Gaithersburg High School inducts 14 new members into Athletic Hall of Fame, led by Olympian Dominique Dawes

The Hall of Fame Class of 2025 honors a new generation of Trojans greats — from national champions and state record-holders to legendary coaches and multi-sport stars — celebrating more than a century of Gaithersburg athletic excellence

(From left) Patrick Calvin, Adrienne Beard, Genie LaVine, Cornell Hawkins, Jimmy Wingo, John Rydzewski, Ronald Frazier, Katie Bolac, Sheldon Hutchinson, Tre Sutton, Jay Colbert and Tim Kowalchick. / Gaithersburg High School

Maryland's Gaithersburg High School has enshrined some new members into their Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Gaithersburg High School was founded in 1904 and has built a proud tradition of athletic excellence that has united generations of alumni. 

In 2015, the Trojans athletic department created the Hall of Fame to recognize the athletes, coaches, teams, and community members whose contributions have left a lasting impact on Gaithersburg High School’s programs and school spirit. 

The 22 members of the inaugural induction Class of 2015 included Stephanie Collins, Calvin Fitz, Tony Greene, John Harvill, Lashawn Haythe, Fred Joyce, James Joyce, Kreg Kephart, Jim LeCompte, Joe Mencarini, Fran Parry, Dotti Rowe, Michele Staymates, Bill “Elbows” Simpson, Clarence Thomas, Herb Tolbert, Elsworth “Tookie” Turner, Jim Ward, Lisa Winter, Tim Woodward, Steve Yachmetz and Steve Young. 

The Montgomery County Public School inducted 14 more individuals into the Gaithersburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame during a pre-game ceremony on Saturday, October 25 prior to Gaithersburg’s 23-6 homecoming game victory over Magruder. 

Gaithersburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame – Class of 2025

Dominique Dawes

The 1994 Gaithersburg High School graduate is a three-time Olympian and four-time Olympic medalist. Known as “Awesome Dawesome” she made history as the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic medal in gymnastics and was a vital member of the “Magnificent Seven” team that captured gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. 

Gaithersburg High's own Dominique Dawes competes in the floor exercise at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games at Barcelona Sports Palace in Spain. / George Long-Imagn Images

Patrick Calvin

The 1987 Gaithersburg High School graduate has been a cornerstone of Trojan athletics for more than four decades. As a student-athlete, Calvin played football and ran indoor and outdoor track. He was a two-way starter on John Harvill’s 1986 football team that captured the school’s first state championship. He went on to play football at Shepherd College and Towson University where he also competed in track and field as a pole vaulter. Calvin returned home to Gaithersburg after college and joined Harvill’s coaching staff where he spent 11 years under the legendary head coach followed by 19 years coaching with Kreg Kephart and also worked alongside longtime track coaches Fran Parry, Fred Joyce and Herb Tolbert. 

Charles Johnson

The 1998 Gaithersburg High School graduate helped lead the Trojans to the school’s first-ever boys’ basketball state championship in a dramatic five-overtime victory. Johnson scored 30 points and grabbed 22 rebounds in that historic game that cemented his legacy in the annals of Gaithersburg Athletics. He earned Washington Post All-Met honors in 1997 and 1998, showcasing his skill, scoring ability and leadership on the court. 

Adrienne Beard

The 1993 Gaithersburg High School graduate was a standout in both girls basketball and track and field. On the basketball court, Beard was a four-year varsity starter who was known for her outstanding rebounding, scoring ability and consistent team contributions. During her senior campaign, Beard helped lead the lady Trojans to the 1993 state quarterfinals. She earned All-Met honorable mention recognition from The Washington Post and was named Boo Williams Nike All-American and was selected for the Montgomery County All-Star team as a senior. 

Beard, who was also a standout high school track and field athlete, played women’s basketball at West Virginia University and was a member of the U.S. Junior Olympic South Festival Team in 1994. 

Genie LaVine

The 1999 Gaithersburg High School graduate was a dominant force in track and field. A three-year team captain, LaVine set school records in both the 100-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and earned recognition as one of the top female hurdlers in the county, region and state. LaVine was a state champion in the 100-meter high hurdles event and a state finalist in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. 

Cornell Hawkins

The 1998 Gaithersburg High School graduate was a standout multi-sport student-athlete for the Trojans. As a quarterback, Hawkins was a three-year starter who guided the Trojans to a 16-4 record during his junior and senior campaigns. Hawkins played three years on the varsity basketball team and helped lead the Trojans to their first-ever state championship in 1998. Hawkins also shined in track and field, competing in four events and helping lead the team to its 1998 outdoor track and field state championship. Hawkins was an All-County high jumper and a state champion long jumper. 

