Mike Hart and Greg Paulus to be inducted into NYSPHSAA Class of 2024 Hall of Fame

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

MIKE HART, Athlete (Section III)

Mike Hart was a record-setting running back while at Onondaga High School (Section III) where he led his teams to three NYSPHSAA State Championships and a 46-1 record from 2000-03. Hart shattered numerous records in his four years at Onondaga including most yards in a season (3,489), most yards in a career (11,045), most 100-yard rushing games (47), most touchdowns in a season (67) and most touchdowns in a career (204) between 2000-03. In the process, Hart garnered numerous honors including three New York State Player of the Year honors and three All-State awards. His mark for most career touchdowns and points scored were also national records. Following graduation, Hart earned a full scholarship to the University of Michigan where he rushed for 41 touchdowns and set a school record in rushing yards (5,040). At Michigan, Mike was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist for best running back in the country and finished fifth in the voting for the 2006 Heisman Trophy. After graduating from Michigan in 2008, he was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts playing three seasons including the 2010 season when the Colts lost to the Saints in the Super Bowl. Hart went onto coach at Eastern Michigan, Indiana University, Western Michigan and three years ago, returned to the University of Michigan coaching from 2021 through the 2023 season. His #32 was retired at Onondaga High School in 2014. Mike currently resides in Ann Arbor with his wife Monique and their three children.

GREG PAULUS, Athlete (Section III)

Greg Paulus was considered the best quarterback and point guard in the state during his years at Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) in Syracuse. Paulus led CBA to its first NYSPHSAA Football State Championship, becoming the first Section III Class AA football team to win a state title. Under center, he broke state records for most touchdowns (152) and most yards (11,760) in a career and most yards in a season (3,677) while earning All-State honors from 2001-04. Additionally, Greg was recognized by Sports Illustrated as the best quarterback in the nation and collected football All-America honors from the U.S. Army, Parade and USA Today. In 2004, he received the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year (which covers all sports). On the court, Greg accumulated 2,399 career points (12th in NYS), was named All-State four times and won New York State Mr. Basketball. In 2005, he was a McDonald’s All-American and rated as the top point guard in the country by . He went onto Duke on a full scholarship as their starting point guard, tallying 1,193 career points and ranks in the top ten in career assists (468), three-point field goals (210) and three-point percentage (.398). The two-time captain and two-time Academic All-American won three ACC Championships and earned numerous All-Conference honors. After graduating from Duke, Greg played one season as the Syracuse University starting quarterback, passing for 2,024 yards, 13 touchdowns and a single season school record completion percentage of 67.7%. Paulus is currently the head basketball coach at Niagara University. He and his wife, Megan, have three children Preston, Whitney and Landon.

 

[orangetom]

Note that the only other athlete being inducted is Caryn Schoff-Kovatch who played basketball at SU.

CARYN SCHOFF-KOVATCH, Athlete (Section 2)

Caryn Schoff-Kovatch is the all-time leading scorer (3,548 points) in girls basketball history in New York State. She earned a spot on the varsity basketball team as a 7th grader at St. Johnsville Central High School (Section 2) where she spent six years shattering 25 Section 2 records including career points, points in a season, career rebounds and rebounds in a season from 1989-95; a period of time where her teams amassed a 146-7 record. As a sophomore and junior, she led the team to a 64-0 record, two NYSPHSAA Class D State Championships and two NYS Federation Championships. As a senior in 1995, Schoff-Kovatch averaged 36.2 points per game and 16.4 rebounds per game culminating with being named Co-Miss Basketball Player of the Year and New York State Sportswriters Player of the Year. That year she was also Salutatorian and Class President. Caryn also lettered in soccer and softball for four years earning All-Star awards in both sports during high school. Following her decorated high school career, she earned a full scholarship to Syracuse University where she played for four years and piled up 583 points and 429 rebounds there. Caryn was named a Big East All Star, an Academic All-American and was team captain her senior year. She was later inducted into the New York State Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009. Her #32 jersey was retired at St. Johnsville the year she graduated. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse and currently resides in Louisville, KY where she is a Regional Vice President of Sales for a global medical technology company and the head varsity coach of the girls basketball team at Assumption High School. Caryn resides with her husband Eric and their daughter Kyla.

 

[Noexcuse]

Note that the only other athlete being inducted is Caryn Schoff-Kovatch who played basketball at SU.

CARYN SCHOFF-KOVATCH, Athlete (Section 2)

Caryn Schoff-Kovatch is the all-time leading scorer (3,548 points) in girls basketball history in New York State. She earned a spot on the varsity basketball team as a 7th grader at St. Johnsville Central High School (Section 2) where she spent six years shattering 25 Section 2 records including career points, points in a season, career rebounds and rebounds in a season from 1989-95; a period of time where her teams amassed a 146-7 record. As a sophomore and junior, she led the team to a 64-0 record, two NYSPHSAA Class D State Championships and two NYS Federation Championships. As a senior in 1995, Schoff-Kovatch averaged 36.2 points per game and 16.4 rebounds per game culminating with being named Co-Miss Basketball Player of the Year and New York State Sportswriters Player of the Year. That year she was also Salutatorian and Class President. Caryn also lettered in soccer and softball for four years earning All-Star awards in both sports during high school. Following her decorated high school career, she earned a full scholarship to Syracuse University where she played for four years and piled up 583 points and 429 rebounds there. Caryn was named a Big East All Star, an Academic All-American and was team captain her senior year. She was later inducted into the New York State Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009. Her #32 jersey was retired at St. Johnsville the year she graduated. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse and currently resides in Louisville, KY where she is a Regional Vice President of Sales for a global medical technology company and the head varsity coach of the girls basketball team at Assumption High School. Caryn resides with her husband Eric and their daughter Kyla.

