Freehold High School and Princeton University graduate Justin Frick received the Shore Athletic Club’s (Shore AC) Johnny Hayes Memorial Trophy at the club’s Awards Banquet on Feb. 15 at The English Manor.
Frick, a state champion and All-American at Freehold who went on to claim Ivy League titles and college All-American honors at Princeton, set a personal best in the high jump of 7-4 ½ inches at the U.S.A. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., where he finished fifth.
The ex-Tigers standout is now back at Princeton, where he serves as assistant coach of the track and field team.
The Hayes Trophy, named for the famed runner and former Spring Lake Heights resident who won the 1908 Olympic marathon, the first marathon staged at the now-standard distance of 26 miles, 385 yards, annually honors the Shore AC’s athlete of the year.
New inductees into the Shore AC Hall of Fame were club President Isabel Keeley Meldrum of Point Pleasant, Shore Regional High School coach Mel Ullmeyer of West Long Branch, and former Rutgers pole vault record-holder Carlton Huff.
The Wisner Brothers Award, which is for “significant contributions to the sport of track and field,” was presented to famed TV track and field and road racing announcer Larry Rawson of New York.
Other honorees included former Rutgers star Shameka Marshall, who qualified for the Olympic Trials in the long jump. She is Shore AC’s Women’s Athlete of the Year.
Manalapan High School graduate and current professional runner for Adidas, Robby Andrews, was the Shore AC Track Athlete of the Year. Andrews, who is also an assistant coach at Princeton, was seventh in the finals of the 1,500 meters at the Olympic Trials.
The Irwin Bernstein Memorial Award that goes to the Shore AC’s Masters Athlete of the Year was won by Neptune High School’s Tony Plaster.
Hazlet’s Tom Hawley received the Dr. George Sheehan Memorial Award that goes to the club’s Men’s Distance Runner of the Year. The Women’s Distance Runner of the Year, who received the Mary Conry Memorial Award, was Gayle Ciallella Other winners were Tom Zarra of Point Pleasant (Chris Malone Memorial Award, Men’s Masters Distance Runner of the Year), Nolan Kus of Jackson (Rodney Craig Memorial Award, Youth Athlete of the Year), former Monmouth University standout Jennifer Nelson of Barnegat (College Athlete of the Year), former Monmouth University standout Vinnie Elardo of Lacey (College Athlete of the Year), and Andrew Brodeur of Brick (College Athlete of the Year, who starred at Duke University.
Middletown High School North’s Tom O’Neill, the 2012 NJSIAA Cross-Country Meet of Champions winner, is the Shore AC High School Athlete of the Year.
The High School Field Events Athlete of the Year is Timmy Brennan of Cranbury.
The Matthew Stuper Memorial Award to the Youth Racewalker of the Year went to Melissa Endy of Westfield.
The Elliott Denman Award for distinguished service to the Shore AC went to Colts Neck’s Scott Linnell.
The Tom and Phyllis Fyfe Award to the Shore AC Family of the Year went to the Harrison family of Colts Neck.
Rookie of the Year honors went to Ronville Gravesande, Ed Smith and Little Silver’s Grace Cashman.
Manalapan’s Ralph Garfield and Brick’s Tim Ragan received the Get Up and Go Award.
Dave Hoch of Bradley Beach was the Shore AC Coach of the Year.
The Christian Brother Academy boys cross country team, which won the NJSIAA Meet of Champions and finished fourth at the Nike Cross Nationals, and the Shore AC’s 60’s Racing Team were the Team of the Year winners.
Carl Stainagle of Middletown won the Friend of the Shore AC Award and Dianne DeOliveira was named the winner of the Spirit Award.
Rob Neugass was the Most Improved Athlete of the Year.
Marlboro’s David Gross won the Humanitarian of the Year Award.
The Ken Williamson Memorial Award for Outstanding Track and Field Officiating went to David Gingras, formerly of Little Silver.