Old Grad Awards add two new High School Athletes to Prestigious List of winners

After spending over a decade practicing and training to play sports, many High School Graduates will never receive the opportunity to play professional sports.  Approximately seven percent of High School Football players get the chance to play high-level College Football, and around nine percent of Female High School Athletes will play the same sports in college.

This is why it is important when the local community honors the High School Athletes who not only excel on the field, but also do not neglect their academics. Most High Schools require their athletes to maintain a certain Grade Point Average (GPA) in order to play sports.

2026 Winners of the Old Grad Awards

Recognizing over 130 years of Atlantic County High School sports, George and Joe McCabe created the Old Grad Awards to highlight multi-sport athletes.  With the help of 1940s Atlantic City Press sports writer Eddie Nichterlein, they retroactively have recognized Atlantic County High School Athletes dating back to 1894.

This prestigious award is give out during an annual luncheon at Greate Bay Country Club in Somers Point. This year's winners join an exclusive list of athletes not just in Atlantic County history but also in representing their respective High Schools.

*Frenchmon Bethea Jr. is the third Cedar Creek High School to receive this award since 2017, an exclusive group that includes Bo Melton, who is on the Green Bay Packers roster. Bethea Jr was a member of the Cedar Creek Football team that won the school's first NJSIAA Group 3 State Championship.

Bethea Jr. also played for the Cedar Creek Pirates Basketball team. During his Senior Football Season, he had 32 Total Touchdowns and has committed to attend Stony Brook University.

*Kaci Velardi is the fourth Egg Harbor Township High School Athlete to win the Old Grand Award since 2001, but the first female athlete to win since 1999 (Kathryn Sikorski). Velardi has played three sports at EHT: Field Hockey, Swimming, and Softball.

Committed to attending Monmouth University, Velardi broke her own school Softball record this year for Hits in a season. She is expected to continue playing Softball for the Monmouth Hawks after a stellar high school athletic career.

Also honored at the 2026 Old Grad Awards, and receiving the 11th JoAnn Hackney Wescoat Outstanding Service Award is Jay Hurley. One of the most accomplished cross-country runners in South Jersey History, Hurley set multiple school records at Stockton University, and was a Team Captain at Atlantic City High School.

Jay Hurley is still involved with the community, serving as Race Director for the Northfield Mile Run, and lead member of the Atlantic City HS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. He still hold the course record for the Ventnor Boardwalk Mile.

Full List of 2026 Nominees for the Old Grad Awards:

*Samia Ghazaz (Absegami High School)
*Jesse Brown (Absegami HS)
*Taison Parker (Atlantic City HS)
*Tamir Red (Atlantic City HS)
*Shea Aretz (Buena Regional)
*Sabrine Ghazaz (Cedar Creek HS)
*Frenchmon Bethea Jr (Cedar Creek HS)
*Kaci Velardi (EHT HS)
*Matthew McDevitt (EHT HS)
*Mitra Sampson (Hammonton HS)
*Ethan Peterson (Hammonton HS)
*Theresa Roman (Holy Spirit HS)
*Ty Costabile (Holy Spirit HS)
*Camryn DeMorat (Mainland Regional)
*Jake Blum (Mainland Regional)
*Abagale Ranger (Oakcrest HS)
*Yasir McNeal (Oakcrest HS)
*Darexy Monroy (Pleasantville HS)
*Qwasim Jackson (Pleasantville HS)