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                                  Hall of Fame Inaugural Class of 2020

                                1972 Munich Germany Olympic Games

Olympian Al Schoterman wasn’t always in elite shape. In fact, as a child, Schoterman suffered a series of health problems. When a young Al contracted rheumatoid fever, doctors recommended that his mom keep him confined to bed. They predicted that he would never “thrive” to be a normal, healthy youngster. His mom did not take kindly to the doctors’ advice and encouraged Al to work hard and improve his health. With her support, Al didn’t just settle for normal and healthy. He went on to thrive as an Olympic athlete!

High School Athletic Accomplishments:

1967 New York State Championships- 2nd Place Discus (172’ 7”) *Section XI Record

1968 New York State Championships- 5th Place Shot Put (54’ 0”) 

After graduating from Bay Shore, Schoterman attended Kent State University. During his sophomore year at Kent, Al was introduced to the weight throw and hammer. Schoterman went on to become a five-time Division 1 All- American (2-times Indoor weight throw, 3-times hammer) and a two-time NCAA Division 1 champion.  

1970 Outdoor Hammer NCAA Championships- 4th Place (192’ 7”) 

1971 Indoor Weight Throw NCAA Champion (68’ 10.25”) Meet Record

Penn Relay Hammer Throw Champion (219’ 4”) Meet and Collegian Record. Schoterman was named the meet’s Outstanding Athlete for his effort.

Outdoor Hammer NCAA Championships- 2nd Place (216’ 1”)

1972 Indoor Weight Throw NCAA Championships- 2nd place (69’ 5’.25”) 

Earlier in the season he was the 1st Collegian to throw over 70 feet, 70’ 8.5” 

Outdoor Hammer NCAA Champion (231’ 3”) Meet Record

This throw stood as a Kent State Record for 42 years.

US Olympic Trials- 2nd Place Hammer Throw (225’ 4”)

Munich Olympic Games- 22nd Place (213’ 10.25”)

Like many athletes who truly love the sport, Al Schoterman entered the world of coaching. His first coaching job was in Saudi Arabia from 1978-1980 as an Olympian field event coach. He then returned to his alma mater from 1980-1985 and produced eight All-Americans in the throws. He would often compete with his athletes during this time, and with rather impressive results. In 1984, he threw 72’ 1.75” in the weight throw and 225’ 8” at the US National championships.  The one athlete on his team who he could not beat was Jud Logan, a four-time Olympian himself (1984, 1988, 1992, and 2000). Logan had very high praise for Schoterman: “Al was a life-giver. A life-giver is someone who is put into your life and illuminates your path. That’s what he did for me.” Obviously, Schoterman had a positive effect on many other athletes as well because in 2015 he was inducted into National Track and Field Coaches Hall of Fame.  

                                     Hall of Fame Inaugural Class of 2020

                            1984 Los Angeles California Olympic Games

Local champion, college sensation, world-class athlete, and Olympian Randy Givens was one of the most extraordinary athletes to compete for Section XI. Randy was an outstanding sprinter who ran spring track for Amityville High School from 1978-1980. In that time, she won six county and three state titles as an individual. Only a sophomore, Givens was a double county champion in the 100 and 220-yard dashes. Her time of 25.1 (HT) in the 220-yard dash set a county meet record and county record in that event. At the New York State championships that same year, she placed second in the 220-yard dash in a time of 25.5 (HT).  

Returning as defending county champ in the 100 and 220-yard dashes, Givens did not disappoint, only this time she won both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 11.4 HT and 24.0 HT. That year, New York State had switched to metric distances. At the state meet the following week, she won the 100-meter dash in 11.9 (HT) and was second in the 200-meter dash (25.1 HT). Like the true competitor that she was, Randy was disappointed about not winning the 200m because she considered that event her specialty.

As a senior in 1980, Randy pulled everything together and was crowned champion in both events at the New York State championships at Brockport. Both marks were New York State meet records: 100m (11.6 HT) and the 200m (24.1 HT). Later that summer, she competed at the United States Athletic Congress National Track and Field Championships in Walnut, California. Against older competition, she placed 5th in the 200-meter dash in an amazing time of 23.23-w (FAT). In the semi-finals she ran a non-wind aided 23.56, (FAT) a state record at the time.  As of 2020, Randy still owns the Section XI records in both 100m and 200m dashes.  

