A record-setting football coach, a three-time NCAA national champion, a two-sport standout who dominated on multiple fields, and one of the most decorated athletes in Santa Cruz County history headline the Aptos High School Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026, a group that reflects decades of athletic excellence across a wide range of sports.
The 12-member class will be inducted May 2 at Seascape Golf Course, where family members, former teammates, coaches and community supporters will gather to celebrate careers that span more than five decades of Aptos High athletics.
Leading the class is former football coach Randy Blankenship, whose 319 career victories place him among the most successful high school football coaches in California history. Blankenship is just the 12th coach in the state to surpass the 300-win milestone, a benchmark reached by only a handful of coaches over more than a century of organized high school football in California.
Blankenship’s tenure at Aptos helped define an era of sustained success for the Mariners. Over 14 seasons as head coach, his teams compiled 113 wins, captured eight Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League (SCCAL) championships and secured four Central Coast Section (CCS) titles. Along the way, his teams set numerous program records, including marks for most wins in a season, most shutouts, most playoff appearances, longest winning streak, and highest totals in both yards gained and points scored.
Perhaps most notably, Blankenship’s 2018 squad became the first team from Santa Cruz County to advance to the Northern California regional playoffs, marking a historic breakthrough for the program and the region.
Also among the most accomplished inductees is Jenna Belton, a standout volleyball player who graduated in 2014 and went on to achieve national success at the collegiate level. At Aptos, Belton was a two-time first-team All-SCCAL selection and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2013 after leading the Mariners to two league championships.
Her success extended beyond indoor volleyball. In 2012, Belton teamed with partner Kristen Mead to win a U16 state championship in beach volleyball, a precursor to her collegiate career at the University of Southern California. At USC, Belton was part of three NCAA championship-winning beach volleyball teams, helping establish the Trojans as a national powerhouse. During her four-year career, USC reached the semifinals or better each season, falling just once short of the title game in a semifinal loss to UCLA.
Lindsey Sotomayor, a 2011 graduate, earned recognition as one of the most versatile athletes in school history.
A four-year starter in both basketball and softball, Sotomayor accumulated eight varsity letters and earned five first-team All-SCCAL selections — two in basketball and three in softball.
Her contributions were central to the softball team’s success, as she helped lead the Mariners to three league titles. On the basketball court, she finished her career as the program’s No. 4 all-time scorer.
Her all-around performance across two sports earned her Aptos High’s Athlete of the Year honors for the 2010–11 school year.
Ben Dorfman, the 2015 Santa Cruz County Athlete of the Year, is also among the headliners. A dual-sport standout in basketball and volleyball, Dorfman led both teams to SCCAL championships during his senior year while guiding deep postseason runs that included appearances in CCS finals and the Northern California playoffs.
Dorfman earned multiple first-team All-SCCAL honors in both sports, but his impact on the basketball court was particularly significant. He was named SCCAL MVP, Register-Pajaronian Player of the Year, and earned All-CCS recognition. Statistically, his senior season ranks among the most impressive in program history, as he finished among the top 10 in CCS Division III in scoring, rebounds, steals and assists.
He remains among the top five in several Aptos postseason scoring categories, including No. 2 in single-season scoring and No. 4 in career scoring.
The Class of 2026 also includes a broad group of standout athletes and contributors whose achievements span sports such as wrestling, baseball, gymnastics, tennis and track and field.
Danny Eller, a 2001 graduate, excelled as a three-sport athlete in football, wrestling and baseball. While he helped lead both the football and baseball teams to consistent winning seasons and CCS playoff appearances, it was in wrestling where he reached his highest level.
Eller captured three individual SCCAL championships and earned two CCS medals during his career.
Chris Doerksen, who graduated in 2003, was a dominant force in boys volleyball. A four-year starter, he earned SCCAL Sophomore of the Year and Junior of the Year honors before being named league MVP as a senior.
He continued his volleyball career at the University of the Pacific, further extending his impact in the sport.
Amy Lamb, a member of the Class of 1982, is widely regarded as the top gymnast in school history. In 1981, she won the SCCAL all-around championship and captured individual titles in the uneven bars, balance beam and vault.
In addition to her gymnastics accomplishments, Lamb also had a successful swimming career. She qualified for the CCS championships three times and helped lead Aptos to the SCCAL team title in 1981.
Katie Pleski, a 2006 graduate, was one of the most prolific hitters in Aptos softball history. Named SCCAL MVP in her senior season, she led the Mariners to a league title while posting a .606 batting average.
Her offensive production included 12 doubles, four triples and 38 runs scored — all ranking among the top 10 single-season marks in program history. Pleski went on to play at Cabrillo College, where she was a two-year starter and earned first-team All-Coast Conference honors.
Frank Knights, who graduated in 2007, distinguished himself across four sports: football, wrestling, track and field, and lacrosse. In football, he was a two-time first-team All-SCCAL selection as an offensive lineman and was named the league’s Lineman of the Year in 2006. In track and field, he was a team captain, a league champion in both the shot put and discus, and contributed to four SCCAL team titles.
Knights held the Aptos school record in the shot put for 18 years, and his mark still ranks among the top three in program history. He continued his football career at Cabrillo College and Southeast Missouri State University, earning first-team all-conference honors at both institutions.
In 2011, he was selected to the U.S. Men’s National Team and competed in the International Federation of American Football Senior World Championship in Austria.
Rich Taylor, a longtime boys tennis coach, is also being recognized for his contributions to the program.
Over 12 years, Taylor led his teams to seven SCCAL championships, a total that ranks second in both league and school history.
Ward Pitman with the Aptos High School Mariner
Ward Pitman is an honorary inductee and is being recognized for more than two decades of service to Aptos track and field. Since 2002, Pitman has served as the official starter for the program and for all SCCAL championship meets.
In addition to his role on the track, he has installed nearly 100 commemorative bronze plaques throughout the school’s gymnasium and stadium, helping preserve the history of Aptos athletics.
Rounding out the class is Nick Hathaway, a standout baseball player from the school’s early years who recently died. Hathaway transferred to Aptos when the school opened in 1969 and quickly established himself as one of the area’s top pitchers.
He earned all-league honors both before and after transferring and delivered several remarkable performances, including a no-hitter against Soquel and a 21-strikeout game against Harbor.
Hathaway also contributed offensively, batting .349 during his career. He continued his baseball career at Cabrillo College, where he led the Seahawks to a conference championship in 1972. That season, he posted a 10-1 record with a 1.10 earned run average and was named Coast Conference MVP.
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The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will begin with a social hour at 4 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards program at 5 p.m. Organizers say the event serves not only as a celebration of individual achievements but also as a recognition of the broader community that has supported Aptos High athletics over the years.
Tickets for the event are $70 and can be reserved through the Aptos High School athletic department.
For many in the Aptos community, the induction ceremony represents more than a retrospective of past accomplishments. It is also a reminder of the traditions and standards that continue to shape current and future student-athletes.
“This class really reflects the depth and diversity of talent we’ve had at Aptos over the years,” organizers said in a statement announcing the inductees. “From championship teams and record-setting performances to decades of service and support, these individuals have all left a lasting mark on our school and community.”
TOP PHOTO: Randy Blankenship