South Jersey Track Coaches Association      
 |
|
Hall of fame 2012
The South Jersey Track Coaches Association announces the names of the 2012 class of inductees to the South Jersey Track and Field Hall of Fame. The induction banquet and ceremony will be held Sunday, March 25, 2012 at Lucien’s Manor, Rt. 30, Berlin, NJ. Anyone interested in banquet ticket information should contact Bill Collins at 856-381-7763 or log onto the South Jersey Track Coaches web site at www.sjtca.org for dinner order forms. The 2012 honorees (with a few of their accomplishments) include:
Russell Bates Russell Bates is one of the greatest high school track coaches in South Jersey history. Russell transformed Edgewood/Winslow Township into one of the power house programs in the state by winning 7 outdoor state championships. He also coached numerous outstanding runners who went on to win many Meet of Champion titles including Olympic Gold Medalist Dennis Mitchell. In 1993 Russell’s team put on one of the greatest displays in State History by winning four events at the outdoor8 National Championships.
Nichole Belcher Nichole Belcher Graduated from Woodrow Wilson in 1962 where she was the top hurdler in the state. Nichole won the outdoor Meet of Champions in 1991 and 1992. In 1992 Nichole won the prestigious Chicago International Prep Meet with a personal best time of 14.02. Nichole also won the Meet of Champs in indoor track. Later that same year she won the National Indoor Championships running the 7th fastest time in state history. Nichole attended Essex junior College where she won the National Championship in the 100 meter hurdles and in the process set the National Record. She later ran for Seton Hall where she set their school record and qualified for the Olympic Trials.
John Borican John Borican was from Bridgeton, New Jersey. He was an excellent all-around athlete who demonstrated his versatility by winning national titles in the pentathlon in 1938 and 1939. He also was the national champ in the decathlon in 1941. However his best event was as a middle distance runner. John won the national outdoor title in the 800 meters in 1941 and 1942. He won the national indoor title four straight years from 1939 to 1942. In 1939 John set the world record in the 1000 meters.
James Camburn Jim Camburn began his association with South Jersey Track and field as a coach at Paul VI High School after graduating from Villanova in 1968. Paul VI Track and Field would become a South Jersey power during the time Jim was coaching. Jim then got involved with officiating track and field where he served in virtually every position but was best known as head clerk, especially at the NJSIAA State Meets. He served as rules interpreter for the Southern Chapter of the New Jersey Track and Field Association, as well as representing the chapter on the New Jersey Executive board. Jim later served as the meet director for the South Jersey Sectionals, the South Jersey Open, the entire winter track program and the NJSIAA Track and Field Sectionals.
Mike Chapman Mike Chapman attended Paul VI High School and graduated in 1970. While at Paul VI Mike became a two time state champ in the javelin and set a Parochial B record with a throw of 205 feet 11 inches. Mike was also the state champ in the shot put and won the South Jersey Indoor Shot Put Championship his senior year. Mike attended Camden County College where he was a two time All-American. He won the junior college Nationals in 1972 with a throw of 234 feet 5 inches. Mike continued his education at Arizona State and set their school record in the decathlon in 1975. Mike was ranked in the top ten of the Nation for six years after college.
Nadia Davey Nadia Davey graduated from Bridgeton High School in 1999. There she was the best 400 meter runner in the state. In her junior year Nadia set the state Junior record in the 400 meters with a time of 54.04. In her senior year she won the Indoor Meet of Champions with a time of 56.9. She also won the MOC outdoors. She continued her running at LSU where she became a 7 time All-American. In 2003 Nadia set the LSU indoor 400 meter record. She also anchored the LSU 4x400 meter relay to first in the NCAA Championships. After college Nadia won the bronze medal in the Olympics running for Jamaica
Richard Jacques Rick Jacques who graduated from Burlington Township High School in 1967 was the premier distance runner in South Jersey at that time. Rick was a two time state champ in cross country and was the state champ in track. He set the South Jersey Record in the mile in 1968 with a time of 4:14.5. It is a time that still ranks near the top on the all time South Jersey list. Rick attended Pensacola Junior College in Florida. There he became a National Champ in the 800 meters setting the all time record. He continued his education at the University of Kansas where he became a two time All-American.
Al LeConey Al LeConey was raised In Moorestown, New Jersey were at an early age he started showing his abilities as a sprinter. He won the AAU championships in the 220 yard dash in 1922. Later as an athlete running for Lafayette College, Al won both the 100 yard and the 220 yard dashes at the IC4A championships in 1922. At the 1924 summer Olympics in Paris, LeConey ran the anchoring leg on the American 4x100 meter relay team that won the gold medal and set a new world record.
Jamine Moton Jamine graduated from Delsea in 1997 where she was the states top discus thrower for two years. Jamine won the Meet of Champions in the discus in 1996 and 1997. Her throw 0f 161 feet 1 inch is # 3 discus throw of all time in the state and is still the South Jersey Record. Jamine attended Clemson University after high school. There she was the ACC champion in both the discus and the hammer throw. She would be the ACC champion 5 times. She was also a three time All-American culminating with her 2002 National Championship in the hammer. Jamine still holds all the Clemson Records in the shot put, discus and hammer throws.
Michael Pascuzzo Mike graduated in 1980 from Lenape Regional High School where he was a standout high jumper. Mike won the indoor Meet of Champions in 1980 and was named first team All State. He also finished second in the outdoor Meet of Champions that same year. Mike took his jumping talents to Hagerstown Junior College, where he was a twice the National Champion and set the National Junior College indoor record. He then continued his college career at the University of Maryland, where was the two time outdoor Atlantic Coast Champion. After college Mike continued to jump and represented the USA National Team from 1988 to 1990 at various meets. He was a 5 time USSATF All-American.
Lillian Rivera Lillian Rivera graduated in 1984 from Pemberton High School were she was one of the greatest throwers in state history. During her career at Pemberton, Lillian was named to the all South Jersey and the All State Teams. She was a conference, county, sectional and state champion . However her greatest accomplishment was winning all three throwing events at the Meet of Champions. She was the first person (boy or girl) ever to accomplish this feat and it has only been duplicated once since then. Lillian continued her career at Southern University were she was a two time SWAC Champion in all three events. After college Lillian competed for the Puerto Rican National Team where she set two National Records.
Francine Siedlecki Francine Siedlecki began coaching at Shawnee High School in 1984 as an assistant girl’s track coach under Head Coach Mike Yurcho. In 1987 she took over the reigns and became the head coach. During the next 16 years Shawnee would become a dominant power in girl’s track and field. Her teams would win 10 conference titles, 8 Burlington County Titles, 7 Sectional Titles, a state crown and were ranked #1 in South Jersey 5 times. In 2003, Francine transferred to a new sister school “Seneca”, were she started the track and field programs. In the next 8 seasons her team won 5 conference titles, 2 Sectional titles and 2 state championships. Her team was named the #1 team in South Jersey in 2010.
Email Hall of Fame Nominations to wcolls@gmail.com |