1983.  Greg had PR's of 60' 10¾" in the shot put and 170' 1" in the discus during his collegiate career.

MARY VIRGINIA "GINGER" SMITH

In 1963 Ginger became interested in T & F and came to be the pioneer in girl’s track competition in Delaware.  When she began there was no girl’s team at Tower Hill School or even later at Stanford University or Cornell where she studied in the 1960s.  Ginger was the first Delaware woman to run in the Philadelphia Penn Relays and she qualified for the 1964 Olympic Trials at Randals Island and placed eighth in four events there: the 80 meter hurdles, and the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes.  In the 1965 AAU National Championships, Ginger placed second in the girl's division 50 yard hurdles in 7.1.  At the 1966 Penn Relays, Ginger won the open quarter in 58.9 and ran lead-off for Tower Hill's winning 440 yard relay team. Ginger later ran for the Millbrae Lions Track Team in California and won the 100 yards in the California State meet in 1967.  Later Ginger began masters competition and won the 600y and took two 2nd places in the 35-39 division of the National Masters Track & Field Championship in 1985 and was a double winner in the Eastern Masters Championships that same year.

HAROLD TROTTER

When local track and field veterans reminisce about the memorable schoolboy athletes they have seen over the years one name always comes up.  Harold Trotter of Claymont set a standard for generations to follow when he won the state high school meet in the 100y event in the seventh, eight and ninth grades. In 1957 when Harold was a ninth grader, he ran a 9.9 100 yards which tied the state record and set a state record in the 220 of 21.6. As a sixth grader, he broad jumped (note the old event reference) 19’7" which was a junior high record and then as a ninth grader in 1957, he broad jumped 22’8½" while winning the Suburban Championship.  He went on to win the state broad jump title in 1958.  Trotter was a six time state champion when there was only one division and was way ahead of his time with performances which would be considered first-rate today nearly 40 years later.

LANCE WHITE

Lance was an outstanding runner at both Cape Henlopen High and Edinboro State University and helped both teams to numerous conference and state championships.  Lance won two state titles in cross country and four individual championships outdoors in addition to anchoring two state winning relay teams.  He was undefeated in track and cross country in high school for three years, except for a single second in the state cross country championship meet in 1976.  Lance won the Inquirer Meet high school two mile race on a Tuesday night and returned there Friday to win the Mile title.  At Edinboro, he was an All-American in both cross country and track and was a three-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion at 1500 meters, as well as winning the conference 800 meter championship in 1983.  Lance ran 3:47.3 in the 1500 and 1:49.7 in the 800 meters.

1995

MIKE BROWN

One of the most gifted and aggressive long sprinters ever from this state, according to one old-timer who has observed the local track scene for over 35 years.  Mike was a dominant runner for Conrad High School winning three consecutive State Championships in the 440 yard dash from 1958 through 1960, and also winning the 220 championship in 1959 as well.  Mike established the state record in the 440 yard dash at the time.  Brown later competed for the University of Delaware, where he was a star halfback on the football team, in the early 1960's.  The UD top ten performance lists still show Mike as co-holder of the University's 50 yard dash record in 5.3, and 3rd all time at 200/220, and 400/440 with 21.5 and 48.3 sat in 1963-1964.

JOHN WM. CROWTHER

One of the all-time great Delaware high school track & field Coaches. Crowther's Mt. Pleasant teams included two Division I team champions between 1959 and 1984.  He developed many great individual champions including Rod Lambert, Mike Seitz, Keith Saddler, Paul Olivere, John Pfotzer, Dan Foran, Jim Gano Bob Tjaden, and those exceptional weight men Bill MacLaughlan and Dave Crew.  Bill has been the discus crew chief at the Penn Relays or 14 years, and a respected official of weight throws at the national Indoor and Outdoor Championships, the IC4A Championships, the Colonial Relays, and our High School Championships, all for 12 or more years.  He also served as crew chief at the 1988 International Youth Games, and was on the discus crew at the World University Games at Buffalo in 1993.  Bill was honored to be selected as an Olympic official for the 1984 games in Los Angeles. Crowther served as director of the DSSAA track & field committee for thirteen years.

