The Otsego Athletic Boosters welcomed the three newest members into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Feb., between the girls and boys varsity basketball games.
The Class of 2025 included Jesse Blanchard, Charity (Knight) Newby and Jessica (Sheen) Strickler.
A ceremony to honor the inductees took place at center court, with each inductee receiving a plaque. They were 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.
Here is a closer look at this year’s Hall of Fame members:
Jesse Blanchard
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.
Blanchard set a school record for wins in a season with 50 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.)
Blanchard competed at the Individual State Finals both his junior and senior years, earning runner-up honors as a senior. He finished his career with 133 win, including 71 via pin.
Blanchard also excelled in the classroom, as he was named Academic All-State as a senior.
After high school, Blanchard 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.
Blanchard’s leadership and guidance as a coach also earned him the Outstanding People for Education award for Otsego in 2020.
Currently, Blanchard is an assistant coach for both wrestling and football at OHS and is an active contributor when it comes to 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 (a 2024 OHS graduate) and Lane (OHS Class of 2026).
Charity (Knight) Newby
Newby was a standout four-year, three-sport athlete and graduated in the Top 10 of her class of 2005. She played varsity all four years in basketball, volleyball and softball, earning a number of individual honors including All-Conference, All-County, All-District and All-Region.
Newby was part of a Wolverine Conference championship team in each of her three sports and was a district champion in volleyball and basketball. Her volleyball team won a regional title and was state runner-up.
Additionally, Newby was named Second Team All-State from the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Class B in her sophomore, junior and senior years.
Newby still holds numerous school records in basketball: 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 percent).
A 7-time team captain in her various sports, Newby was also involved with the student council and National Honor Society.
Graduating at the top of her class meant Newby also earned a number of scholar-athlete awards, including the coveted MHSAA Scholar Athlete Award in 2005. She was also named Academic All-American for basketball and softball.
Newby 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. She and her husband Chad have four children, all who attend Otsego Public Schools.
Newby enjoys coaching her children, vacationing with family and substitute teaching at OPS. She would like to thank her siblings—Ben, Nicole, Stephanie, Nate and Candace—for their support and the important role they played in her life and success. She also expressed her gratitude to coaches Pat McMullen, Mary Grile and Tim Syrek for their guidance.
Jessica (Sheen) Strickler
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, Strickler 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.
Strickler was a part of eight school records, including six individual records in cross country and track. She still holds the records for the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, the 400 yard dash and as a part of the 1600 relay team.
One of Strickler’s 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.
After high school, Strickler turned down athletic scholarships to join the military. In the military, 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.
Strickler earned a communications degree from Western Michigan University and is currently an officer for the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. Additionally, she serves on the board of the non-profit relief group, Isaiah 58:12 Disaster Relief and Preparedness.
Strickler 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.
In her free time, Strickler enjoys running, spending time with her family, doing CrossFit and playing competitive 2-on-2 beach volleyball.
Strickler credits her parents, Fulton and Cheryl, as her greatest examples and mentors. She would also like to thank her favorite teachers—Darryl Belton and Leslie Emmons—who encouraged and influenced her life.
She also wanted to thank her high school coaches—Emmons, Mary Grile, Pete Fager and Steve Long—for their guidance and support.
These are some upstanding people. Congratulations, very well deserved.