34 PRINCETON SPORTS FIRSTS

Editor’s note: I had hoped to come up with 25 Princeton Sports Firsts, but the list has grown! Please let me know if you spot any errors or know of possible verifiable additions to the list, since my research extends only to the 1990s. Thank you!

Here are 34 of the more significant accomplishments of Princeton athletes (state tournament level and above), as documented by the Princeton Republic and Princeton Times-Republic:

1. First male athlete to play college football:

Earl Stewart, 1903 graduate of PHS three-year program, Ripon College letterman 1906

2. First male athlete to be invited to U.S. Olympic trials:

Ed Boguske, 1928, Los Angeles, 100-yard dash, did not compete due to illness

3. First male athlete to try out for Major League Baseball team:

Edward Krystofiak, 1938, St. Louis Browns, Belleville, Illinois

4. First male athlete to sign Major League Baseball contract:

Ron Sullivan, 1952, Pittsburgh Pirates, Class D, Brunswick, Georgia

5. First male athlete to receive appointment to U.S. military academy:

Jim Yahr, 1959, Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

6. First male athlete to compete at state track meet:

Bill Eickelmann, 1960, 100-yard dash

7. First male athlete to score 1,000 points in varsity basketball career:

Jerry Lese, 1962-1965, 1,121 points

8. First male athlete to earn varsity letter at major university:

Kent Kautzer, 1967-1968, University of Wisconsin, men’s crew

9. First male athlete to place at WIAA state track and field meet:

Ken Disterhaft, 1971, 220-yard dash, second place

10. First male athlete to be named to an all-state team:

Jim Krystofiak, 1971, basketball, honorable mention, Queen of Apostles High School, Madison

11. First male athlete to receive college athletic scholarship (Division II):

Jim Krystofiak, 1971, UW-Milwaukee

12. First male sports team to win a state championship:

1974 football team, 9-0, No. 1 team in the Associated Press small school rankings (pre WIAA playoffs)

13. First male athlete to set a state record, any sport:

Paul Belke, 1987, track and field (shot put)

14. First male athlete to advance to WIAA state cross-country meet:

Jim Cook, 1978

15. First male athlete to place at WIAA state cross-country meet:

Jim Esten, 1979, third

16. First male athletes to win a state track championship:

Roy Manweiler, Greg Sondalle, Mike Weir, Todd Hudzinski, 1979, 880 relay team

17. First male athlete to win individual state championship, any sport:

Mike Weir, 1979, track and field (pole vault)

18. First male athlete to compete in WIAA state wrestling tournament:

Frank Sixt, 1981

19. First female athlete to compete at WIAA state cross-country meet:

Ann Meyer, 1980

20. First female athlete to compete at WIAA state track meet:

Ann Meyer, 1982, mile and two-mile runs

21. First female athlete to place at WIAA state track meet:

Ann Meyer, 1982, third place, mile and two-mile runs

22. First female athlete to be named to an all-state team:

Gail Polfuss, 1982, softball, second team

23. First male athlete to receive Division I college athletic scholarship:

Paul Belke, 1987, University of Wisconsin, track and field (shot put and discus)

24. First male athlete to place in WIAA state wrestling tournament:

Kurt Holland, 1988, fifth place

25. First male athletes to compete in the WIAA state golf tournament:

Gary Zuehls, Jamie Rataczak, Dan Moldenhauer, Doug Sauerbrei, Brad Gaffney, 1989

26. First male athlete to be offered full academic scholarship to major university:

Adrian Ryerson, 1990, Marquette University

27. First female athlete to score 1,000 points in varsity basketball career:

Jessie Davis, 1988-1991, 1,153 points

28. First male athlete to qualify for WIAA state golf tournament as individual:

Jason Lese, 1991

29. First male athlete to win a major college conference championship:

Paul Belke, 1992, Big Ten Conference Outdoor Championships (shot put), Minneapolis

30. First male athlete to compete in U.S. Olympic Trials:

Paul Belke, 1992, New Orleans, shot put, 12th place

31. First male athletes to advance to WIAA state cross-country meet as team:

Gregg Wheeler, Brad Brzozowski, Jeremy Jensen, Nate Lehner, Tom Treder, Sean Ellison, Darren Brzozowski, 1994, 10th place

32. First male athlete to compete in WIAA state swim meet:

Sean Gonia, 1996, Berlin Swim Team (Berlin, Green Lake, Princeton)

33. First male athlete to medal at WIAA state swim meet:

Sean Gonia, 1997, Berlin Swim Team (Berlin, Green Lake, Princeton), Division II, fourth in 500 freestyle, 6th in 200 freestyle

34. First female athlete to compete at WIAA swim meet:

Tara Gonia, 1997, Berlin Swim Team (Berlin, Green Lake, Princeton), Division II

If you share the list, please include credit to princetonhistory.com.

Thank you for caring and reading about local history.