SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — South Brunswick High School will honor its Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 on Friday, Sept. 25, during halftime of the Vikings' home football game against Monroe.
This year's inductees include two teams and six individuals: the 2012 Central Jersey Group V state champion football team; the 2014 boys' cross country team, which was the state's top-ranked public school squad at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions; girls' lacrosse players Blaire Nathanson (2011) and Elle Hvozdovic (2013); wrestler Ali Yildiz (2013); track and field standout Kristin Krier-Donnelly (2015); distance runner Nicholas Neville (2015); and football player Dontae Strickland (2015).
Nathanson, a goalkeeper for the girls' lacrosse team from 2009 to 2011, holds school records in wins (50), minutes played (2,680), career saves (532), career save percentage (64%) and goals-against percentage (5.2). The Vikings won three consecutive Greater Middlesex Conference titles during her tenure. She went on to play at Iona University, becoming the first female Vikings lacrosse player to compete at the NCAA Division I level, and later served as goalkeeper for the Israeli national team at the 2017 World Championships.
Hvozdovic is the program's all-time leading scorer, recording 184 goals and 80 assists for 264 career points as a midfielder, and ranks second all-time in draw controls with 232. A two-time All-Greater Middlesex Conference First Team selection, she helped lead the Vikings to conference titles in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. She was named GMC Offensive Player of the Year following her junior season and both GMC Player of the Year and the Home News Tribune's All-Area Girls' Lacrosse Player of the Year following her senior season. She also played volleyball for South Brunswick and later competed in lacrosse at Elon University.
Yildiz wrestled for the Vikings from 2009 to 2013 and posted a 42-1 record in his senior season, finishing third in the NJSIAA Tournament at 182 pounds. His only loss that season came against a three-time NJSIAA champion ranked No. 1 nationally at the weight class. He finished his scholastic career with exactly 100 wins and was a GMC, District 20 and Region 5 champion in his final season. He went on to wrestle at Rider University.
Krier-Donnelly holds the school and GMC records in the javelin. She was a multi-year sectional champion and three-time NJSIAA Group 4 state champion, finishing fourth at New Balance Nationals in her senior year. She also competed in volleyball and bowling for South Brunswick and now teaches and coaches in the district.
Neville competed in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track from 2011 to 2015. He was part of the Vikings' 4x800-meter relay team that won gold at the 2014 Eastern U.S. Championships at The Armory in New York City and was the top runner on the 2014 cross country team that was ranked the state's top public school squad at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. He still holds the school record in the 1,600 meters at 4:15.22. He later ran cross country and track at Rowan University.
Strickland is the program's all-time leading offensive player, totaling 4,507 career all-purpose yards over four seasons. He rushed for 2,564 yards and 35 touchdowns, caught 30 passes for 664 yards and four touchdowns, added 1,264 return yards and five touchdowns, and intercepted seven passes for four touchdowns on defense, along with 112 tackles. His 48 career touchdowns tie him for the school's all-time record with Vince Davidson (Class of 2006). Strickland went on to play at Syracuse University, where he rushed for 1,717 yards and 15 touchdowns on 432 carries and added 63 receptions for 505 yards and four touchdowns.
For more information about the induction ceremony, contact the South Brunswick High School Athletic Department at 732-329-4044, ext. 5233, Athletic Director Ed Knapp at edward.knapp@sbschools.org, or Hall of Fame committee member Jim Zinsmeister at james.zinsmeister@sbschools.org.
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