Michele Marangi (2014)

1984 Girls Tennis The Ridgewood High School girl's tennis program has a long and storied history of both individuals and teams leaving their marks in the RHS record books. Michele Marangi is an individual whose career set both individual and team records that have stood the test of time. A 1984 graduate of RHS, Michele was the leader of a program that won numerous championships as she compiled an individual 80-13 record over her four years competing for the Maroons. During her freshman season in 1980-1981, she played First Team Doubles with Liz Luongo and in recognition of their efforts in helping Ridgewood win the NNJIL Championship they were voted FirstTeam All-Bergen County at First Doubles. Her sophomore year Michele jumped up to the very competitive First Singles slot and after competing against the very best singles players in the County and leading Ridgewood to an undefeated season in league play, she was voted Second Team All-Bergen County. As a junior, Marangi led Ridgewood to the Group IV Section I State Championship from her First Singles position, won the William Paterson Tri-County Singles Tournament and was selected as the First Team All-Bergen County First Singles player. She came back her senior year to captain the Maroons as they went undefeated in NNJIL play, and won the Group IV Section I Championship again, before losing in the New Jersey Group IV Finals. In recognition of her stellar season, she was once again selected for the First Team All-Bergen County tennis team at First Singles making her one of the few athletes in Bergen County history to be selected for the All-County Team four consecutive years. After her graduation from Ridgewood High School and a year at Mary Washington, Michele transferred to Muhlenberg College where she competed for three years for the Mules. Her Muhlenberg career ended up being as impressive if not more impressive than her Ridgewood HS career as she compiled a 63-9 combined singles and doubles record including going 22-1 in 1986. She led Muhlenberg to three consecutive MAC Northeast Titles and MAC Northern Division Championships in 1986 and 1987.Marangi was the first player in program history to win an individual conference title including the MAC doubles crown in 1987 and the MAC singles title in 1988. In recognition and in honor of her achievements, Michele was inducted into the Muhlenberg College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996. Continuing a theme seen in many of the members of the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame; Michele continues to be active in the sport of tennis as an instructor. Her many accomplishments on the tennis courts for RHS and Muhlenberg College, and her continued passion for her chosen sport of tennis make her a very worthy inductee into the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall Of Fame in the Class of 2014.