Hall of Fame
Michelle Favre had the most impressive season in Apex history during the 2007-2008 school year. She improved her sophomore personal record of 10’6” to 12’1” in her junior year. She was the first female vaulter in the Bergen Passaic county area to clear the 12’ barrier. She was also the group one state champion indoors and outdoors and placed 4th indoors at MOC’s and 5th outdoors at MOC’s. She also went on to place 13th and 12th at Nike Indoor Nationals and Nike Outdoor National respectively. She completed her high school career with a 5th place finish in the state. In her first Indoor season for Ramapo College Michelle improved her personal record to 12’2” and competed at DIII nationals. In her second indoor campaign at Ramapo College Michelle improved her personal record to 12’8 1/4” and earned her spot as an All-American by placing 5th at the 2011 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships. As a junior she pushed the record even higher with her jump of 13’ 1 3/4”. She placed 3rd at the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships to become a two time All-American.
Name: Michelle Favre
High School: Saddle Brook
Graduated: 2009
College: Ramapo
County Championships: 4
State Sectional Championships: 5
State Group Championships: 4
High School Best: 12’1”
Current Best: 13’1 3/4”
Personal Record before Apex: 8’6”
Improvement: 4’ 7 3/4”
1st Team All-Decade Bergen County (Indoors)
1st Team All-Decade Bergen County (Outdoors)
Set the Bergen County records at 11’9” indoors and 12’1” outdoors
All-American at the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships (placed 5th and 3rd respectively)
Placed 3rd at the 2011 indoor and outdoor ECAC’s
Placed 2nd at the 2012 Indoor ECAC’s
Ramapo College indoor and outdoor school record holder
Name: Pete Matano
High School: Wayne Hills
Graduated: 2008
College: Monmouth
State Sectional Championships: 2
High School Best: 14’
Current Best: 15’9”
Personal Record before Apex: 11’6”
Improvement: 4’3”
2nd Team All-Area
Monmouth University Record Holder
Qualified for IC4A’s
Pete Matano has probably improved more than any other club member. In 2007, the club’s inaugural year, Matano improved his personal record of 11’6” to 13’ in less than two months. Then one year later, he cleared 14’ to become part of the 2nd team all area team in North Jersey. He is currently vaulting for Monmouth University and has a new personal record of 15’9”. In his junior year Pete cleared 15’9” for Monmouth, becoming their new school reord holder and qualified for IC4A’s.
Below you will find some of Apex Vaulting’s greatest vaulters. They represent the hard work, determination, confidence, and commitment needed to succeed, not only in pole vaulting but also later in life. In order for an athlete to become a hall of fame member they must complete their high school career with Apex and break into the top five on the all time list or win a state championship. Open or collegiate athletes can also become Hall of Fame members by qualifying for USA Nationals or the NCAA National Championships.
Chelsea Hartigan of Ramapo High School had a tremendous first year with Apex. She improved her former personal record of 9’6” to 11’6” to become one of only five girls to clear 11’ or higher in Bergen county. She also finished 7th at the state meet of champs outdoors as a junior. As a senior she broke Michelle Favre’s former indoor county record and is tied for the current record of 12’. She is one of only three high school girls to clear 12’ in Bergen County history and placed 4th in the state during the 2010 indoor season. Chelsea attends Brown University and competes for their track and field team.
Name: Chelsea Hartigan
High School: Ramapo
Graduated: 2010
College: Brown
County Championships: 1
State Sectional Championships: 2
State Group Championships: 1
High School Best: 12’
Current Best: 12’
Personal Record before Apex: 9’6”
Improvement: 2’6”
Tied the Indoor Bergen County Record in 2010(12’)
Adam Lazor is one of Apex Vaulting’s first vaulters. He is also one of the most technically sound jumpers and surely is one of the most enjoyable to watch. Adam began jumping as a sophomore in high school and was a member of the club at the very beginning. Adam has placed as high as 5th in the state and is the former indoor Passaic County record holder at 14’. (Chris Steele a 2011 Hall of Fame inductee now holds the record) He has improved his personal record to 14’11 3/4” during his tenure at Ramapo College.
