This is the fourth in a series of articles profiling the 2018 inductees into the Butler Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame

BUTLER TWP — Separately, they were unflappable.

Together, they were unstoppable.

Erinn Otterson, Kregg Kozik, John McGee and Adam Voll — all 2001 Butler graduates — combined for 30 varsity letters overall and nine WPIAL track and field titles in various events during their athletic careers with the Golden Tornado.

But it'as the legacy they put together while comprising their team's 4x800 meter relay that is landing them in the Butler Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame this Friday.

“It's a cool thing we're going in as a unit. That's the way it should be,” Otterson said.

The quartet not only won the state championship in the 4x800 in 2001, it ran a WPIAL record time of seven minutes, 39.98 seconds that still stands. That was the second fastest high school time in the country that year.

And that unit is still a unit.

“We keep in touch all the time,” Otterson said. “We've been in each other's weddings. Adam officiated John's wedding. We're all best of friends.

“Our families have gotten together for vacations. John and I live in Virginia Beach, Adam and Buck (Kozik) still live in Butler.”

Voll said their Hall of Fame induction “will be exciting” and that their success in the 4x800 “still connects us.”

Their 4x800 was PIAA runner-up in 2000, indoor and outdoor. The foursome placed third at the Penn Relays in 2001 and owns the Butler High School and WPIAL indoor record of 7:55.50.

The fact their WPIAL record times still stand adds to the accomplishment each year.

“At the time, we knew we were doing something special,” Voll said. “What we really did didn't sink in until years later. The fact the record's still there is amazing.”

Kozik was also a football standout at Butler. Otterson was a four-year letterman in soccer. McGee, Voll and Otterson also ran cross country.

Otterson, McGee and Voll all went on to run track at Penn State University and were on the same relay unit there as well.

“That was awesome, three guys from Butler running on the same relay at a school that big,” Otterson said. “We're proud of what we were able to do.”

Kozik went on to Geneva College, where he placed third in the 400 meters at the NAIA Nationals. He set eight school records at Geneva.

“With my ego, I wanted to be a Division I college athlete. That was my goal in high school,” Kozik said. “But Geneva kept upping the money in my scholarship offer.

“When it pretty much became a full scholarship, my dad said 'you're going to Geneva.' I was thinking of walking on at Pitt, but I don't regret the decision to go to Geneva at all.”

Kozik credited the coaching of Curt Phillips, Mike Seybert and Larry Young, among others, for developing the relay team into one of the nation's best.

“They knew us so well,” he said. “Coach Young, before our senior season started, wrote down on a piece of paper what he thought our individual splits would be by the end of the season.

“He wasn't off by more than half a second on any of us.”

Voll and Otterson credited the coaches asd well.

“They made it feel like you were a part of something,” Voll said. “We pushed each other, supported each other.

“You wanted to do your best for the other three more than yourself.”

Otterson said the team concept of track and field was always big at Butler.

“The coaches got us to buy into that,” he said. “Team championships meant a lot to us. Our relay bonded together quickly as a result.”

McGee has a family vacation scheduled and will be unable to attend Friday's induction. The other three will be there.

“We've already got plans to get together a couple of nights before the induction and a couple of nights after,” Voll said.

Kozik couldn't hold back a chuckle as he looked back on the 4x800 relay team's accomplishment.

“We set that bar so high ... I don't know if anyone will ever reach it,” he said. “I'm not trying to sound arrogant, but that's pretty cool.”