Over the past 175 years, Blair Academy has been a place where athletes come to further their academic studies and hone their athletic skills. The Blair Academy's wrestling program has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1919, evolving into a powerhouse in national prep wrestling.
With its first national champions in the 1930s and its first national prep team title in 1974, Blair's success has spanned decades. Icons like Bobby Weaver, who won Olympic gold in 1984, and Mark Lieberman, a Hall of Famer, highlight the school's prestigious legacy. The most successful athletic program at Blair Academy is the wrestling team.
From 1981 to 2013, Blair Academy won 33 consecutive National Prep Championships. In February, Blair wrestling won its 40th national prep title during the annual national prep tournament held at Lehigh University. The Buccaneer team scored 354 points and was followed by Wyoming Seminary, which placed second with 325 points.
This marks the 40th title for Blair in the last 45 years, making this championship a milestone for the wrestling program. Head coach Brian Antonelli ’93 expressed pride in the team, noting that the entire coaching staff was excited for the Blair wrestlers. Jeff Buxton served as an assistant and then head coach of Blair Academy from 1982 to 2012, helping lead the team to 30 consecutive National Prep Championships during his tenure as a coach.
The school has produced a number of collegiate wrestling national champions and All-Americans, along with Olympic gold medalist Bobby Weaver.
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To recognize and celebrate the outstanding athletic achievements of its alumni and coaches, Blair established an Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. The Blair Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is pleased to honor those individuals and announce the athletes and coaches chosen for the Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2023: Robert H. Dalling Sr. ’29, A. Jon Frere Hon. ’74, Christian C. Passannante ’92, David T. Low Jr.
“It is a privilege to induct this year’s class into Blair’s Hall of Fame to honor their love and dedication to their passions,” Director of Athletics Paul Clavel ’88 said.
In order to be considered for Hall of Fame membership, nominees must have exhibited the highest caliber of athletic accomplishment during their time at Blair and have been outstanding members of the School community in the areas of scholastic achievement, citizenship, integrity and moral character. Selection is based primarily on athletic accomplishments while a Blair student or coach, although subsequent achievement in athletics or other areas may be considered.
Key Figures in Blair Wrestling History
Robert H. Dalling Sr.
Bob Dalling Sr. was, no doubt, one of the founders of New Jersey wrestling. Nicknamed the “Father of Blair Wrestling,” he was known for his great sense of humor and became widely respected for his integrity and humility.
Born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, before moving to Stillwater Township, New Jersey, Bob came to the hilltop in 1924, the same year the first scholastic wrestling program in New Jersey started at Blair. While wrestling as a prominent member of the Lehigh University team during their first golden era, Bob began coaching at Blair.
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Coach Dalling nurtured, built and led Blair for 32 years over a 42-year period that spanned the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, coaching Blair’s first NCAA title winner and Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2017 inductee Michael Lieberman ’71. He was known as a strict disciplinarian, a superb teacher and a strong proponent of sportsmanship.
Bob was inducted into the Sussex County Hall of Fame in 1993. To honor Bob’s legacy at Blair, the Robert H. Dalling Prize was established in 1972, awarded to the outstanding male athlete who best represents Blair Academy in athletic competition. In 2005, the Robert Dalling Sr.
Blair Academy Campus
A. Jon Frere
Jon Frere joined the Blair Academy faculty in September 1966 as a full-time member of the language department, dormitory advisor and assistant coach. In the summer of 1970, he was appointed head football coach and Director of Athletics and Physical Education at Blair. During his tenure, he was instrumental in bringing female athletics to the School, as well as building athletic excellence across all programs. As former Headmaster James R. Kelly wrote in 1987, “Virtually every one of (Jon’s) fourteen seasons as head coach were winning ones, but more important than that was the sense of spirit, of accomplishment, of pride, and of camaraderie which he was able to develop in his teams.” In 1994, Jon established the A.
Christian C. Passannante
As a newcomer to Blair, Christian Passannante quickly caught the attention of his coaches as a three-sport athlete, participating in soccer, swimming and lacrosse. Turning his focus to swimming, he excelled in the pool throughout his time on the hilltop, and his coach, the late Dr. Richard E. Clarke Jr., took notice. “He is one of the most enthusiastic, talented and hard-working swimmers that I’ve ever had and I certainly look forward to another successful season for him,” Dr.
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Christian broke multiple pool and school swimming records and still holds the current school record for 200m freestyle set in 1991. Christian matriculated at the University of Tennessee, where his swimming legacy continued. He was a multiple All-American, leading his team to two third-place finishes and one second-place finish in 1995 in the SEC.
David T. Low Jr.
Dave Low Jr.’s tenure at Blair started well before he stepped foot in a classroom, moving to the hilltop at the age of 8 with his family, when his father, Dave Low Sr., took the role of Assistant Headmaster. When it came time to join the Class of 1989, Dave hit the ground running as a three-sport athlete in soccer, basketball and lacrosse.