Her father Phil Schoff was a standout high school basketball (and baseball) player at St Johnsville also. He played both sports at SU during the mid 1960’s. Was on the basketball team with Boeheim and Bing.

 

[Moontan]

"Section III" vs "Section 2" ??
Why isn't it "Section II"? Crazy.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Note that the only other athlete being inducted is Caryn Schoff-Kovatch who played basketball at SU.

CARYN SCHOFF-KOVATCH, Athlete (Section 2)

Caryn Schoff-Kovatch is the all-time leading scorer (3,548 points) in girls basketball history in New York State. She earned a spot on the varsity basketball team as a 7th grader at St. Johnsville Central High School (Section 2) where she spent six years shattering 25 Section 2 records including career points, points in a season, career rebounds and rebounds in a season from 1989-95; a period of time where her teams amassed a 146-7 record. As a sophomore and junior, she led the team to a 64-0 record, two NYSPHSAA Class D State Championships and two NYS Federation Championships. As a senior in 1995, Schoff-Kovatch averaged 36.2 points per game and 16.4 rebounds per game culminating with being named Co-Miss Basketball Player of the Year and New York State Sportswriters Player of the Year. That year she was also Salutatorian and Class President. Caryn also lettered in soccer and softball for four years earning All-Star awards in both sports during high school. Following her decorated high school career, she earned a full scholarship to Syracuse University where she played for four years and piled up 583 points and 429 rebounds there. Caryn was named a Big East All Star, an Academic All-American and was team captain her senior year. She was later inducted into the New York State Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009. Her #32 jersey was retired at St. Johnsville the year she graduated. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse and currently resides in Louisville, KY where she is a Regional Vice President of Sales for a global medical technology company and the head varsity coach of the girls basketball team at Assumption High School. Caryn resides with her husband Eric and their daughter Kyla.

Caryn recently honored with induction into the National Federation of High Schools HOF. Huge honor and she got to represent the other inductees with a speech.

https://www.timesunion.com/hssports/article/schoff-kovatch-enters-national-high-school-hall-20421271.php

 

[Orangedontrhyme]

"Section III" vs "Section 2" ??
Why isn't it "Section II"? Crazy.

We use the Arabic number system, ie 1 - 5 - 10. But at time, we use the Roman numeral system, ie I - V - X. In New York school sports, Capital District (Albany) Section Two could be Section 2 Arabic or Section II Roman. Suffolk County Section Eleven on NY's Long Island could be Section 11 Arabic or Section XI Roman. A serious identification problem can arise when referring to the Capital District as Section II (Roman) and Suffolk as Section 11 (Arabic). As can be seen, their designations need to be presented carefully, so "2" for the Capital District and "XI" for Suffolk works best. Section One lucks out with 1 or I.

 

[Eric15]

I remember the first time I saw Paulus was his sophomore year at CBA in a basketball game against Liverpool. He was just head and shoulders better than everyone else even at that age.

We probably beat Minnesota in his first football game in the Dome if our center doesn't snap the ball over his head on the first freaking play of the game.

 

[ScriptCuse]

I still cannot believe these two played high school football at the same time 10 miles apart

 

[Noexcuse]

I remember the first time I saw Paulus was his sophomore year at CBA in a basketball game against Liverpool. He was just head and shoulders better than everyone else even at that age.

We probably beat Minnesota in his first football game in the Dome if our center doesn't snap the ball over his head on the first freaking play of the game.

First time I saw him play was on a FM rec team my son was on. Greg was 10 or 11 at the time, his dad was coach and 2 of his brothers were also on the team. League championship game and the other team hits a layup to go up by 2 points with about 5 seconds left. His Dad has the older brother pass the ball to Greg at half court who turns around and swishes it for a 3 pointer and the win. Except the ref waves it off because “time had expired”. Are you kidding me? The place went nuts. Ref had to slither out of there.

 

[FasterCuse]

I still cannot believe these two played high school football at the same time 10 miles apart

And we couldn't get either of them to come to SU out of high school. We needed a Fran back then.

 

[sufandu]

And we couldn't get either of them to come to SU out of high school. We needed a Fran back then.

Paulus wanted to learn coaching from K and Hart always loved Michigan. It's why Onondaga's helmets resembled Michigan's his senior year. Maybe Fran could've overcome the second. Not sure he could've done much about the first.

 

[cusefan88]

I remember the first time I saw Paulus was his sophomore year at CBA in a basketball game against Liverpool. He was just head and shoulders better than everyone else even at that age.

We probably beat Minnesota in his first football game in the Dome if our center doesn't snap the ball over his head on the first freaking play of the game.

I can't remember for sure but I think CBA-Henninger had some excellent games that featured Paulus and Andray Blatche.