The fan vote: These are your top 20 athletes, coaches and teams of Butler County since 2000

July 18, 2025 Last Updated: July 17, 2025 10:29 PM Sports

Former standout Freeport softball player Ally DeJidas, left, and Butler distance running star Drew Griffith, right, were voted but Butler Eagle readers the top Butler County female and male athletes of the last 25 years. Butler Eagle file photos

All week, the Butler Eagle published its Top 25 Butler County athletes, coaches and teams since 2000.

Knoch thrower Jordan Geist was voted our top male athlete of the quarter century, the 2020 Mars girls soccer team was voted our No. 1 overall team, and its coach, Blair Gerlach, and one of its stars, Ellie Coffield, were voted our top coach and female athlete.

Now it’s your turn. A total of 320 votes by readers and fans poured in this week for the Top 20 athletes, coaches and teams since the millennium began.

The polls were capped at 20 choices per question due to the size limitations of the polling app. Because of this, the 20 choices provided in each question were the top 20 voted on by the Butler Eagle sports staff.

Who did the community vote for? Below are the full results:

Butler’s Drew Griffith wins the 3200 meter run in PIAA Class 3A Boys Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University on Saturday May 25, 2024. (Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)

Top 20 Butler County male athletes of the last 25 years

1. Drew Griffith, Butler running

2. David Bednar, Mars baseball

3. Bill Bair, Mars football/track

4. Brad Mueller, Mars football/track

5. Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Seneca Valley wrestling

6. Brian Minto, boxing

7. Brandon Fusco, Seneca Valley football

8. CJ Singleton, Butler running

9. David Bocci, Butler swimming

10. Jordan Geist, Knoch track and field

11. Ethan Morton, Butler basketball

12. Jordan Brown, Seneca Valley football

13. John Castello, Mars basketball/football

14. Levin Prementine, Slippery Rock track/basketball

15. Kyle Armagost, Moniteau football

16. Michael Carmody, Mars football/basketball

17. Peet Poillon, Seneca Valley lacrosse

18. Matt Schandelmeier, Moniteau football/track

19. Robby Carmody, Mars basketball

20. Tyrell Sales, Butler football

Freeport's Ally DeJidas (7) runs home against Avonworth in a WPIAL Class 3A softball consolation game at Hampton Community Park on Tuesday, May 29, 2018. Butler Eagle file photo

Justin Guido

Top 20 Butler County female athletes of the last 25 years

1. All DeJidas, Freeport softball/volleyball

2. Alayna Rocco, north Catholic basketball

3. Joella Baker, triathlete

4. Amanda Smith, Seneca Valley swimming

5. Ellie Coffield, Mars soccer

6. Amanda Sharbaugh, Knoch soccer

7. Jence Rhoades, Slippery Rock basketball

8. Kristina DeMatteis, Moniteau golf/basketball/softball

9. Janet McDonough, swimming

10. Laura Goettler, Butler swimming

11. Megan Schnur, Butler soccer

12. Lacey Cochran, Freeport soccer/track

13. Lexie Hames, Seneca Valley softball

14. Natalie Beilstein, Knoch gymnastics

15. Maggie Gruber, Mars swimming

16. Melissa Sopher, Slippery Rock track and field

17. Monica Glomb, Mars softball

18. Sydnei Jones, North Catholic volleyball

19. Sam Breen, North Catholic basketball

20. Taylor Hockenberry, Mars diving

Mars head coach Chris Knauff is approaching 300 career wins and has led the Planets boys soccer team to three WPIAL titles and a state championship. Butler Eagle file photo

Top 20 Butler County coaches of the last 25 years

1. Chris Knauff, Mars boys soccer

2. Bob Marcoux, Mars boys lacrosse

3. Blair Gerlach, Mars girls soccer

4. Dana Petruska, Mars girls basketball

5. Dave Sylvester, Seneca Valley girls soccer/Mars girls basketball

6. Diane Geist, Knoch girls volleyball

7. Ed Conto, Karns City football

8. Jeff Messer, SRU baseball

9. John Williams, Butler track and field

10. Eric Semeca, Seneca Valley baseball

11. John Papa, SRU track and field/cross country

12. George Williams, Seneca Valley boys soccer

13. Molly Rottman, North Catholic girls basketball

14. Rob Snyder, BC3 women’s volleyball

15. Scott Stoner, Butler boys wrestling

16. Mike Seybert, Butler track/cross country

17. Rob Carmody, Mars boys basketball

18. Tom Phillips, Freeport girls volleyball

19. Shawn Lutz, SRU football

20. Steve Meyers, Mars hockey

Butler's boys track and field team celebrates after winning the 2022 PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University. Butler Eagle file photo

Top 20 Butler County high school teams of the last 25 years

1. Butler 2022 boys track and field

2. Butler 2013 girls bowling

3. Butler 2010 boys tennis

4. Freeport 2022 girls volleyball

5. Karns City 2000 girls basketball

6. Knoch 2015 baseball

7. Knoch 2017 girls volleyball

8. Mars 2011 girls soccer

9. Mars 2014 boys swimming

10. Mars 2018 girls basketball

11. Mars 2019 girls soccer