RHS inducts four athletes to hall of fame after 20-year hiatus

After a 20-year hiatus, the Riverhead High School athletic hall of fame is back.

On Thursday, Sept. 25, the newly formed Riverhead Athletic Club announced four inductees who will be honored during homecoming weekend on Oct. 18: Ellen Dougherty Hughes (Class of 2005), Jalyn Brown (Class of 2012), Jacob Robinson (Class of 2015) and Katherine Goodale (Class of 2020).

With two decades of accomplished athletes to consider, narrowing the field to four presented a challenge. But Riverhead Athletic Club President Quinn Alexander said the selection committee brought diverse perspectives to the process.

“The selection committee is composed of various individuals in the community who are quite diversified in terms of athletic background and program participation,” Ms. Alexander said. “Some are former and current youth coaches, others have coached in district at both modified and varsity or JV levels. Several are teachers in the district while others are heavily involved at the local youth community level.”

The committee looked for candidates who embodied what it means to be a Riverhead athlete while representing the best qualities of the school’s athletic programs. Inductees had to have attended Riverhead schools for at least three years, be at least five years removed from graduation, and demonstrate significant accomplishments both during and after high school.

Each of the hall of fame inductees and their achievements are outlined below:

Ellen Dougherty Hughes dominated distance running during her time at Riverhead, earning New York State Champion honors and 14 All-State selections in indoor and outdoor track and cross country. Named Suffolk County Outstanding Runner of the Year and a 2003 All-American in the mile run, Hughes was a three-time Riverhead News-Review Athlete of the Year.

She earned a full athletic scholarship to Villanova University, where she qualified twice for the NCAA Championships as an individual and won a Big East Conference title. After graduating with a degree in political science, Hughes ran professionally for the New York Athletic Club, competed in USA national team trials for World Championships, and finished in the top 25 among American women at the 2013 Chicago Marathon.

Jalyn Brown led the Riverhead girls basketball team to unprecedented success, including the program’s first-ever Long Island championship. A 1,000-point scorer who earned All-League, All-County and All-Long Island honors, Brown was named league MVP and recognized as a top 50 player in New York.

She earned an athletic scholarship to C.W. Post, graduating with a degree in health science and healthcare management. Brown has continued her basketball career as a coach, serving as an assistant at Queen’s College and head coach at Suffolk County Community College before taking her current position as assistant coach at Farmingdale State College.

Jacob Robinson rewrote the Riverhead record books as a sprinter, setting four school records in individual and relay events. He earned All-American distinction and was ranked eighth nationally among sophomores during his sophomore year. Robinson placed third at the New York State indoor championships in the 300 meters and led his team to indoor and outdoor titles.

At Merrimack College on a full Division I scholarship, Robinson set eight more school records and earned five NE-10 championships. After graduating, he earned a master’s degree in applied intelligence from Georgetown University and currently serves as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Katherine Goodale was a varsity lacrosse starter since eighth grade and also excelled at field hockey. In lacrosse, she earned All-County and All-State recognition while serving as team captain.

She went on to play at Syracuse University, becoming the program’s all-time leader in caused turnovers with 102. She set the single-season record with 45 in 2024. Goodale earned multiple All-American awards and helped Syracuse reach the NCAA Final Four three times. After graduating with a biology degree, Goodale played for Team USA in women’s lacrosse, helping win the Pan-American Championship.