VANDO P. DAVIS

Davis is considered to be one of the best ever Delaware high school sprinters.  Vando established state records at 100 and 400 meters, and tied the 200 meter state record, while competing for Dickinson High School in 1985, and those records still stand.  Davis was State Champion in all three sprints and was named a high school All-American for his 21.2 200 meters in 1985.  Davis attended the University of Tennessee on a football scholarship but was able to continue his running career with the Volunteers long enough to contribute a fast leg to the 1600 meter relay team which scored in the NCAA Championships.

BRUCE HARRIS

Unquestionably the finest half miler ever from Delaware. Bruce was unable to compete for his Dover High School team as a senior, but in 1984 he set a Delaware State record of 1:49.4 while winning the Meet of Champions at Penn's Franklin Field as a high school junior.  Bruce later won the TAC National Junior Championship and placed in the top five at the Keebler High School All-Star meet in Chicago at 800 meters.  Bruce holds the State Championship Meet record of 1:51.9, also set during his junior year, and was a three time Division I 800 meter champion, and two time state title-holder at 1600 meters, Harris anchored the Dover High sprint medley team which was ranked by Track & Field News in the top ten in the country, with a time of 3:28.7.  Bruce competed for the great Villanova University team, and anchored the 4 x 800 relay team to victory at the Indoor NCAA Championships, for which he was named an All-American.  He represented the USA as a member of the National Junior Team in 1986, and recorded a personal best of 1:47.2 at 800 meters.

EMORY L. HOWELL

Emory was Delaware State College's first track & field All-American. Earlier Howell led Cape Henlopen High School to prominence in the 1970's and was a significant reason for Cape's winning the first team State Championship by a down-state squad.  Prior to Howell's arrival down-state teams expected to lose to up-state schools. When Cape Henlopen, shown the way by Emory, stunned the northern schools by winning the State Championship in 1971, lower Delaware achieved track parity with the elite in Delaware high school track & field competition.  As a school runner Howell was mainly a middle distance runner, but he ran everything from 100 yards to the two mile run, and never lost a race! Emory was one of the first Delaware schoolboys to win the Meet of Champions at Penn's Franklin Field, in a 1:57.7 880 yards, as well as the Philadelphia Track Classic in Philadelphia's Convention Hall.  Emory was a two time State Champion in the 880 running a 1:59.1 in 1970, and he anchored Cape's winning mile relay team in 1971.  It was said by his coach that Emory Howell always ran fast enough to win, no matter what the competition or how far the distance.

BOB KING

King was remembered by his coach George Johnson at Howard as "the most versatile high school runner in the state" because he ran everything from 100 yard dash to the two mile run, and also hurdled and long jump, all with grace, gift and ability.  Bob was the State Cross Country Champion for two years and broke Vic Zwolak's record while winning that title in 1957, in what was then termed the "race of the decade", against a formidable Mt. Pleasant runner.  Bob was State Champion in the 180 low hurdles and the 880 yard run, as well as a member of the winning mile relay team.  His relay team also won at the Penn Relays in class mile sections in both 1958 and 1959, and placed 5th in the 4 x 880 yard Championship of America race at the Penn in 1959.  While running for a fine Morgan State University team, Bob's mile relay won the Millrose Games, and the Washington Star meet for two straight years, and the Boston Garden Meet and again Millrose in his senior year when he was team captain.  In 1962 his Morgan mile relay team won the Indoor National AAU Championship contested at Madison Square Garden, and they also won the college division 880 yard Championship at the Penn Relays in 1963.  As a coach, Bob King directed Howard High to five State H.S. Championships outdoors, and they won Indoors in 1982.  His 1984 State Championship 1600 meter relay team set a State Record of 3:14.1 which stands today.

JAMAH MOSWEN (TERRY THOMAS)

"The greatest schoolboy weight thrower ever from our state" is the reference usually applied to Terry Thomas (now Jamah Moswen).  While representing Howard Career Center Jamah won seven State Titles Indoor and Outdoor in the shot put and discus from 1980 to 1982, culminating in three State Records in 1982. Jamah's records of 195'10" in the discus and 64' 8" in the shot put were exceptional throws then and remain as records today in Delaware.  Moswen won the Penn Relays High School Shot Put Championship in 1982.  After high school Moswen attended the University of Florida where he was named All-Southeastern Conference both indoors and outdoors.  He later competed for North Carolina State and was named All-ACC conference there as well, both indoors and outdoors, and participated in the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the Wolfpack.  Jamah was a member of the US Junior National Track & Field Team.