Givens decided to attend the Florida State University. She continued her outstanding running for the Seminoles and won two individual NCAA titles and was a member of five National Championship relay squads over her tenure. Also, during this time, Givens started to experience success on the International level. At the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas Venezuela Randy won two gold medals, in the 200m dash (23.14 FAT) and as a member of the 4x100m relay.  

In 1984, her senior year at Florida State, Givens had a standout year that won her many accolades. At a Women’s NCAA National Championship meet to remember, Randy won the 100m and 200m races and was a member of the championship 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. Lead by Givens, the Lady Seminoles won their first team title. For her efforts, Givens was awarded the Broderick Award as the Nation’s top female amateur athlete. Her success continued into the United States Olympic Trials, where Randy placed third in the 200m dash and earned the right to represent the United States in the 1984 Olympics. She made the finals and placed sixth in the 200m dash. Her personal bests of 11.06 (FAT) and 22.31 (FAT) are demonstrative of the amazing athlete that she was. These marks are still records at Florida State, which has a very strong track and field program.  

For all of her accomplishments, Givens has been elected to several Hall of Fames. In 1989, she was inducted into the Florida State Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1997, Givens was added to the Penn Relay Wall of Fame (7 watches and 1983 Female athlete of the Meet). The Amityville High School Hall of Fame elected Randy to their first class of entrants in 2011. We at the Section XI Track and Field Hall of Fame inducted her into our inaugural class of 2020 and the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame followed suit in 2021.  

                                      Hall of Fame Inaugural Class 2020

                             1996 Atlanta United States Olympic Games

                               2000 Sydney Australia Olympic Games

Robert Foster, the defending champion in the long jump, had just fouled on his first two jumps in the state finals. The leader had already jumped over 24’, three inches further than Foster’s personal best. The state title looked out of reach for the future Olympian. At that point, another athlete walked up to Foster and relayed some advice from the coach from Riverhead: ‘move your steps back by a full foot.’ The coach who came up with that dramatic change was state long jump record holder Greg Flippen, also a member of this Hall of Fame (24’ 7.5”, 1971). Rob moved his steps back and popped a monstrous jump (24’ 4”) to defend his long jumping title. After the competition, Foster thanked Flippen for his advice. Later that day, Flippen presented Foster with a gold medal on the awards podium. Flippen commented, “When I saw him go, I thought, oh no, there goes my record”.  While Flippen retained the record, Foster went onto an exciting collegiate and Olympic career. On the biggest stage in the world, he used his jumping talents in the 110m hurdles and made both Copiague and his native Jamaica proud with a top-10 performance. 

Athletic Accomplishments: 

1988- Outdoor County Champion Long Jump (22’ 7.25”) and Triple Jump (45’ 9”)

Outdoor State Champion Long Jump (23’ 4.5”) and Triple Jump (48’ 9”)

1989- Outdoor County Champion 110mH (14.5 HT), Long Jump (23’ 1”) & Triple Jump (47’11”)

Eastern States Champion Long Jump (23’ 8.5”) and Triple Jump (49’ 3.5”)

Outdoor State Champion Long Jump (24’ 4”)

Outdoor State Championships- 2nd Place 110mH (14.34) and Triple Jump (48’ 2.25”)

After leaving Copiague, Foster attended Taft College and Porterville College. Both were junior colleges in a very competitive track and field league in California. While there, he a two-time California State Junior College Champion. His next step was a short trip over to Fresno State University. It was there where Rob really started to shine. He was a two-time Division I National Champion in 1994, winning both the indoor 55mH in time of 7.11 FAT and the outdoor 110mH in 13.53 FAT. Upon graduating, Foster represented his home country of Jamaica at various international competitions. His first international competition was the 1995 Outdoor World Championships in Goteborg Sweden, where he placed 11th while posting a personal best of 13.49 FAT. After that, Robert won the 1996 Jamaican National Championship in 13.50 FAT, earning the right to represent Jamaica in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. There he made the semi-finals and recorded the 10th fastest time overall, equaling his best time of 13.49 FAT.  Again in 2000, Foster won the Jamaican National Championship in a time of 13.59 FAT to qualify for his second Olympics in Sydney.

