Cullen Jones won swimming medals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.
NEWARK, NJ — The Newark Athletic Hall of Fame is proud to announce its 2025 Class of Inductees, honoring individuals whose athletic achievements and contributions have left a lasting legacy in Newark’s rich sports history.
This year’s class marks the 36th annual banquet, which includes standout athletes from across the city’s high schools, as well as exceptional achievers who have made a significant impact beyond the field of play.
Performer Category
Honoring athletes for outstanding performance and excellence in competition:
- Denise Anthony – West Side High School
- Elliot R. Bensom – Malcolm X Shabazz High School
- Kevin Cooney – Essex Catholic High School
- Mike DiPiano Jr. – St. Benedict’s High School
- Devonne Giles – Malcolm X Shabazz High School
- Sharon Johnson – Central High School
- Fred Lane – Essex Catholic High School
- Damita Lucus – Vailsburg High School
- Dewitt Maxwell – Science High School
- Jim Norris – Vailsburg High School
- Taras Olesnyckyi – Vailsburg High School
- Ernesto Perez (2024) – West Side High School
- Ivan Rodriguez – East Side High School
- Jessie LaQuan Sanders – Central High School
- Chaka Sims – Science High School
- Kemoko Turay – Barringer High School
Achiever Category
Recognizing individuals who have achieved distinction in their careers or service, reflecting the values of leadership and excellence fostered in Newark:
- Dr. Jed Hughes – Newark Academy
- Donald “Don” Skwar – Essex Catholic High School
- Anthony Timmons – Weequahic High School
Jones, an Irvington native, was the first African-American to hold a world record in swimming, which he did in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. At the 2008 United States Olympic Trials, he broke the American record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.59 seconds, which was broken the next day by Garrett Weber-Gale. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, he won a gold medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay in a world record time of 3:08.24 with Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Weber-Gale.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Jones won silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He earned a gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay after swimming the freestyle leg in the preliminaries. He also competed in the 100-meter freestyle, but did not qualify for the event finals.
DiPiano Jr., a Nutley native, is the current head coach of the Nutley High School girls soccer and wrestling programs.
DiPiano Jr. has been selected based on his high school and coaching career at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, where he and his brother, Frank DiPiano, wrestled for their father, Mike DiPiano Sr., a legendary wrestling coach. DiPiano Sr., who has more than 400 career coaching wins, is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
DiPiano Jr. succeeded his brother, Frank DiPiano, as the NHS wrestling head coach. DiPiano Jr. has been the Raiders wrestling head coach since the 2015-16 season after Frank was the head coach for eight seasons.
The DiPiano family, hailing from Nutley, hosts the Gift of Life Duals, an annual wrestling tournament that raises money and awareness about the importance of organ donation. In 1998, DiPiano Sr. received a kidney-pancreas transplant that he credits with saving his life.
DiPiano Jr. previously was the head wrestling coach at Northern Valley/Demarest, and earned his 300th career victory at the Gift of Life Duals in January 2020.
DiPiano Jr. completed his 13th season as the Raiders girls head soccer coach this past fall. DiPiano Jr. also is a NHS assistant softball coach under head coach Luann Zullo.
The 2025 Newark Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Oct. 23 at the Best Western Robert Treat Hotel, located at 50 Park Place in Newark, at 6 p.m. For more information, including past inductees and event updates, visit www.newarkathletichalloffame.org.
“We are thrilled to honor this exceptional group of athletes and achievers whose dedication, talent, and commitment have inspired generations,” said the Newark Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. “Their stories are a testament to the strength, spirit and pride of Newark.”
The 2025 induction ceremony will take place on Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. at the Best Western Robert Treat Hotel, located at 50 Park Place in Newark. For more information, including past inductees and event updates, please visit www.newarkathletichalloffame.org.
About the Newark Athletic Hall of Fame
Founded to celebrate Newark’s rich athletic heritage, the Newark Athletic Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to sports as athletes, coaches, and community leaders.
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