ROBERT F. NEYLAN

As a Dover schoolboy hurdler Neylan won the State Championship in the 120 yard high hurdles in 1961, and was a member of the shuttle hurdle relay team which established the State Record that remained unbroken for eleven years.  Bob set a State Open record of 14.4 in the 120HH in 1963.  Neylan competed for the University of Alabama where he ranked second in the Southeastern Conference at 300 hurdles, and finished second in the SEC Conference Championship meet in the 120HH.  He later ran for Florida State University and lettered in track there also.  As a coach at Dover High School he inherited a 1987 team in shambles, and took them to a third place finish in the State Championships, losing only one dual meet along the way.  Bob's record at Dover High School was 107 wins against only 13 dual meet losses from 1973 to 1982, and included four State Team Championships.  He was cited as the Henlopen Conference Track Coach of the Year six times, and chosen as Delaware Sports Club's Coach of the Year and Lower Delaware Gridiron Club's Coach of the Year both in 1976.  Neylan was chairman of the DSSAA State Outdoor Track & Field Committee for eleven years, and has been meet director of the Outdoor Championship since 1982, making great progress in bringing our state's Outdoor Championships to an elite level Delaware high school competition.

1994

JOSEPH BEATTIE, O.S.F.S.

Father Beattie's Salesianum teams won the Delaware State High School Cross Country Championship 13 times between 1966 and his departure in 1984.  Six times a Salesianum runner won the individual state title from 1969 to 1983.  Salesianum track teams won the state track title four times and the New Castle County Championships four times.  More than 20 Salesianum track and field athletes won State Championships.  During his heyday in cross country at Salesianum, the school finished in the top four at the state meet 20 times.

DICK CEPHAS

One of the fine athletes developed by Howard High School's George Johnson.  Dick won the Delaware High School Low Hurdles Championship and the New Castle County High Jump Championship in 1957, and then attended the University of Michigan.  Cephas won a Big Ten Championship in the 220 yard low hurdles, setting a new Big Ten record, and was the school's record holder at the indoor 60, 65, 70, and 75 yard low hurdles.  His outdoor school records were the 220 yard low hurdles, both straightaway and around a curve, 440 yard and 400 meter intermediate hurdles, the high jump, and he was a member of the record holding 440 yard relay, and sprint medley relay teams.  Dick placed 6th in both the NCAA and AAU Championships in 1960, and went to the semi-finals of the 1960 Olympic Trials.  He later became a member of the U.S. Military track team where he won a bronze medal in the 440 yard intermediate hurdles at the Military Olympics held in Brussels.  He was also a member of the United States team that competed in Africa, where his 400 meter intermediate times were faster then the National Records of five of the six nations in which he competed.

CHRIS DUNN

Chris went to the Fosbury Flop before it even had a name and eventually soared to Olympic heights with it. His 7' 3" jump at the 1972 Olympic Trials earned him a berth on the U.S. team at Munich, where he cleared 6' 11½".  He won the NCAA Indoor Championships, Penn Relays, Martin Luther King Games, and the IC4A Championships that year by clearing 7' 2" or better.  Chris was an outstanding jumper at Newark High School where he was State Division I Champion in 1968 & 1969, and won the State Open Decathlon Championship after the close of the scholastic season in 1970.  Later at Colgate he was twice the NCAA Indoor High Jump Champion.  Dunn was named Delaware's Athlete of the Year in 1972 and was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.  Chris continued to compete until 1976 as a member of the touring professional International Track Association.

TOM FORT

Fort has been president of the Delaware Sports Club for 16 years and during that time spearheaded the officiating division into one of the best in the region.  Tom himself has worked at over 450 high school and college meets in Delaware alone.  Tom placed in the Conference Championships at two miles while running for the University of Missouri.  He was a significant masters runner at 1500 and 5000 meters in the 1970's, and since that time has dedicated himself to improving administration and officiating competence at the state level.  Fort was a member of the DSSAA State Track & Field Committee for several years.  The Outstanding High School Track & Field Male Athlete of the Year award in Delaware is named for Fort.

