Joe LeMay RHS Athletic Hall of Fame 2008 Inductee

RHS Athletic Hall of Fame

Members of the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame are those that have made a lasting impact on the school’s sports program as either student players, coaches, or supporters. Often the student players have continued to influence their chosen sports after high school by ongoing participation in athletics.


Joe LeMay, 2008 Inductee

Joe LeMay (Class of 1985) made his mark in Ridgewood High School athletics in cross-country and track and field. During his senior year, LeMay ran times of 9:12 in the 3200-meter run and 4:15 in the 1600-meter run. He was part of a school record-setting distance medley relay, running 4:18 for his leg, with his team finishing in 10:11 for fourth place at the prestigious Penn Relays. LeMay passed up running in the State Meet of Champions his senior year to participate in a national meet, the Golden West Invitational, where he finished fifth in the 3,000 meters. His best running would come years later. LeMay went on to compete for Princeton University, graduating in 1989 as a Division 1 All-American in both cross country and track and setting the still-standing university record for the 10,000-meter run, 28:59.

After college, LeMay became known for training over 100 miles a week while holding down a full-time job, and he continued to compete in road and track races at a national and international level. He represented the United States at the World Half Marathon Championships twice and the World Cross-Country Championships once. At the 1996 Crescent City Classic 10K in New Orleans, LeMay ran a 28:00, making him the sixth fastest American ever for that distance. He finished second in the 1996 United States Olympic Trials for 10,000 meters and won both the 1997 Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, Florida with a time of 43:35 and the 1999 California International Marathon with 2:13:55 clocking. On Memorial Day of 1993, LeMay set the Ridgewood Run course record for the 10-kilometer run [6.2 miles] in a time of 29:11, a standard that still endures.

LeMay has appeared on the cover of Running Times Magazine twice, and was pictured in a widely distributed Adidas poster in 1997. LeMay retired from running on a national level in 2002, but still competes in local races near his home in Danbury, Connecticut.


Download: 2008 Banquet Book!


2024

Lynne Collazo, Chuck Johnson, Patricia Putnoky Piotrowski, Tyler Roten, Kelci Smesko, Brett Sowers,

2022

Patti Auger, Eric Benedict, Eunae Jo, Peter McGinley, Karla Mixon, Clair Nowakowski, 1983 Softball Team, Joe Pedone, Julia Rappa

2020

Carlos Peay, Louis Edward “Eddie” Peay, Kelly Conheeney, Samantha Cermack, Chris Rae, Chelsea Steinberg, Mark Strittmatter, Andrew Clarke, Jim Dee, Phil Ross Sr.

2018

Jeff Yearing

2016

Maureen Greico, Larry Coyle, Jacob Brown, Richard Bennett, Toshiko D’Elia

2014

John Marshall, Jim Bruni, Mark Romeo, Jean Hughes, Chris Van Note, Nancy Hogan, RHS Football Team 1913, Don Taylor, Rachel Grygiel, John Cerf, Paul Tornatore, Michele Marangi, RHS Boys Lacrosse 1990-92

2012

Craig Halyard, Tom Flatt, Tricia Pappalardo, Mike Henderson, Kandie Latham, Leigh Jester, Tom Dusel, Roger Sweeney, Linda Zabielski, Patty Capasso, Dennis Sullivan, Nick & Dottie Capasso, Track and Field (Bain-Daley-Oliver Era)

2010

Primo “Duke” DeRochi, Debbie Paul, George Monro, Bill Dunne, Amy Lyons, James Sullivan, Michael Culver, Keith O’Connor, Josh Kauke, Patti Mileski, Mary Ellen Mileski

2008

Kitty Batterson, Henry Blauvelt, Frank L. Bradley, Jr., Lucia Cancelmo, Chris DuFlocq, Renee DuFlon, RHS Girls’ Basketball 1922-1923, Harry Grundy, Jim Jones, Joe LeMay, Jen McDermott, Shannon McGarrigle, Tony Napier, Margaret Niemann, Vince Robertiello (Jamie Roberts), Damian Ross, Mike Springer

2006

Mario Ferraro, Paul Ferraro, Don Haldane, Wendy Hartwig, Tom Hopper, Bob Keino, Frank Mozeleski, Tim Mullen, Jenna Rogers, Donna O’Connell, Carin Cone, Charles Yennie

2004

Paul Arrigoni, Pete Campbell, Doug Cook, Becky Deetz, Otis Grendler, Jodi Hartwig, Gene Links, Debbie O’Connell, Aimee McGuire, Walt Perdue, Tom Simos, Kazbek Tambi, Jack Van Yperen, Bob Whitaker, Margaret Scutro