The Otsego Athletic Boosters will induct three people into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, February 7th between the girls’ and boys’ varsity games. The 2025 inductees are Jesse Blanchard, Charity (Knight) Newby and Jessica (Sheen) Strickler.
A ceremony to honor the inductees will take place at center court at approximately 7:00 p.m. where each recipient will receive a plaque. They will be treated to a private reception prior to the ceremony. Hall of Fame honors are presented every two years from the Athletic Department and Otsego Athletic Boosters.
Jesse Blanchard
Jesse Blanchard was a decorated athlete who earned 10 varsity letters across four sports - wrestling, football, tennis and track & field. The 2002 graduate served as captain in wrestling, football and tennis. Despite success in all sports, he racked up the most honors for his time on the mat.
Jesse set a school record for wins in a season with 50 victories in wrestling during his junior year and played a key role in leading the wrestling team to a state championship that same year, 2001. (The 2001 Wrestling Team was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.)
Jesse competed at State both his junior and senior years and was the State Runner-up in wrestling his senior year. He earned several honors including Academic All-State honors as a senior wrestler, balancing his athletic excellence with academic achievement. He had 133 career wins and 71 career pins.
After high school, he was a part of the Grand Valley State University Wrestling Club and has been a youth wrestling and football coach in Otsego for more than a decade. He was named regional assistant coach of the year for wrestling in 2012. His leadership and guidance as a coach also earned him the Outstanding People for Education award for Otsego in 2020.
Jesse is currently an assistant coach for both wrestling and football and is an active contributor toward Otsego athletics and the Otsego community. He and his wife Brandy now own B&C Trophy working with area schools in various ways. They have two children, Grace and Lane.
Charity (Knight) Newby
Charity Knight Newby was a standout 4-year, 3-sport athlete and graduated in the Top 10 of her class of 2005. She played varsity all four years in basketball, volleyball and softball and earned a number of individual honors including All-Conference, All-County, All-District and All-Region. She was a part of a Wolverine Conference Champion team in each of her three sports, District champion teams in volleyball and basketball and Regional champion and State runner-up teams for volleyball. Additionally, Charity was named 2nd Team All-State from the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Class B in her sophomore, junior and senior years.
Charity still holds numerous school records in basketball including points in a season (482), points in a career (1,471), assists in a season (171), assists in a career (567), steals in a season (133), and steals in a career (464) as well as free throw percentage (81%).
Beyond athletics, Charity was involved with the student council, National Honor Society and was a 7-time team captain. Graduating at the top of her class meant she also earned a number of scholar-athlete awards including the coveted MHSAA Scholar Athlete Award in 2005 and was named Academic All-American for basketball and softball.
Charity played basketball in college at Lake Superior State University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College before transferring to Western Michigan University to complete her bachelor's degree in Family Studies/Child Development. Charity and her husband Chad have four children, all who attend Otsego Public Schools. Charity enjoys coaching her kids, vacationing with family and substitute teaching at OPS. She would like to thank her parents for all the opportunities they provided her; her siblings - Ben, Nicole, Stephanie, Nate, and Candace - for their support and the important role they played in her life and success; and thank her coaches Pat McMullen, Mary Grile and Tim Syrek for their guidance.
Jessica (Sheen) Strickler
Jessica (Sheen) Strickler earned 10 varsity letters and set numerous records at OHS as a standout athlete in volleyball, track & field and cross country. A 2003 graduate, Jessica was a part of the 2003 Conference and District Championship volleyball team and 2003 Conference Championship Track & Field team. She was a multi-year captain and MVP, 4-time All-State Track & Field Athlete and was Academic All-State in track & field and volleyball.
Jessica was a part of eight school records including six individual records in cross country and track and still holds the record for the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, the 400 yard dash and as a part of the 1600 relay team. One of her favorite memories was winning the track & field Conference Championship with her best friends Abby and Anna Smallcombe and Becky and Jessica McDonald, who, between the five of them, broke 11 records at OHS.
Jessica turned down athletic scholarships to join the military where she earned awards for Top Female Score on the Military Police Physical Endurance & Conditioning Course and Top Female Score on the Army Physical Fitness Test. She even won a dodgeball tournament while on a combat tour in Iraq.
Jessica earned a Communications degree from Western Michigan University and is currently an officer for the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. Additionally, Jessica serves on the board of the non-profit relief group, Isaiah 58:12 Disaster Relief and Preparedness.
Jessica and her husband, Michael Strickler, have two boys and live in Richland. Together, they coached the first Men’s Club Volleyball Team at Gull Lake. She enjoys running, spending time with my family, doing CrossFit, and playing competitive 2 on 2 beach volleyball. She credits her parents, Fulton & Cheryl, as her greatest examples and mentors. She would like to thank her favorite teachers - Mr. Belton and Mrs. Emmons - who encouraged and influenced her life. And finally would like to thank her coaches - Leslie Emmons, Mary Grile, Pete Fager and Steve Long - for their guidance and support.
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Three Otsego alumni will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame February 7th.
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