Jimmy Wingo

The 1996 Gaithersburg High School graduate was a standout in both football and track and field. On the gridiron, Wingo was a defensive lineman who helped lead the Trojans to an 11-2 record including an appearance in the 1995 state championship game. He was named first team All-Met and All-County and was selected to NBC4 George Michael’s Golden 11 Player of the Year squad. In track and field, Wingo showcased his versatility by competing in both the shot put and discus under Coaches Fran Parry and Fred Joyce. He was part of the 1995 outdoor track and field state finalist team and helped lead the Trojans’ outdoor track teams to undefeated division, county, and regional championships in the mid-1990's. 

John Rydzewski

The 1999 Gaithersburg High School graduate excelled in both football and track and field. A three-year varsity starter for Coach John Harvill, Rydzewski was selected team MVP and was named first team All-County. He was also selected to the 1999 Super 44 Team Maryland football game. He earned recognition in indoor and outdoor track and field as a three-time county, regional and state champion in the shot put. He was named Washington Post All-Met in 1997 and 1998. 

Ronald Frazier

The 2000 Gaithersburg High School graduate excelled on the gridiron and in track and field. Frazier was a three-year varsity football player who earned All-County honors on the gridiron. 

As a High School All-American and an All-Met student-athlete, Frazier made his mark in track and field where he dominated the high hurdles throughout his high school career by setting both school and county records along the way. During indoor track season, Frazier captured county, regional and state championships in the 55-meter high hurdles and continued his dominance during the outdoor season by winning two county championships, two regional championships and a state championship in the 110-meter high hurdles. His school record in the 110-meter high hurdles of 13.8 seconds and his county record in the 55-meter high hurdles stand as a testament to his remarkable talent and hard work. 

Katie Bolac

The 1998 Gaithersburg High School graduate was a multi-sport athlete during her tenure as a Trojan. She competed in track and field, cheerleading and gymnastics. She made school history by becoming the first female GHS student-athlete to win a state championship in the pole vault. Bolac also set the school record and finished second at the Penn Relays during her senior campaign. Bolac also served as captain of the varsity cheerleading team at GHS. 

Bolac, who was a standout pole vaulter at North Carolina State University, earned All-ACC honors twice and placed second in the ACC Championships twice, set the NC State women’s pole vault record in 2001 – a record that still stands – and ranked among the top 20 pole vaulters in the United States that same year. 

Sheldon Hutchinson

The 1998 Gaithersburg High School graduate left an incredible mark on the Tojans’ track and field program. He set school records in both the triple jump and the long jump and quickly rose to become one of the top student-athletes in the state of Maryland. 

Not only was Hutchinson a Penn Relay and Colonial Relay champion but he was also the Indoor National runner-up and in 1998 he set both the all-class state record in the triple jump and the 4A state record in the long jump. At the University of Nebraska, Hutchinson became a Big XII champion in both the long jump and the triple jump and set the conference record indoors while earning NCAA first team All-American honors. On the international stage, Hutchinson set the Jamaican Junior National Record in the triple jump and captured both the Junior and Senior National titles. 

Tre Sutton

The 1987 Gaithersburg High School graduate excelled at football, basketball and track and field. On the gridiron, Sutton was a three-year varsity player and co-captain of Gaithersburg’s first-ever state championship team in 1986. That same year, Sutton was named first team All-Montgomery County and was recognized as a Washington Post All-Met honorable mention. In 1987, Sutton represented Maryland in the prestigious Big 33 All-Star Game, helping secure the state’s first-ever victory over Pennsylvania. He was also a three-year varsity basketball player at GHS and a key member of the 1986 track and field state championship team. At Howard University, Sutton was one of only two freshmen to play on the football team in 1987 and helped the Bison capture the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship that same year.  

Tim Kowalchick

A dedicated teacher and coach, Kowalchick spent more than 40 years shaping the lives of students at Gaithersburg High School. From 1984 to 2006, Kowalchick was an invaluable member of the faculty, always stepping in whenever he was needed and providing unwavering support to the athletic department. His coaching career touched multiple sports and generations of student-athletes. He led the girls’ basketball program from 1987 to 2000, including 11 varsity seasons, coached boys’ tennis from 1995 to 2006, JV baseball from 1989 to 1995, and the golf team from 1989 to 2010. Beyond victories and records, Kowalchick taught teamwork, perseverance, and a love for teaching and athletics that carried his students far beyond the classroom and the playing fields. 

Jay Colbert

The 2000 Gaithersburg High School graduate was a standout in both football and track and field. On the gridiron, the talented running back earned All-County honors and broke the school record for yards gained, rushing for more than 1,300 yards in a single season. He played college football at Howard University.  

Colbert also excelled in sprints, relays, long jump, and triple jump, capturing multiple county and regional championships. Career highlights include winning the 55-meter dash with a county record of 6.3 seconds, claiming two county titles in both the 100-meter dash and long jump, and securing regional championships in the 100-meter dash and the long jump. He earned the title of County Top Athletic Performer of the Year and helped lead the boys to a pair of team state championships in 1998 and 2000. Colbert was also part of the Trojans’ state champion 4x100-meter relay team.