Numbers don’t lie although they don’t often tell the entire story. 

Nancy Williams
Nancy Williams (Shore Regional HS field hockey team)
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In the case of Nancy Williams the numbers are overwhelming and so was the impact she had on a school, a sport and hundreds of athletes.  Williams told the current members of the Shore Regional field hockey team last night that she has decided to retire after a legendary 44-year career in which she leaves as the winningest high school coach in the nation. The 65-year old says goodbye to coaching a year after she left Shore as a teacher, telling the Asbury Park Press “it was just time.”

 

Her remarkable career as the only field hockey coach in school history saw Williams win 839 games while losing just 67 with 55 ties. Her final win came last November when the Blue Devils won their 13th state championship to cap a 24-1-1 season, a season in which Shore also claimed its 15th consecutive Shore Conference Tournament title.

Williams also coached other sports during her career in which she was known as a tireless advocate of girl’s athletics.  She also told the the Press that the untimely death of Southern Regional’s Kathy Snyder in January had an impact on her decision to retire.  Williams said Snyder was the best athlete she ever coached and the two maintained a very close relationship over the years.

Manasquan junior Marina Mabrey, one of New Jersey’s top players, has verbally committed to Notre Dame, which features her older sister, Michaela.
Manasquan junior Marina Mabrey, one of New Jersey’s top players, has verbally committed to Notre Dame, which features her older sister, Michaela. (Photo by Bill Normile).
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Sisters Michaela and Marina Mabrey spent one season together as members of the Manasquan girl’s basketball team and helped the Warriors win the Tournament of Champions in 2012 as the top team in New Jersey.  They’ll now have the chance to be teammates again for one season at Notre Dame after the younger Mabrey tweeted Tuesday she will indeed head to South Bend after making a verbal commitment.

It’s certainly not a surprise that Marina will join the Fighting Irish after her senior year at Manasquan where she will be reunited with Michaela, a key contributor to a Notre Dame team that lost in the national championship game last month.

Rutgers University has somewhat explained the commencement speaking fiasco in which paralyzed former football player Eric LeGrand appeared to be snubbed less than 48 hours after being asked to pinch hit for the May 18th graduation.

President Robert Barchi issued a brief statement saying it was all a communications mix-up as all along the school planned on having more than one speaker.  LeGrand will indeed speak along with former Governor Tom Kean but the bottom line here is Barchi continues to show a true absence of leadership which should be among the most important characteristics of a university president.

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