The latter swiftly developed into a passion, and Dave became a top-scorer for Blair Lacrosse, becoming the New Jersey state career scoring leader-and holding that title-for two decades. As a college sophomore and junior, Dave helped Middlebury’s lacrosse team secure two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships, and he led the team in goals his senior year with 42 in 15 games. In 1993, Dave won Middlebury College’s John P. Lacrosse.
Sarah Marcincin
“Not surprisingly, Sarah Marcincin is one of the top field hockey players in the country, and perhaps the best female athlete ever to attend Blair,” she said. During her career, Sarah garnered nine varsity letters, four in both field hockey and lacrosse and one in basketball.
Sarah is the School’s all-time scoring leader for lacrosse with 223 goals and 101 assists from 2004 to 2007, winning back-to-back Lacrosse Prizes in 2006 and 2007, and earning First Team All-Prep and All-MAPL for lacrosse from 2004 to 2006. Sarah scored 50 goals and 45 assists from 2003 to 2006 in field hockey, receiving the Field Hockey Prize and earning First Team All-Prep and All-MAPL for field hockey from 2005 to 2007. In 2007, Sarah received Blair’s William Zester Prize, given to the female athlete who best represents Blair in competition.
Kellen Russell
During his senior year, fierce competitor and dynamic leader Kellen Russell was described as a shining example for other high-level athletes at Blair Academy. Throughout his four years, he won three National Prep Titles, received invitations to prestigious senior events such as the Dapper Dan and Dream Team Classic, captained the wrestling squad and won a Senior National title at the National High School Coach’s Association Nationals.
Kellen was the 2007 recipient of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award and was a member of the Wrestling USA Dream Team. Kellen’s wrestling success took him to the University of Michigan, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American, winning two NCAA Championships and four Big Ten Championships.
Boasting an overall college record of 134-12, Kellen went undefeated his junior year and was named the University of Michigan’s Athlete of the Year twice. He won the 2012 Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships and the 2008 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award. After college, he continued to train on the international scene with the hopes to make the World and Olympic teams.
Blair Academy Wrestling Endowment
Blair Academy's storied wrestling program, with roots tracing back to 1919, is taking an exciting step forward with the creation of the Blair Academy Wrestling Endowment. Wrestling became an official sport at Blair in 1924, and since then, the program has built an unparalleled reputation, earning national and international recognition.
Today, the program includes seven dedicated coaches and 52 student-athletes, including a record-breaking 11 girls on the team. As the program grows in popularity, so do the associated costs. Wrestling at Blair is one of the most resource-intensive sports, and sustaining its high standards requires significant investment.
With tremendous growth and increased programming comes added costs. While philanthropic support has helped over the years, it has not fully met the financial demands of maintaining the program’s exceptional standards. To ensure sustainability, Blair has set a long-term goal of raising at least $1 million for the wrestling endowment.
This fund will help offset operational costs and support the program’s growth and innovation. “We have had tremendous support for the endowment that helps our wrestling program,” Ross Gitomer ’05, wrestling head coach, notes.
Former Blair wrestler A. Craig Powell ’96 has pledged a generous $500,000 challenge gift to the wrestling endowment. To meet this challenge, the Blair wrestling community must raise an additional $500,000. We invite all members of the Blair community to help us continue this proud legacy.
By contributing, you can play a vital role in shaping the future of Blair wrestling. It has been great connecting with so many supporters of the endowment,” Coach Gitomer shares. Join us in supporting Blair wrestling by visiting www.blair.edu/supportwrestling. The team is preparing for several competitive matches in the coming weeks. and Blair will host St.
Why Blair Academy is the Best Wrestling Program in the Country ft. Joey McKenna
Blair Academy Wrestlers
The Rise of Women's Wrestling
Three years ago, when Coach Gitomer returned to his alma mater, he brought with him a wealth of experience. An ACC champion wrestler at the University of Virginia, he clinched a national prep championship for Blair in 2005, and went on to serve as head wrestling coach at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia, for a decade.
Fresh from his Virginia coaching experience, Coach Gitomer brought with him a vision for expanding the women’s program at Blair. Back then, the school team featured just one female wrestler, a number that he proudly notes has now grown to five. “Women’s wrestling is now the fastest growing sport in America,” he emphasizes.
“This year, Blair has five girls on the team. The surge in popularity of women’s wrestling is not confined to Blair-it’s a global phenomenon. In 2004, women’s wrestling made its debut at the Olympic Games in Athens. Since that milestone, girls’ programs have taken off nationally and statistics show a sport experiencing explosive growth. In the last five years, 25 states have added separate girls wrestling championships.
“This is pivotal-it means female wrestlers now get recruited to colleges,” Coach Gitomer explains. While some of the most renowned schools have yet to fully embrace women’s wrestling at the collegiate level, they are slowly progressing. Coach Gitomer hopes that by hosting a wrestling training camp at Blair during the summer, the program will grow even further.
Held last June, the first camp drew more than two dozen female athletes from around the country to intensively train and learn over five days. Guest clinicians, including Columbia University coach Emma Randall, guided participants through drills and matches. Also in attendance was a pioneer of female wrestling at Blair, Skylar Grote ’16.
