Cecilia Szakacs (Coach/Teacher 1939 – 1965)

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

Roger Nelson (Class of 1953)

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

Bob Gerard (Class of 1978)

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

Peter Anderson (Class of 1981)

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

Don McCormick (Class of 1982)

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

Horace Ashenfelter (Meritorious Service)

Born in Phoenixville, PA and graduating from Collegeville (PA) High School, Horace Ashenfelter and his family have lived in Glen Ridge for over fifty years and have during that time been among the most cherished residents. He had his collegiate track career interrupted by service as an Army Air Corps fighter pilot during World War II, but returned to Penn State University to win the Penn Relays 4-mile relay of 1949 with his brothers Bill, and Don. While his most notable achievement was his unexpected Gold Medal victory over Vladimir Kazantsev in the 1952 Olympic steeplechase in Helsinki, Finland, Ashenfelter was also remarkable for his versatility, having captured 17 national titles in events as varied as two-mile and cross-country, with both indoor and outdoor titles. At the time of his Olympic victory, Ashenfelter was an FBI agent. His Olympic 3000m steeplechase victory, in the world record time of 8:45.8, was played up in the press because with Cold War underway, the G-man running down a Russian made for headlines that were especially attention grabbing. This race won him the Sullivan Award as outstanding amateur athlete of 1952. A race named in his honor is held in Glen Ridge every Thanksgiving Day. Ashenfelter has been honored by induction into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and by having the indoor track at Penn State named after him.