                                      Hall of Fame Inaugural Class 2020

                                  2000 Sydney Australia Olympic Games

“Trending” was great word to describe Dawn Ellerbe. Whether it was her interest in fashion and modeling or being a pioneer in American women’s hammer throwing, she was always looking to stay ahead of the curve. Her Twitter page profile sums it all up: 

Dawn Ellerbe US Olympian Fashion Lover & Style Pursuer. US Olympian & Gamecock HOF. Athlete, Style, Inspiration. I love College Athletics & Opinions are my own! “You can”  

Ellerbe started her track career at Central Islip High School. The discus seemed to be her best event at the time. In both her junior and senior years, she placed second at the county championships. In 1992, Ellerbe placed third at the State Championships in the discus with a throw of 130’ 11”. With that finish, she was awarded a scholarship to the University of South Carolina. The coach from South Carolina knew that her 6’2” frame and great arm span would allow Dawn to excel in the throwing events beyond her dreams. With the introduction of the hammer throw coming up at the NCAA championships in 1995, a new event would allow Ellerbe to fulfill her destiny of greatness.  

At the University of South Carolina, Dawn was a four-time NCAA champion [Two Indoor weight throws 1996 (67’10.25”) and 1997 (71’ 8 ¾”) and two outdoor hammer throws 1995 (209’ 2”) and 1996 (207’ 4”)]. In total, she was awarded All-American six times while competing for the Gamecocks. Her success continued in both national and international competition. Ellerbe was twelve-time National champion between the weight throwing events; a six-time USA Indoor weight throw champion (1996-2001) and a six-time USA Outdoor hammer throw champion (1995-97, 1999-2001).

1995 USA Outdoor National Track and Field Hammer Throw Champion (181’ 8”)

1996 USA Indoor National Track and Field Weight Throw Champion (65’ 1.25”)

USA Outdoor National Track and Field Hammer Throw Champion (193’ 9”)

1997 USA Indoor National Track and Field Weight Throw Champion (70’ 0.25”)

 Penn Relay Hammer Throw Champion (204’ 5”) College Meet Record

USA Outdoor National Track and Field Hammer Throw Champion (206’ 7”)

1998  USA Indoor National Track and Field Weight Throw Champion (70’ 3.5”)

Goodwill Games Hammer Throw- 6th Place (205’ 11.75”)

1999  USA Indoor Track and Field Weight Throw Champion (74’ 8.25”)

Penn Relay Open Hammer Throw Champion (220’ 7”)

USA Outdoor National Track and Field Hammer Throw Champion (212’ 5”)

Pan American Games Hammer Throw Champion (214’ 5.25”)

 World Championships Hammer Throw- 10th Place (208’ 6”)

2000  USA Indoor Track and Field Weight throw Champion (77’ 5.25”)

Penn Relay Hammer Throw Champion (231’ 2”) American Record

USA Olympic Trials Hammer Throw Champion (227’0”)

Olympic Games Sydney Hammer Throw- 7th Place (219’ 2”) 

2001  USA Indoor Track and Field Weight Throw Champion (73’ 1.75”)

Penn Relay Hammer Throw Champion (231’ 8”) American Record

USA Outdoor National Track and Field Hammer Throw Champion (226’ 8”) 

World Championships Hammer Throw- 13th Place (211’ 1”)

 Goodwill Games Hammer Throw- 7th Place (201’ 9.75”)

2003 Pan American Games Hammer Throw- 5th Place (215’ 8.5”)

Personal best with all throwing implements:  Outdoor Shot Put (54’ 9.5”), Discus (195’ 5”), Hammer (231’ 8.25”), Indoor Shot Put (55’ 2.25”), 20lb Weight throw (77’ 5.25”)

Dawn Ellerbe was inducted into the South Carolina Gamecock Hall of Fame in 2005, the 

Penn Relay Hall of Fame in 2012, and now the Section XI Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2020.  What’s made clear by the athletic highlights listed above is that Dawn Ellerbe definitely “can!”

                                       Hall of Fame Inaugural Class 2020

                                   2000 Sydney Australia Olympic Games

                                     2004 Athens Greece Olympic Games

Tim Seaman ’s racewalking career started inauspiciously enough. His high school coach, Frank Manhardt, asked Seaman to give it a try because his team needed someone to earn points in the event at dual meets. The idea turned out to be a brilliant one, because while Tim only placed third in the county championship each of the three years he competed, eventually he’d become an Olympian.

“I switched over to racewalking to get points for the team,” Seaman explained. “I said to myself, ‘let’s give this thing a try.’ I hated it at first. People treat racewalking with casual disinterest.”  

Actually, right around that time, New York State and Suffolk County were eliminating the 1600mW as an event. Not discouraged, Tim kept working at his craft. He placed third in each of the three county high school championships in which he competed. At the end of his senior year, he won the 1990 Junior National Championship in the 10K walk and accepted a scholarship to Wisconsin-Parkside, a college that was a hot spot for racewalkers. From that point, Tim Seaman would go on to become the most successful racewalker in American history. 

