Honorees inducted into NDHS Athletic Hall of Fame
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Twelve names and one team were added to the Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, Athletic Hall of Fame during a recent dinner honor.
The athletes honored this year ranged from record-setting students to coaches who founded their respective sport programs. Each honoree played a significant role in the high school’s rich sports history.
William Perna graduated from NDHS in 1980 and played football and track. In football he was named to various all-county, all-parochial and all-area teams. He finished his NDHS career with 2,456 yards rushing, 546 yards receiving and 22 touchdowns.
While on the track team, he set the school record for discus with 136’ 6”. He went on to play football for Temple University from 1980-1984, and has coached Notre Dame Varsity football since 2006.
Anne DeMille coached NDHS Girls’ Basketball from 1989-2009. During her tenure NDHS won two New Jersey Parochial A state championships, 13 Colonial Valley Conference Championships, and five Mercer County Tournament championships. She had a 98-game winning streak against Mercer county opponents, had 10 seasons of 20 or more wins and had a 368-138 career record.
Before graduating in 1963, Edmund Stoy quarterbacked NDHS’s first varsity football victory in school history.
The 1990 baseball team won county and state titles after starting with a 9-9 record. Eight players were recognized as All-County representatives and three as All Parochial.
As a wrestler, E.J. Nemeth placed among the top three competitors in four tournaments and was a state qualifier, while also making all-county and all-area teams. In football, Nemeth was a three-year starter and was also named a first team All-County player, Frank “Mammy” Piscapo Award Winner and Mercer County player of the year in 2001. After playing football for Sacred Heart University and Kings College, he went on to play for various arena/indoor football teams.
Erica Wright played track and field as well as soccer for Notre Dame from 1994-1998. She was part of the nation’s top shuttle hurdle relay team and participated at the high school “Nationals” held in Boston, Mass., competing in the pentathlon, hurdles and the 4x200 relay team. Continuing track and field at The College of New Jersey, she accumulated nine all-American titles, and won the NCAA Division III Championship title in the women’s high jump.
James Solarski played both baseball and soccer at NDHS. He achieved first team all-county in both sports and was on the 1966 state championship soccer team. In his senior year he set an all-time NDHS and Mercer county single season record with 26 goals in 17 games.
Joseph Charles Casey was a member of the varsity soccer team for four years, and helped it win its first Parochial Class A championship in 1960 and second state championship in 1961. He received various all-state, all-county and all-city honors while at NDHS. While at West Point, he scored the most goals in a season (22) and second most in a season (20), records that still stand today.
Michael Jennings founded the NDHS Irish Icers ice hockey team in 1982. He was also the co-founder and co-coach of St. Joseph’s University hockey club, founder of the Mercer County Hockey League, and founder and head coach of the McCorristin Catholic High School hockey team.
In her time at NDHS, Nicole Kurtain took home both the Mercer County Cross Country championship as well as the Group A NJSIAA State Cross Country championship awards. In her track career, Kurtain set a new school record in the 1600-meter run in the indoor season, and placed fourth in the 2002 New Jersey All-Group Championships in the 3200 meter run, also setting the school record in the outdoor season. Continued Kurtain on a scholarship at the University of Richmond, where she brokethe school record for the 3000-meter steeplechase.
Sandy Mahon-Terry played soccer, basketball, and softball at NDHS, earning 10 varsity letters and various all-county awards. In her senior year she was a captain in all three sports. She went on to play for the Trenton State College basketball team, and helped her team win the Division III East Regional Tournament. In the early 1990’s she was an assistant basketball coach for NDHS and TSC.
Thomas Roberto was the first wrestler in NDHS history to win the Hunterdon Central Invitational Wrestling Tournament, and the first NDHS wrestler to win a match at the New Jersey State Wrestling Tournament. At TCNJ, he was the 2005 Brute Lions’ Wrestling Invitational Tournament champion and also placed at the Spartan Invitational and Sunshine Open wrestling tournaments.
Will Place was a 1972 NDHS Scholar-Athlete, and was selected to the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll. He was president of the ND Varsity Club, most valuable player for the football and wrestling teams, and earned all-county and all-area honors in football. At the University of Dayton, he was named most valuable wrestler for three years and Ohio Collegiate Open champion.
