In Paris, Rockville Centre’s Crystal Dunn is striving to help lead the U.S. women’s soccer team earn a Gold Medal at the 2024 Olympics. Back home, the legendary South Side High School phenom this week is among the 25 new inductees into the Nassau County High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
Dunn, 32, plays forward for the American side, which has won both of its matches in group play in France, clinching a spot in the quarterfinals of the knockout round that begins Aug. 3. A two-time Olympian and the former MVP of the National Women’s Soccer League, she has played in 151 games for the U.S. team.
Scroll down for the full list of 2024 inductees.
Dunn’s streak of 17 consecutive starts at world championship events is the longest by any USWNT field player since Christie Pearce made 27 consecutive starts spanning from the 2004 Olympic quarterfinal through the 2012 gold medal match.
Class of 2024 inductees
The Hall of Fame will hold its 2024 induction ceremony on Sept. 25 at the Crest Hollow County Club in Woodbury. Below is a full list of the 25 new inductees:
Marshall Avener
A standout gymnast at Island Trees, Marshall Avener won the New York state all-around championship three times and later competed in two Olympic Games. He also won eight NCAA individual gymnastic events at Penn State, including the 1973 all-around championship. He was inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2012.
Francis ‘Michael’ Byrnes
Mike Byrnes was a pioneering track and field coach at Wantagh, producing numerous state champions and Olympians. He founded the Long Island Striders and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation.
Tom Catal
Tom Catal was a dominant right-handed pitcher at St. Agnes Cathedral, producing a 31-5 career record in three seasons and a 0.74 ERA in his senior year. After signing with the Atlanta Braves and playing three seasons in the minor leagues, his professional baseball career was cut short by a car accident.
Tom Catapano
Since 2010, Tom Catapano has led Baldwin High School’s girls’ basketball team to five Long Island championships and two state titles, along the way amassing an impressive 236-42 record. He is heralded too for his dedication to the holistic development of his players — on and off the court.
Bill Chamberlain
An iconic player at Long Island Lutheran, Bill Chamberlain during his stellar college career at North Carolina was a key figure in integrating the ACC. He later played professionally in the NBA, ABA and France. He was a civil rights activist throughout his playing career.
Jeffrey Corben
Jeff Corben has been a dedicated athletic trainer in Nassau County for more than three decades, providing essential support to countless athletes. He is highly regarded by former players, coaches and athletic directors for his professionalism and commitment.
Shana Cox
Shana Cox was a standout sprinter at Holy Trinity High School, winning state titles and setting numerous records before achieving further success at Penn State. She represented Great Britain in the 2012 London Olympics, thanks to her dual citizenship due to both of parents having been born in Great Britain.
Canute Curtis
Canute Curtis was a star linebacker and running back at Farmingdale High School, leading the Dalers to an undefeated season and the Rutgers Cup trophy in 1991. He went on to become a consensus All-American linebacker at West Virginia and enjoy a six-year NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Conor Denihan
Conor Denihan was an accomplished football and lacrosse player at Manhasset High School, earning All-American honors and helping Manhasset win a state championship. He also earned All-State honors as a football player. He continued his success at Johns Hopkins, becoming a two-time All-American in lacrosse. Additionally, he played professional lacrosse for four seasons.
Dan Denihan
Dan Denihan also was a standout lacrosse player at Manhasset, known for his quickness and skill. In high school, he earned All-Conference honors as a football player and was an All-American in lacrosse. He later starred for Johns Hopkins’ lacrosse team and was inducted into multiple lacrosse halls of fame.
Crystal Dunn
The South Side soccer sensation led her high school team to three state championships and was a two-time All-American at North Carolina. She transitioned to defense for the U.S. National Team, competing in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups and the 2020 Olympics. Dunn is playing forward for the American team in Paris in the 2024 Olympic games.
Tom Emma
A prolific scorer at Manhasset High School, Emma set a Long Island record with 1,938 career points. Additionally, he was a three-year starter and team captain at Duke.