Name: Adam Lazor
High School: West Milford
Graduated: 2008
College: Ramapo
County Championships: 4
State Group Championships: 1
High School Best: 14’
Current Best: 14’11 3/4”
Personal Record before Apex: NA
Held Indoor Passaic County Record at 14’
1st Team All-Decade Passaic County (Indoors)
Honorable Mention All-Decade Passaic County (Outdoors)
During Melissa Meggiolaro’s first season with Apex Vaulting she improved her personal record of 10’6” to 11’6” and came in second only to Favre in group one competition. Melissa always displays great sportsmanship during and after meets. She is a true competitor and is an example to all of how one should conduct themselves during competition. She now vaults for Villanova University where she has improved her personal record to 11’10”.
Name: Melissa Meggiolaro
High School: Whippany Park
Graduated: 2008
College: Villanova
High School Best: 11’6”
Current Best: 11’10”
Personal Record before Apex: 10’6”
Improvement: 1’
Brad McNamara continued the Apex tradition of Passaic County Champs with his victories in 2009. He improved his personal record of 11’6” by two feet and entered his freshman year of college with a personal record of 13’6” in less than a year of training with Apex. And with his immense determination and focus he was able to fight through injury and improve his personal record to 14’ at his first meet for Ramapo College.
Name: Brad McNamara
High School: Pompton Lakes
Graduated: 2009
College: Ramapo
County Championships: 2
State Sectional Championships: 1
High School Best: 13’6”
Current Best: 14’
Personal Record before Apex: 11’6”
Improvement: 2’ 6”
Name: Tim Blashford
High School: Ramapo
Graduated: 2007
College: TCNJ
State Sectional Championships: 1
High School Best: 14’7”
Current Best: 15’
Personal Record before Apex: 13’6”
Improvement: 1’6”
Honorable Mention All-Decade Team Bergen County (Indoors)
2010 Indoors NJAC Champion
Tim Blashford joined Apex Vaulting during his senior year of high school. He was already an accomplished vaulter, his personal record was 13’6” and he already had a State Sectional championship under his belt, but through hard work and determination he became Apex Vaulting’s greatest high school vaulter. He raised the bar by placing 5th in the state indoors and then jumped 14’6” only three days later to place 4th at Easterns. Outdoor Track brought more accolades Tim’s way as he broke a 35 year old record at the North 1 Group 3 State Sectional by jumping 14’7”, which was the third best jump in the state that year. He would finish the year by placing 3rd in the state at the State Meet of Champions. Tim vaulted for TCNJ during his college career where he won the 2010 Indoors NJAC championship and has improved to 15’.
Name: Dave Cariello
High School: Morristown
Graduated: 2009
College: Moravian
State Sectional Championships: 2
High School Best: 14’3”
Current Best: 14’3”
Personal Record before Apex:13’6”
Improvement: 9”
Dave Cariello joined Apex Vaulting during his senior year. Dave is one of the more naturally gifted athletes to join Apex Vaulting and is now the second best in the club’s history. He was able to jump 14’3” while juggling other events and battling injury throughout his senior year. Through it all he was able to win two State Sectional titles and rank in the top 10 in the state. He is currently attending Moravian and competes for their track and field team.
Name: Craig Van Leeuwen
High School: Randolph
Graduated: 2006
College: Ramapo
3 Time DIII NCAA All-American
High School Best: 13’6”
Current Best: 17’8 1/2”
Personal Record before Apex: 14’6”
Improvement: 3’2 1/2”
2011 NCAA Division III Indoors National Champion
Ramapo College indoor and outdoor school record holder
Craig Van Leeuwen joined Apex Vaulting one year after high school, and in his second year with the club he improved his personal record from 14‘6” to 17’5” ranking him 36th in the nation and only 7” from qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Trials. Craig also placed 5th, earning him All-American honors, in the 2009 Division III Indoor National Championships. In Craig’s final indoor season for Ramapo he became a NCAA Division III National Champion.
