5 Super Athletes With Ties To Manchester

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Manchester area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Andrew Valmon (Track And Field)

During his time at Manchester Township High School, sprinter Andrew Valmon was a dominant force in the Shore Conference, leading the Hawks to an impressive 46 consecutive wins. Valmon later represented Team USA at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, earning two gold medals as part of the 4x400 relay teams. Beyond his competitive career, Valmon transitioned to coaching, eventually leading the Maryland track program and serving as head coach for Team USA’s track squad at the 2012 London Olympics.

2. Leilani Correa (Basketball)

Basketball star Leilani Correa made her mark at Manchester Township High School, leading the Hawks to their best-ever performance in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions with 595 points and 264 rebounds in her senior year. After playing at St. John’s University and the University of Florida—where she led the Southeastern Conference in scoring and earned SEC Sixth-Woman of the Year honors—Correa was drafted 27th overall by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft.

3. Kevin Malast (Football)

Kevin Malast made his mark as a standout linebacker at Manchester High School, where he earned three-time first-team All-Conference honors and was named team MVP twice. After a stellar collegiate career at Rutgers University, where he served as team captain and led the team in tackles his senior year, Malast pursued a professional career in the NFL. Despite going undrafted, he played for teams like the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, contributing primarily on special teams.

4. Destiny Adams (Basketball)

Destiny Adams made history at Manchester High School alongside her father, Dennis Adams, as the first father-daughter duo to score 1,000 points each — later surpassing his total with a remarkable 2,010 career points. After two seasons at the University of North Carolina, Adams transferred to Rutgers University, embracing the opportunity to play for her home state’s flagship university. Inspired by Rutgers' new vision and commitment to building a championship culture, Adams is proud to represent New Jersey while playing closer to her family, who have been instrumental in her journey.

5. Shavar Reynolds Jr. (Basketball)

Shavar Reynolds, a native of Manchester Township, went from an unrecruited walk-on to a scholarship player and key contributor to Seton Hall University’s basketball program. Reynolds’ journey began in a pick-up game at the Richie Regan Recreation Center, where his grit and basketball IQ caught the attention of coaches and teammates. He was recruited by PAOK BC, a Greek pro basketball club, for the 2024-2025 season.

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.