JOHN WAGNER, COACH

John Wagner has been involved with soccer in the Mercer County area for over thirty-five years. John played his high school career at Notre Dame High School from 1960 to 1962 where John was an All State performer.

John continued his academic and athletic career at Rider College where he excelled as a member of the soccer and baseball teams. John was the catcher on Tom Petroff's team that advanced to the NCAA College World Series.

In soccer John was the MVP of the Middle Atlantic Conference and was named to the 1966 All-American Soccer team. John was also an ECAC scholar athlete as well as being awarded the PM Soccer Magazine's Outstanding Collegiate Award John also will be inducted in the Rider College Hall of Fame in February 2002.

John was head boys soccer coach at Notre Dame High School where he compiled a 5230-5 record which included a Mercer County Tournament Title (1972), two Parochial Titles (1974-1975) and was named Mercer County Coach of the Year in 1975.

John then came to Hightstown High School where he was the Varsity Boys Soccer Coach for 15 years compiling a record of 196-126-18. John led the Rams to two Mercer County Tournament Championships in 1985 and 1986 John's team won CVC titles in 1986 and 1982 as well Hightstown High School was Central Jersey Group IV Champions in 1985 and 1986 Over those two seasons Hightstown High School had a record of 44-4-2. The Highlight of John's Hightstown High School coaching career occurred in 1986 when his team was Group IV State Runner up. John was named Coach of the Year four times by the Trentonian and three times by the Trenton Times. John was named New Jersey Soccer Coach of the Year in 1985.

John is currently a Social Studies Teacher at Hightstown High School. He is married to the lovely Carol Wagner who is a second grade teacher at Alexander School in Hamilton Township. John has two grown children Alisa and David. Alisa is recently married and works for First Union Securities in Richmond, Virginia. David works for Paycheck Incorporated and resides in Haledon, New Jersey.