BILL GEROW

"Delaware's fastest human" in 1936, Gerow was undefeated at 440 and 880 yards for seven years and in 1978, at age 59, still had the speed to set a Philadelphia Master's Record for the 880 in 55-60 age group. He earned letters in soccer, basketball and track and field at the University of Delaware, captaining the basketball and track teams in his senior year.  Bill was an organizer and director of officials for the Delaware Track & Field Club (now Delaware Sports Club); he has officiated for over 30 years at the high school, college, state, regional and national levels including being the starter for the Liquori-Ryan "Dream Mile".  He was awarded the Roberson trophy by the Wilmington Touchdown Club, for which he served as secretary and president for 32 years, for his outstanding contributions to football.  Gerow was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

W. FRED HARMER

Harmer was probably the first noted Delaware track and field athlete, after winning the Penn Relays 440 low hurdles in 1922.  Fred died in 1959 and left an athletic legacy at the University of Delaware as a football, basketball and baseball star.  But it was in track that he made his greatest mark when in 1922 he established school records of 51.0 for 440 yards and 2:02.0 at 880 yards.  Both records stood for 30 years. Fred was remembered years later by an old News-Journal editor as having placed second in a five mile cross country race that finished between the halves of a football game.  Then he put on a uniform and played halfback the rest of the game.  Fred was an active AAU official for many years, and served as a timer at the Penn Relays from 1947 through 1958.

SPENCER HENRY

Henry had a celebrated career as a sprinter and as a high school coach. Spencer's high school record peaked in 1962 when he anchored Howard High School to the only Championship of America win at the Penn Relays ever by a Delaware high school.  Spencer won four (two individual) sprint titles in the Delaware State High School Championships and anchored three relay teams to state records, all of which lasted for 25 years or so.  Later Henry competed for Morgan State and ran on the relay team which won the 1964 Penn Relays Championship of America in the 4 x 200 relay.  In 1963 Morgan's sprint medley relay won the National AAU title, again with Spencer sparking the team.  In 1965 Spencer won the Mid-Atlantic 200 meter title and was runner-up in the IC4A 200 meter dash.  As a high school coach Henry's Wilmington High School team won three City and New Castle County Championships, two state titles, and five Conference Championships. Later Dickinson High School won two State Championships along with two County and eight Conference titles while Henry coached there.  Spencer developed Vando Davis and Eric Hamilton who still hold state high school records.  Spencer is a member of Morgan State's Track and Field Hall of Fame.  Henry currently serves as chairman of DSSAA Track and Field Committee.

GEORGE JOHNSON

Regarded as state's all-time high school track and field coach, he retired from the Howard High School position after the 1961 season. In his last seven years, Howard won the Delaware Interscholastic (state meet) 7 times, the Group 1 title in the Peninsula Relays 7 times, New Castle County Championships 6 times, Group 2 in the Bridgeton Relays 5 times, City championships 3 times and a class relay at the Penn Relays 6 times.  In the Penn Relays High School Championships of America races, Howard placed 4 times with 2 thirds and 2 fifths.  Johnson started cross-country at Howard in 1956 and won the state meet 4 times, city meet 2 times and 33 straight inter-school meets.  He coach for 14 years (since 1948), retired at age 39 because of the long hours involved for 9 months of the year.  Top athletes he developed included Bob King, Mel Perry, Dick Cephas, Marshall Dickerson, Quinton Sterling, Spencer Henry, and Randy Brittingham.  Johnson himself was a high jumper for Howard High School and Indiana University.  He was induced into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.

ROD LAMBERT

Rod had an illustrious career both as an athlete and as Padua's winningest coach.  As a Mount Pleasant high schoolboy Lambert was the state record holder in the 100 yards in 9.5 and the 220 yards 21.0 both set in 1960.  He was the State High School sprint champion three times and the National Junior AAU champion at 100 yards, run in the record time of 9.6, in 1961.  Rod's running achievements include an indoor 60 yard dash of 6.1, then 0.1 second off the word record.  At Padua, where he coached for 10 years, the Pandas won an amazing 20 State Team Champions in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.  Over 50 young women that were Padua athletes during Rod's tenure won state individual titles or were members of winning relay teams at the state meets.  Rod is the state track and cross country historian, and is in charge of the track honor roll published weekly in the paper during the season.  Lambert was honored 12 times as Delaware High School Coach of the Year in cross country and track.

