C-PP Sports Hall of Fame set to induct 10 members. See who was selected for Class of '24
Ten individuals from six different categories will be inducted into the Corning-Painted Post Sports Hall of Fame in early 2024 following a December vote by the Board of Directors.
The group will be enshrined during the Hall of Fame Induction weekend that will take place March 15-16, 2024.
The Class of 2024 will be represented by Rocky Myers and Ryan Walker for baseball, gridiron standouts Brandon Griffin and Pete Knutsen, Katelyn Butler and Wynndham Curtis for track and field, along with contributors Geoff Waksmunski and Ed Gigliotti. Those eight will be joined by bowler Eric Donovan and lacrosse standout Neena Merola.
Meet the Class of 2024.
Rocky Myers
Myers was a two-time All-League selection for Corning East in the late 1990s and still holds career slugging records at Alfred State College. He also earned All-League honors as a member of the Trojans basketball and soccer teams.
Ryan Walker
Walker graduated from Corning-Painted Post High School in 2015 following a superb high school baseball career as a league MVP and an All-State selection. After a two-year stint as a starter for the St. Bonaventure baseball team, an arm injury ended his baseball career. He then starred for the Bonnies track team and still holds the school record in the 200m and 400m dashes.
Brandon Griffin
Griffin graduated from Corning East as one of the most decorated players ever. He gained over 4,000 yards rushing in his career while piling up accolade after accolade. Among them was the Joel Stephens 5C Award as a senior and a number of Player of the Year awards. Griffin was also a 1,000 point scorer for the Trojans basketball team and played lacrosse.
Pete Knutsen
Knutsen earns his place in the Hall of Fame the hard way. He was an offensive and defensive lineman. He was the anchor of both lines for East High in his brief two-year career and an unquestioned leader. Knutsen was named to the All-New York State First Team as a senior and also earned Lineman of the Year Award from a number of organizations.
Katelyn Butler
Butler is a 2015 graduate of C-PP High School after a four-year varsity career on the track and field and cross country teams. She still holds the school record in the 2,000M steeplechase and was a four-time qualifier for the NYS cross country championship meet. Butler also enjoyed a superb four-year career for the track team at Appalachian State.
Wynndham Curtis
Curtis was a key member of the Corning Hawks track for four years and still holds the record for 55M hurdles and as a member of the 4x200 relay team. He is also in the record books in the top three places in five other events. Curtis took his talents to Cornell University and was a member of Big Red’s 4x400 record setting relay team.
Eric Donovan
Donovan was one of the most decorated high school bowlers in the area. He was a four-year starter for the Corning Hawks and three-time All-League nominee. Donovan was the first Corning district bowler to throw a 300 game in the STAC competition. His average of 228 as a senior still stands as the best mark ever. After graduating from West High in 2012, Donovan went to a very successful collegiate career Notre Dame College of Ohio.
Geoff Waksmunski
Waksmunski has been a member of the Corning East/Corning-Painted Post High School coaching staff for the past 25 years. He has served on the varsity football staff, and the JV football staff as both an offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator. He began his coaching career for the Trojans as the JV baseball coach and JV football coach. Waksmunski has also served as the Assistant Head Coach for both programs.
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Ed Gigliotti
Gigliotti has been coaching in the local school district for almost 30 years for a number of different sports. He has served as coach for youth boys and girls basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, volleyball and hockey along with Special Olympics. He also coached those sports at the modified level and the jayvee level. Not only has Gigliotti served as a coach for many different sports, he has been a significant mentor and role model to countless student-athletes who went on to success at both the high school and collegiate level.
Neena Merola
Merola was a standout member of the West High and C-PP High School lacrosse teams. During her four years as a Viking and a Hawk she amassed 219 goals and 85 assists for 304 points. Merola was twice named as an All-American. She earned a lacrosse scholarship to Division I Syracuse University where she was a two-year starter as a junior and senior.
Event details
The Class of 2024 will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon, March 16 at the Corning Museum of Glass following a social gathering Friday evening, March 15 at the VFW on Baker Street in Corning. That event, a buffet dinner, will be hosted by the Board of Directors and open to the public.
Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will be available sometime in February.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: These 10 standouts named to Corning-Painted Post Sports Hall of Fame
