Nottingham High School alumni, coaches and faculty are set to be inducted to the Athletic Hall of Fame in September.
The fifth induction class includes eight record setting athletes, one championship coach and his mercer county championship baseball team, and one special contributor.
This year’s female inductees are Kelly Britton-Harrison (class of 1993), Kate Garland (class of 1999), Erin Pivovarnik-Kobylarz (class of 2001) and Brianna Lucas (class of 2008).
Britton-Harrison’s four-year varsity soccer career resulted in all-state honors and selection as the Trentonian girl’s soccer player of the year in 1992. She went on to play soccer at Mercer County Community College and Francis Marion University.
Garland earned nine varsity letters in three sports and is being recognized for her achievements in soccer and softball. A four year starter and was awarded all-state honors in each sport. After graduating, Garland played four years of softball at Salisbury College, leading the team to a 154-36 record and earning All-American honors.
Pivovarnik-Kobylarz won 10 varsity letters in three sports but it was her four year varsity career in soccer that is most noteworthy. While leading her team to success in the CVC, Pivovarnik-Kobylarz earned All-CVC and All-State selections . She went on to play soccer for four years at the College of New Jersey where she earned All-NJAC and All-American recognition.
Lucas also earned 10 varsity letters in three sports. During two years on the field hockey team, Lucas became the all time leading scorer at Nottingham and earned All-CVC honors. She also set records during her her four-year track career, including 100 yard dash, 200 yard dash and long jump.
In addition to field hockey and track, Lucas led the basketball team to three CVC Valley Division titles and became the all-time leading scorer with 1490 points. Lucas went on to excel at William Patterson College where her basketball prowess was recognized with All-Conference honors all four years and the ECAC Player of the Year award in 2011.
Male inductees are Don Povia (class of 1997), Adam Allen (class of 2000), Matt Joiner (class of 2007) and Peter Kelly (class of 2008).
Povia earned six varsity letters in three sports. His three year career in football is most recognized; he set six receiving records including most receptions in a season and career. His accomplishments earned him All-State honors in 1996.
Allen was a three year starter in football and baseball. In football, he was a starter on the offensive and defensive lines. While leading his team to a CVC division championship, Allen set a record for career tackles with 310. His career as a first baseman and designated hitter saw him lead his team with six homeruns as a senior and career average of .350. Allen went on to play four years of football at Lafayette College.
Kelly is a two sport standout in baseball and basketball. His career in baseball saw him set records for pitching wins in a season and career while leading his team to CVC division and Mercer County tournament titles. In basketball, he was one of the best three point shooters in Mercer County leading the county in 2007 and 2008. His 77 three pointers in 2008 set a Nottingham record and helped the team win it’s first school division title, finishing as the fourth leading scorer at NHS with 1033 points. Peter earned All-CVC and All-Area recognition in 2008.
Joiner was an offensive standout in basketball and baseball. In basketball, Joiner was a four year starter who became the third highest scorer in Nottingham history with 1069 points. His three year career in baseball saw him become one of the most feared hitters in Mercer County while leading his team to two CVC division titles. Joiner went on to play four years of baseball at MCCC and Fairleigh Dickinson University. At FDU, he finished as one of the best hitters in school history finishing third in career RBI’s and fifth in hits.
The induction class also includes baseball coach Bill Langdon, one of the longest serving coaches in Nottingham history.
A successful pitcher in his own right, Langdon earned All-City and All-State honors while playing for Abraham Lincoln High School in Philadelphia. After years coaching baseball on the junior high, freshman and junior varsity levels at Nottingham, Langdon took over the varsity job in 2004. His teams went on to win CVC division titles in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
The 2008 team is the only NHS baseball team to win the Mercer County tournament and is begin inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The final honoree is Barry Burtnett, whose contributions to Nottingham as a teacher, trainer, clinician and athletic director earned him induction as a special contributor.
A successful wrestler in high school, Burtnett went on to a long career as a wrestling coach in high school and Rider University. At Nottingham, he volunteered as a clinician for the wrestling team and was instrumental in the team’s success.
As trainer, Burtnett originated the sports medicine curriculum in Hamilton and established the first student-trainer program. Many of his student-trainers have gone on to careers in sports medicine. Burnett is already a member of the Rider University and the National Wrestling Halls of Fame.
The Hall of Fame dinner is scheduled for Sept. 12 at the Stone Terrace in Hamilton.
More information is online at northstarhalloffame.com or by calling Nottingham Athletic Director Debra Taylor at (609) 631-4161 extension 5.