Jim Graziano
A dominant center at Farmingdale High School, Graziano was a three-time Newsday All-Long Island selection and New York state Player of the Year in 1976. He went on to star in college for South Carolina and play professionally for teams in Chile, Scotland, Belgium and France.
Hank Grishman
As the superintendent of Jericho School District and chairman of the Section VIII Superintendents Board for Athletics, Grishman has played a pivotal role in Nassau County athletics, notably advocating for student-athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was honored with the NYSPHSAA’s Distinguished Service Award.
Dr. Stuart Hershon
An orthopedic surgeon and former team doctor for the New York Islanders and Yankees, Hershon has been instrumental in treating and rehabilitating high school athletes. He was a key player in Long Beach High School’s undefeated football season in 1953 and continued to excel on the grid iron at Harvard.
Jay Iaquinta
Known for transforming struggling football programs, Iaquinta led teams at Lynbrook, Hewlett and Manhasset to success, including a Rutgers Cup with Manhasset in 2021. He was Nassau’s football coach of the year in 1986 and 2021. He also helped develop Nassau’s power-point system for football.
Jay Jalbert
A standout lacrosse player at Cold Spring Harbor, Jalbert earned All-American honors twice during high school, and then led the University of Virginia to an NCAA championship in 1999. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2014.
Charlene Lipsey
A track prodigy from Hempstead High School, Lipsey was a five-time state champion and Gatorade New York State Runner of the Year. She continued her success at LSU, becoming an eight-time All-American and three-time SEC champion.
Matt McLees
A versatile and accomplished figure in Nassau County athletics, McLees served as the winningest football coach at Carey High School and later as athletic director for Sewanhaka Central School District. Three times, he earned the honor of Nassau football coach of the year. He implemented a sportsmanship rule to curb lopsided victories in football.
Emily Menges
A two-sport standout in soccer and track at Garden City High School, Menges was a two-time All-County, All-Long Island, and All-State selection in soccer, as well as an All-American. She also ran track in high school, in which she was a three-time dndoor track All-American, an outdoor track All-American, and a state champion. She went on to have a successful soccer playing career in college and the pros.
Gary Mims
Gary Mims, excelled in football, wrestling and lacrosse at Massapequa High School, earning All-League honors in wrestling and lacrosse. As a long-time coach at Massapequa, Mims led the wrestling team to eight county championships. A three-time Nassau wrestling coach of the year, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007.
Rich Ohrnberger
Rich Ohrnberger had a legendary career at East Meadow, where he was a two-time All-Nassau selection and earned All-Metro and All-Long Island honors in his senior year. He continued his success at Penn State with All-Big 10 and All-American accolades before a notable NFL career. His philanthropy over the years includes significant contributions to local charities.
Victor Randazzo
Victor Randazzo, a gymnastics star from Long Beach, was a New York state champion in the still rings and rope climb and won the same titles at the Empire State Games five times. At Southern Connecticut State, he became the NCAA Still Rings Champion, a three-time All-American, and a key member of the school’s 1976 NCAA Championship team.
Tom Riker
Tom Riker was a dominant force at St. Dominic’s High School, where he was considered one of the top high school basketball players in the country. He was New York State Player of the Year in 1968. He achieved a stellar collegiate career at South Carolina, leading to his selection by the New York Knicks as their No. 1 pick in the 1972 NBA Draft. He played three seasons with the Knicks.
Maxwell Seibald
Maxwell Seibald was a versatile athlete at Hewlett high School, excelling in football, soccer, track and lacrosse, where he was an All-County athlete in all four sports. He was a two-time high school All-American in lacrosse. At Cornell, he was a four-time All-American and earned the Tewaaraton Trophy in 2009. Later, he was a five-time All-Star in the Major Lacrosse League and a member of the U.S. gold medal team at the 2010 World Games.
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