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Twelve names and one team were added to the Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, Athletic Hall of Fame during a recent dinner honor.
The athletes honored this year ranged from record-setting students to coaches who founded their respective sport programs. Each honoree played a significant role in the high school’s rich sports history.
William Perna graduated from NDHS in 1980 and played football and track. In football he was named to various all-county, all-parochial and all-area teams. He finished his NDHS career with 2,456 yards rushing, 546 yards receiving and 22 touchdowns.
While on the track team, he set the school record for discus with 136’ 6”. He went on to play football for Temple University from 1980-1984, and has coached Notre Dame Varsity football since 2006.
Anne DeMille coached NDHS Girls’ Basketball from 1989-2009. During her tenure NDHS won two New Jersey Parochial A state championships, 13 Colonial Valley Conference Championships, and five Mercer County Tournament championships. She had a 98-game winning streak against Mercer county opponents, had 10 seasons of 20 or more wins and had a 368-138 career record.
Before graduating in 1963, Edmund Stoy quarterbacked NDHS’s first varsity football victory in school history.
The 1990 baseball team won county and state titles after starting with a 9-9 record. Eight players were recognized as All-County representatives and three as All Parochial.
As a wrestler, E.J. Nemeth placed among the top three competitors in four tournaments and was a state qualifier, while also making all-county and all-area teams. In football, Nemeth was a three-year starter and was also named a first team All-County player, Frank “Mammy” Piscapo Award Winner and Mercer County player of the year in 2001. After playing football for Sacred Heart University and Kings College, he went on to play for various arena/indoor football teams.
Erica Wright played track and field as well as soccer for Notre Dame from 1994-1998. She was part of the nation’s top shuttle hurdle relay team and participated at the high school “Nationals” held in Boston, Mass., competing in the pentathlon, hurdles and the 4x200 relay team. Continuing track and field at The College of New Jersey, she accumulated nine all-American titles, and won the NCAA Division III Championship title in the women’s high jump.
James Solarski played both baseball and soccer at NDHS. He achieved first team all-county in both sports and was on the 1966 state championship soccer team. In his senior year he set an all-time NDHS and Mercer county single season record with 26 goals in 17 games.
Joseph Charles Casey was a member of the varsity soccer team for four years, and helped it win its first Parochial Class A championship in 1960 and second state championship in 1961. He received various all-state, all-county and all-city honors while at NDHS. While at West Point, he scored the most goals in a season (22) and second most in a season (20), records that still stand today.
Michael Jennings founded the NDHS Irish Icers ice hockey team in 1982. He was also the co-founder and co-coach of St. Joseph’s University hockey club, founder of the Mercer County Hockey League, and founder and head coach of the McCorristin Catholic High School hockey team.
In her time at NDHS, Nicole Kurtain took home both the Mercer County Cross Country championship as well as the Group A NJSIAA State Cross Country championship awards. In her track career, Kurtain set a new school record in the 1600-meter run in the indoor season, and placed fourth in the 2002 New Jersey All-Group Championships in the 3200 meter run, also setting the school record in the outdoor season. Continued Kurtain on a scholarship at the University of Richmond, where she brokethe school record for the 3000-meter steeplechase.
Sandy Mahon-Terry played soccer, basketball, and softball at NDHS, earning 10 varsity letters and various all-county awards. In her senior year she was a captain in all three sports. She went on to play for the Trenton State College basketball team, and helped her team win the Division III East Regional Tournament. In the early 1990’s she was an assistant basketball coach for NDHS and TSC.
Thomas Roberto was the first wrestler in NDHS history to win the Hunterdon Central Invitational Wrestling Tournament, and the first NDHS wrestler to win a match at the New Jersey State Wrestling Tournament. At TCNJ, he was the 2005 Brute Lions’ Wrestling Invitational Tournament champion and also placed at the Spartan Invitational and Sunshine Open wrestling tournaments.
Will Place was a 1972 NDHS Scholar-Athlete, and was selected to the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll. He was president of the ND Varsity Club, most valuable player for the football and wrestling teams, and earned all-county and all-area honors in football. At the University of Dayton, he was named most valuable wrestler for three years and Ohio Collegiate Open champion.
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