FRANK NEWLIN

Mr. Newlin is perhaps the father of modern schoolboy track & field and cross country in the state.  As head of the Wilmington Parks and Recreation department he established the State Cross Country Championship at Rockford Park in 1954, he stimulated the summer development meets at Baynard Stadium (where the track is named after him) and encouraged their growth to their high point in the 1970's.  Frank was responsible for the construction of an all-weather track at baynard, which has seen more track meets than probably all of the other venues in the state combined.  Newlin started and conducted the the City Championships and the DelMarVa Relays.  The runner with the fastest boy's time in the state cross country meet receives an award named after Frank (W. Frank Newlin Award, started in 1967).  He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1977.

BILL SKINNER

At his peak, one of the world's greatest javelin throwers, he swept the NCAA, AAU, and USTFF titles in 1970 and was named both College Field and Delaware Athlete of the Year.  He threw 291 and 278 feet to beat the German and Russian athletes respectively in European appearances while serving as captain of our National Track & Field Team.  Bill also was captain of the men's track & field team at the 1971 Pan-American games in Cali, Columbia.  Skinner was a four time All-American and won five National Championships.  Bill accepted a track scholarship to the University of Tennessee at the age of 29, where he graduated with honors in 1971.  Bill was once ranked by Track & Field News in the top five in the world.  He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.

CAROL THOMSON-SLOWIK

Recognized as one of the top women hurdles of her time, Carol was nationally ranked for over a decade.  When she began there was no high school track for girls in Delaware, and she represented Delaware Track & Field Club and the University of Delaware until her retirement in 1978.  As  an age group competitor she was a National AAU 60 yard hurdles champion.  Carol was the 1976 National Collegiate and USTFF champion at 100 meter hurdles, the Word Record holder at 60 yard hurdles, and the American record holder at both 50 meter and 60 meter hurdles indoors.  Thompson was awarded All-American status by the AIAW (women's NCAA), the USTFF and the AAU in 1976-1977, and was ranked second in the word in 1977 by Track & Field News in the 50 meter hurdles.  She competed as a member of the USA National Team many times against the USSR, Germany, Canada and other national teams.  She placed in the top six at the AAU National Championships 11 times.  Carol became the University of Florida's woman's head coach and later coached at Drake, Rutgers and East Carolina Universities as well as the South and East teams at the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival.

BILL THOMSON

A USA National Team coach several times in the 1970's and 1980's, Bill was head coach for the American teams vs. Russia, Canada and Mexico and an assistant coach for our USA National Teams vs. the USSR, Germany, Italy, Pan Africa, China, Japan and many of the Eastern European national teams.  He also headed the East team at the 1979 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival.  During the 15 years that Bill coached for Delaware Sports Club he worked with five American Record holders, one World Record holder, three Olympians, eight junior and senior National AAU champions as well as three NCAA champions.  Thompson was the National Coach for women's hurdles for six years ending in 1980.  As an official Bill has served as a referee and seeding chairman for our Indoor National Championships for 17 years, has been the referee at the Penn Relays for 25 years and is the High School referee, as  well as referee for the women's NCAA indoor championships twice.  He has been a certified master referee and clerk-of-course for nearly 20 years and has officiated Delaware High School and Collegiate meets for over a quarter of a century.  Bill is a member of the DSSAA State Track Committee and served as Delaware's high school rules interpreter.

VIC ZWOLAK

Victor was probably the first track man from Delaware to make an Olympic Team (1964).  Zwolak pulled off a difficult double in the 1964 IC4A championships by winning the 3-mile in meet record time and returning 33 minutes later to win the 3000 meter steeplechase while running for Jumbo Elliott's Villanova team.  While competing for Villanova Vic won the IC4A Cross Country Championship in both 1963 and 1964.  Zwolak was the NCAA Cross Country Champion in 1963.  Vic won four gold watches at the Penn Relays while winning the steeplechase, and running on the Championship of American four mile relay, distance medley relay and the two mile relay teams.  At Salesianum Vic set a state schoolboy mile record that stood for many years thereafter.  Zwolak was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, and was Delaware's co-athlete of the Year in 1963 and won the same honor alone in 1964.