Name: Lauren Riley
High School: Pottsgrove
Graduated: 2007
College: Ramapo
NJAC Championships: 1
2 Time Qualifier for Division III Nationals
Current Best 12’9 1/2”
Personal Record before Apex: 11’
Improvement: 1’ 9 1/2”
Placed 4th at ECAC’s indoor and outdoor in 2011
Academic All-American
Lauren Riley transfered to Ramapo college during her sophomore year and improved steadily during her three years. When she first began vaulting at Ramapo she was an 11’ vaulter but ended her career as a 12’ vaulter and qualified for nationals her senior year during indoors and outdoors. She was a true student of the sport and has even helped coach many Apex Vaulting high school athletes to new personal records.
Name: Chris Steele
High School: Pompton Lakes
Graduated: 2011
College: Lehigh
County Championships: 2
State Sectional Championships: 3
State Group Championships: 2
High School Best: 14’6”
Personal Record before Apex: 8’6”
Improvement: 6’
Broke the Passaic County Indoor Record with 14’1”
Tied the Passaic County Outdoor Record with 14’6”
Placed 5th in the state indoors and outdoors in 2011
Chris began vaulting with Apex Vaulting during his sophomore year of high school. At the time he was a casual vaulter and enjoyed the fun atmosphere in the club. During his junior year everything changed. He dedicated himself to becoming the best athlete he could be. He improved greatly, 11’6” to 13’6” in that year. At the end of his senior year he found himself only trailing Tim Blashford for the highest vault by a high schooler in club history. He will be taking his talents to Lehigh University next year where he will compete for their track and field team.
Name: Brad Hoey
High School: River Dell
Graduated: 2011
College: Kutztown
County Championships: 2
State Sectional Championships: 2
High School Best: 14’4”
Current Best: 14’9”
Personal Record before Apex: 12’
Improvement: 2’4”
Placed 3rd in the state indoors during 2011
Brad Hoey came to Apex Vaulting with a personal record of 12’ but had a burning desire to improve. He has probably spent more time at the club during his two years than most do in four years. During his junior year and first year with Apex he improved to 14’ and the only thing that kept him from another monster year of improvement was injury. Despite injuries he was still able to improve to 14’4” (3rd best all time for high school athletes in the club). And during indoors he showed his toughness as a competitor when he placed 3rd overall in the state. Brad will be attending Kutztown in the fall and will compete for their track and field team.
Name: Brit DalCais
High School: West Milford
Graduated: 2011
College: SUNY Oswego
County Championships: 2
State Sectional Championships: 1
High School Best: 11’6”
Personal Record before Apex: NA
Placed 8th in the state outdoors during 2010
Placed 2nd in the emerging elite section of nationals in 2010
Name: Miranda Reinson
High School: Hillsborough
Graduated: 2011
College: Delaware
State Sectional Championships: 1
High School Best: 11’5 1/2”
Current Best: 11’6”
Personal Record before Apex: 9’6”
Improvement: 2’
Placed 6th in the state indoors during 2011
Brit DalCais began her Track and Field career as an 800 meter runner but finished it as West Milford High School’s best female vaulter ever. At the end of her freshman year she began vaulting and never looked back. She holds the school’s indoor and outdoor records at 11’6” and placed as high as 8th in the state. She will be attending SUNY Oswego in the fall and looks forward to competing for their track and field team.
Miranda Reinson joined Apex Vaulting during the winter of her junior year as a 9’6” vaulter and improved steadily during her time with the club. She would travel up to three times a week from Hillsborough (an hour and fifteen minute ride). Her dedication and hard work paid off when she placed 6th in the state overall indoors of her senior year and then set another personal record at nationals with a clearance of 11’5 1/2”. Miranda will be attending Delaware University in the fall and and vault for their women’s track and field team.
Apex Vaulting USATF ID # 969 email: apexvaulting@gmail.com phone: (201) 669-1828