Accomplishments:

Wisconsin Parkside: First 4-time NAIA Racewalk champion, Junior National Champion 

2-time Olympian 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens

Eight separate American records (listed below) 

Outdoor (track) 3K RW (11:19.20), 5K RW (19:28.66), 10K RW (39:43.85)

Road Race Walk 5K (19:09), 10K RW (39:22.70), 15K RW (1:01.30), 20K RW (1:22.02)

Indoor (track) 5000m RW (19:15.88)

14-time USATF Indoor 5000m RW champion 1998-2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 This is the most titles by any athlete in a single event all-time.  

7-time USATF 20km RW champion 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013

A total of 47 National titles at various racewalking distances over his career.

Before the 2004 Olympics, Tim came home to North Babylon to train after the Olympic trials. He trained with his old coach Frank Manhardt, who had to ride a bicycle on the roads around his neighborhood to keep up with his former student. Coach Manhardt was impressed with the young man that Seaman had become. Manhardt said that Seaman felt that racewalking was the best thing that came into his life at the time. He was able to travel the world over and had many friends in different countries. Any time he wanted to take a training vacation, he could stay with one of these friends. As Coach put it, “he really appreciates everything that he has worked so hard to accomplish, even when it did not go exactly how he planned.”

                                      Hall of Fame Inaugural Class 2020

                                   2004 Athens Greece Olympic Games

                                    2008 Beijing China Olympic Games

Anthony Famiglietti, or simply “Fam,” is an iconic runner that has left his mark on track a field. This two-time Olympian and six-time US Champion was the subject of an independent documentary “Run Reckless” and a short film entitled “Run Like Hell”. Adidas even produced a running spike inspired by him. On his company website, Reckless Running, he writes about running with pure, reckless abandon. “The idea is to abandon fear, trepidation, self-doubt, fatigue, lack of focus or anything else that prevents us from reaching our full potential.” Famiglietti ran a race at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing that exemplified this statement. In the first round of the 3000m steeplechase, Fam stepped on the track and ran without fear. After the first four laps he was leading the race by 50 meters. That is a crazy lead in an Olympic race. Most who run with that early intensity usually end up finishing in the back of the race. The pack was sitting back and started to slowly move closer. He would have to place in the top four in order to advance. With one lap to go, a pack of six runners had cut the lead in half and were closing rapidly. Three runners passed him off of the final water barrier. The other three were about to do the same. Fam must have remembered to totally forget about any self-doubt or the obvious fatigue because he put his head down and sprinted to the end finishing in a PB 8:17.34 and third place. I guess that is truly what it means to Run Reckless or to Run Like Hell. 

Listed below are some of Fam’s high school accomplishments.

1995 State Cross Country Championships- 11th place

Cross Country State Federation Meet - 6th place.

1996 Hispanic Games 3200m champion (9:35.65 FAT)

Indoor Large School County Championships- 1st 3200m, 2nd 1600m

Indoor County Champion (State Qual) 3200m (9:39.7)

Indoor State Championships- 4th place 3200m

Outdoor County Champion 3200m (9:33.33 FAT)

Outdoor State Champion 3200m (9:24.86 FAT)

After graduating High School, Anthony attended Appalachian State.  While at ASU Fam was Conference Freshman XC runner of the year.  Outdoors in 1998 he was Southern Conference champion in both the steeple chase and the 5000m run.  He transferred to the University of Tennessee for his final two years of eligibility.  While at Tennessee he was a three time All-American.  In 1999 and 2000 he was an individual All-American in the steeplechase.  Indoors he was a member of an All-American Distance medley relay.  Upon graduation, things got even better for Famiglietti.  He was the US National Champion in the 3000m Steeplechase in 2002 and 2008.  He was runner-up in the same event in 2001, 04, and 05.  His running success was not only in the steeplechase. He posted the following PR’s: 1500m 3:35.83 & Mile 3:55.71 in 2006, 5000m 13:11.93 in 2007.  The fastest time ever run by an American, on American soil.  Finally, he represented the United States in the 2004 (Athens) and 2008 (Beijing) in the steeplechase.

Famiglietti has not stopped running. In December of 2019 he ran a World Record treadmill mile of 3:55 and is looking to be only the fourth person to break the 4-minute mile over the age of 40. Like his company’s website states, “We believe a race is a celebration and not a test, so let go, enjoy the run and don’t look back.” That’s great advice for any runner.  

