Five new members to be inducted into the Gary Mauller Lancaster Athletic Wall of Honor

LANCASTER – It will be a night of celebration on Saturday night as five new members will be inducted into the Lancaster High School Gary Mauller Athletic Wall of Honor.

The induction ceremony will occur before the boys' varsity basketball game against Horizon Science Academy at Lancaster High School. There will be an informal social gathering in the cafeteria before the game.

The Wall of Honor is named after Gary Mauller, an educator in the Lancaster City Schools for 47 years, serving as athletic director from 1989 to 1996. He always believed it was important to honor tradition and recognize outstanding efforts by Lancaster athletes.

Mauller began hanging pictures on the hallway wall during his tenure as athletic director. Upon Mauller’s passing in April of 2017, donations made in his memory have made it possible to continue his mission of recognizing Lancaster High School’s athletic tradition.

This year’s five inductees:  

Coach Bob Hamm: 27-year coaching career. 118-14-2 dual meet record at Lancaster High School, seven League team championships, 19 straight district titles (longest streak in Ohio track & field history), 75 major invitational championships, two State Team Runners-Up and 1980 State Team Outdoor Track & Field Champions. Inducted into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame in 1985 and Region Four National High School Track & Field Coach of the Year award winner. Coached 82 individual League Champions, 61 individual District Champions, 49 All-Ohio performers, eight individual State Champions and 3 All-Americans. The Golden Gales set 19 All-time Ohio Indoor and Outdoor records during Coach Hamm’s tenure.  An Annual Fairfield County Track Meet was renamed the Bob Hamm Classic in 2007.

Coach Lennie Conrad: Born in Lancaster, raised, dedicated and determined Golden Gale. Conrad was a member of the 1967 Lancaster High School State Final Four Baseball Team. He coached junior high, freshman and reserve football and freshman, JV and varsity baseball. As the head baseball coach, he compiled a record of 225 wins and 128 losses in 12 years. He coached the Gales to two Central Ohio League Championships, three Buckeye Central Conference Championships, seven Sectional Championships, six District Championships and five Regional Final appearances. His team was Regional Champions in 1985 earning a Final Four appearance. Coach Conrad coached 30 college players, eight All-Ohio players and three players drafted professionally. He was inducted into the Southeast Ohio District Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Nikolas Curtiss (Class of 2016): High School – three-time Ohio Capital Conference Champion, OATCCC Indoor Shot Put State Champion, New Balance Indoor Weight Throw All-American, OHSAA Division I Shot Put State Champion. College – GLIAC Shot Put Champion, 3 x Shot Put National Runner-up, 10 x Division II All-American, 2020 Olympic Trials Qualifier, 2 x Division I All-American, Big Ten Indoor Bronze Medalist, school record at University of Iowa. Post Collegiate: 2024 Olympic Trials finalist, 2024 indoor nationals fifth place shot put.

Stephen Sparks (Class of 2014): Track Honors: 2012 4x800m State Champion, 2012 All-Ohio 5th Place 800m, 2013 OATCCC Indoor 800 State Champion, 2013 800 District Champion, 2013 All-Ohio 4th Place 800, 2014 OATCC Indoor 800m Runner-Up, 2014 1600m and 800m District Champion, 2014 800m Regional Champion, 2014 800 State Champion, 2014 Team Ohio Track and Field Athlete. Cross Country Honors: 2012 OCC All-Conference First Team, 2013 OCC All-Conference First Team, 2013 All-District Honors, 2013 State Qualifier, 2013 Team Ohio Cross Country Athlete, Scholarship Athlete at Eastern Michigan University.

Olivia Schmelzer (Class of 2018): High School: Eight-time State Championship podium placement; OHSAA seven-time first team all Ohio Athlete; four-time Lancaster Eagle Gazette swimmer of the year award winner; six-time YMCA national top 10 ranking; LHS four-year varsity letterman; four-time LHS MVP award winner; 2017–2018 LHS Athlete of the Year; 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier; 2017 Speedo Sectionals champion 100 Freestyle; 2017-2018 Spirit of the Gale award winner; 2018 academic Letterman; 2018 state champion 100 freestyle; 2018 YMCA national champion 100 freestyle; record holder of seven LHS individual top record times and part of two relay top record times by 2018. University of Cincinnati: Attended UC on a full-ride swimming scholarship; 2019 Rookie of the Year award winner; 2019 Performance of the Year award winner; four-time UC All-Time Top 10 individual record holder; four-time UC all-time top 10 relay record holder; High Honor roll award winner.

Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at [email protected] for comments or story tips. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @twil2323.