Last year, the female wrestler ranked second in the United States and 11th internationally in the fiercely competitive 72 kg weight class. As for Coach Gitomer, he hopes that the doors opened by Skylar Grote will continue to widen for current female wrestlers like Sarah Henckel and her teammate Morgan Edwards ’24, who has also won a national prep championship.
While he is certainly proud of the two female national prep title holders on the team, Coach Gitomer hopes to build a solid foundation for personal development in every athlete. He aims to instill good, fundamental habits that will not only propel them in wrestling but will also guide them through life.
Sarah, who knows the answer to those questions well, has the perspective to see that she plays a pivotal role in paving the way for upcoming female wrestlers. Now, when she returns to the club where her wrestling journey began, she can see firsthand the amazing growth of girls’ wrestling.
“I love to see the girls who are starting now,” she says with enthusiasm. “I want to give back and help them. To do just that, Sarah is now the one setting the example. When her younger sister, Ella, turned 12 last year, Sarah made sure that Ella’s first foray into wrestling was Blair’s training camp. There, Ella stepped onto the mat surrounded by girls just like her.
Recent Competitions
Lake Highland Prep welcomed National Powerhouse Programs St. Edward’s (Ohio) and Blair Academy (NJ) to the Sunshine State this past weekend. We often see high level individuals compete across the Southeast … rarely do we get to see that level of talent in one gym on one afternoon in January.
St. Ed’s and Blair Academy are amongst the top programs in the country and bring with them a bevy of talented individuals. That had little impact on the Highlanders. In the opening match - Blair Academy downed St. Edward’s 38-18.
Blair Academy won the first three matches before Karson Brown got St. Edward’s on the scoreboard. A 14-7 decision by William Schork at 132 cut the Blair lead to 10-6 after 5 matches. Weston Borges put Blair in the driver’s seat though with an 18-2 technical fall at 138 for a 15-6 lead in the dual. A quick fall by Adam Butler pulled St. Edward’s back in it - making the Blair lead just 15-12 after 7 matches.
Blair and St. Edward’s would trade wins at 150 and 157 before Barry Norman and William Henckel shut the door on the dual with a technical fall and a medical forfeit. Wins by Peter Snyder and Thomas Kellas sealed the Blair win as they took the dual 38-18.
Coach Mike Palazzo has constructed a team that compete with anyone and that was on full display this past Saturday. Lake Highland Prep took on one of the historically best programs in Ohio - St. Edward’s in their opening dual. St. Edward’s won 10 consecutive Ohio State Championships from 1978 to 1987, then won 13 in a row from 1997 to 2009 and have won 9 in a row heading into 2025.
We do not have weight results for the dual, but LHP dominated on their way to a 45-17 win. In the finale - Lake Highland Prep took on Blair Academy - historically one of the best programs in the country.
Lake Highland Prep has assembled one of the best rosters in the country and that would be necessary to down Blair. Blair jumped out to a huge lead on LHP with technical falls at 106 and 120 and decision wins at 113, 126, and 132 to lead the dual 16-0 after the first 5 matches.
Jayce Paridon put a stop to that run at 138 with a decisive fall of Weston Borges to cut the Blair lead to 19-6. A technical fall by Charlie DeSena at 144 put the dual 19-11 at the halfway point. Zeno Moore, Lucas Boe, and CJ Torres each added major decision wins to put LHP on top 27-15 heading into the final 4 weights.
Blair’s William Henckel (#2 in the country) pinned Miguel Rojas at 175 to cut the LHP lead to 27-25 after 11 matches. LHP’s Robert Kucharczk and Alex Smith pushed LHP to the win with a fall and a 4-1 decision win to make the dual 32-25 with just the 285’s remaining.
Blair Academy At A Glance
| Location | 2 Park Street, Blairstown, Warren County, New Jersey 07825 United States |
| Coordinates | 40°59′06″N 74°57′50″W |
| Type | Private, Boarding, Day |
| Motto | Venite, Studete, Discite ("Come, Study, Learn") |
| Established | 1848; 177 years ago |
| Head of School | Peter G. |
Blair Academy is a coeducational, boarding and day school for students in high school. The school serves students from ninth through twelfth grades as well as a small post-graduate class. As of the 2023-24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 474 students and 65.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 7.3:1.
Blair Academy was founded in 1848, when John Bunnell, a local carriage maker, and the Rev. John A. Reiley, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, began the enterprise of establishing a school in Blairstown. Bunnell, Reiley and Blair met on April 6, 1848, and the co-founders agreed upon the school's hilltop site, adjacent to the village of Blairstown.
John I. Blair remained the school's principal benefactor for a half-century, and his philanthropy facilitated Blair Academy's early growth and even re-established the school when it would have otherwise foundered. From its founding and through its original deeds of trust, Blair Academy has always been associated with the Presbyterian Church, specifically, the Presbytery of the Highlands.