                                     Hall of Fame Inaugural Class 2020

                              2016 Rio de Janeiro Brazil Para Olympic Games

                                  2020 Tokyo Japan Para Olympic Games

Mike Brannigan started running around the age of eight. His father knew that ‘Mikey’ liked to run but finding a place for him to run was little bit difficult. Michael had been diagnosed with autism and would need some specialized training methods. After a little research, Mr. Brannigan found out about the Rolling Thunder Track Club and Coach Steve Cuomo. Mr. Brannigan called Cuomo and explained that he had a son who liked to run and was good at it. Cuomo remembered thinking, sure, ‘every father thinks their child is good.’ After seeing Michael run at that first practice, Cuomo walked up to Mr. Brannigan and said, ‘you said he was good, but this kid is really good.’ Michael quickly became a fan favorite in Suffolk County because he put everything on the line and exuded pure happiness when he won. At the 2015 Loucks Games, Brannigan ran the fastest 3200m race in New York State history. 

Brannigan also ran on many record-setting and National championship relay teams for Northport.  He was a member of the state record 4x Mile relay that still stands today. In total he earned five All-American awards.  What is truly amazing is that Michael didn’t just win championships, but also experienced many close second place finishes.  He ran four 2nd place finishers at NYS championship meets, which he lost by a total of 0.42 seconds.  He also came in second in the 5000m at Nationals, missing out on the top prize by 0.61 seconds.

2012-2013 

Cross Country County Champion (15:56.30), NYS XC Championships- 14th place 

State Federation Championships- 12th place 

Indoor County Championships 1600m- 3rd place (4:30.99 FAT)

Indoor State Champions 1600m- 5th place (4:19.47 FAT)

Outdoor County Championships 3200m- 3rd place (9:23.72 FAT)

2013-2014 

Cross Country County Champion (15:58.16)

NYS XC Championships- 2nd place 

Nike Cross National Regional Meet- 1st place, Nike Cross National Meet- 44th place

Indoor County Champion 1000m- (2:32.45 FAT)

Indoor State Championships 1000m- 2nd place (2:27.70 FAT)  Flat track

New Balance Indoor Nationals Mile- 8th place (4:14.68 FAT)

Outdoor County Champion 1600m- (4:12.86 FAT) and 800m (1:55.45 FAT)

Outdoor State Championships 1600m- 2nd place (4:07.84 FAT)

2014-15 

Cross Country County Champion (15:44.98) 3rd fastest time by a Suffolk runner at Sunken Meadow

NYS XC Championships- 7th place 

State Federation Championship- 1st place

Indoor County Championships- 1st place 3200m (9:41.58), 2nd 1600m (4:26.99)

Long Island Elite Meet Champion 1000m (2:27.97 FAT)

Indoor State Championships 3200m- 2nd place (9:05.50 FAT)

New Balance Indoor Nationals 5000m- 2nd place (14:42.33 FAT)

St. Anthony’s Outdoor Invitational 800m (1:51.87 FAT)

Penn Relays Mile- 2nd place (4:09.61 FAT)

Loucks Games 3200m- 1st place (8:42.92 FAT)   **New York State Record 

Prefontaine Classic Mile- 2nd place (4:05.78 FAT)

Adidas Grand Prix Mile- 3rd place (4:03.18 FAT)  **County & Long Island Record

After high school, Mike began running for the New York Athletic Club and has since qualified for many Paralympic and open events.  In 2015, Brannigan competed in the IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar.  It was a great meet for him, as he brought home a gold medal in the 1500m and a silver in the 5000m.  From there, he ran in the Sir Walter Miler in Raleigh, NC and finished 7th in an open elite race in a time of 3:57.58 for the mile.  Mike became the first person with autism to break the four-minute mile barrier.  At the 2016 Rio World Para Olympics, Brannigan’s success continued when he brought home gold in the 1500m with a time of 3:52.73.  

In February of 2017, he set a T20 Paralympic world record in the indoor 1500m with a 3:45.50 en-route time at the Invitational Men’s Mile race at the Millrose Games. Then in April of the same year, he set a T20 world record in the 5000m run with a time of 14:09.51.  Later that summer. he won gold in the 800 and 1500m races at the London World Paralympic Championships and added a silver in the 5000m as well.  For his efforts, Brannigan was named Team USA’s Male Paralympic Athlete of the Year.  

Mike will be competing at the 2020 Tokyo Para Olympic Games in August of 2021.  We wish him the best of luck in his efforts.