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.
Lynne Collazo
CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK
Lynne Collazo is a high energy person. From her first day of Cross Country in 9th grade to her classroom work at Somerville Elementary School, Lynne brings it: smiles, laughs, sparkling eyes and a charming energy!
Lynne had a remarkable career at Ridgewood High School, The University of Tennessee, and running post collegiately for Addias.
At Ridgewood she won 12 varsity letters, received All-Country and All-State recognition, and was part of the 1988 State Championship Track & Field Team which is arguably the greatest Track & Field team in Ridgewood athletic history.
Lynne competed in the National Junior Championship in Tallahassee, Florida in her junior year. She then finished her senior year with the school record in the 400 Hurdles and as a member of several school record relay teams. Her relay team members are still close friends,and the memories of those teams are legend in Ridgewood Track and Field lore.
In Cross Country she won the Bergen Meet of Champions her senior year and led the team to League and Bergen Championships. But most importantly she brought positive energy and enthusiasm to practice every day. She was a talented team leader even as a ninth grader. As senior captain in both Cross Country and Track, she not only led her teammates to championships, but also to friendship and fun.
At Tennessee she was an All-SEC performer in the middle-distance events and part of their NCAA championship 4x800m relay team. In Cross Country, her team won the SEC championship and placed 6th in the NCAADivision 1 Nationals.
After her collegiate career she was coached by George Watts, the Tennessee middle-distance coach and achieved top ten national status and made the finals in the 800 meters in the USATF National Championship. She then moved back to New Jersey and was sponsored by Adias and ran for Coach Tom Flemming’s New Jersey Training Group. Showing her great range as a competitor, she ran in several New York City marathons.
After her competitive career, Lynne married Mark Witham, raised four daughters and became a favorite teacher at Somerville Elementary school. She has also coached at her alma mater. She was an assistant coach for the Ridgewood High School Girls’ Track program for several years before starting her family. For the past few years, she has been the Freshman Cross Country coach and is currently coaching her daughter Hunter on the ninth grade team.
The Hall of Fame induction brings Lynne’s Ridgewood athletic career full circle from that wide eyed ninth grader in 1985 to coaching wide eyed freshman on the Ridgewood Cross Country team today.
Ridgewood Track & Field and Cross Country is proud to have Lynne as a member of the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
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
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