PHILADEPHIA -- Erin Donohue has always held a special place in her heart for Franklin Field.
So when the Haddonfield, N.J. native was honored as member of the Wall of Fame Class of 2020 at the 126th Penn Relays on Saturday, it was a very emotional moment for her. Since the 2020 meet was cancelled, the Penn Relays Wall of Fame Class of 2020 was honored this year.
"We didn't live far from here, so I used to come over to Franklin Field all the time when I was in middle school and run with my dad (Ed), and we'd come to all the meets here,'' said Donohue. "And I'd always look at the names on the Wall of Fame and wonder what I'd have to do to get on that wall, so this is moment means so much to me. To me, the Penn Relays has always been the number one place for track and field, so to come back here and be honored at Franklin Field is such an amazing feeling. I was an Olympian, but there are athletes on this wall who won gold medals at the Olympics, and that just on a whole other level. So for me to be on the same Wall of Fame as them is a special honor.''
Donohue, who retired from professional running in 2016, finished her legendary career as one of just four American women to capture Penn Relays championships at the high school, college and professional levels. She collected eight total wins at the Penn Relays-the high school mile, five distance relays with the University of North Carolina, and the invitational mile twice. Donohue, a 2008 U.S. Olympian in the 1,500, was part of all three wins when UNC pulled off its amazing distance relay triple in 2003. Those relay teams included Shalane Flanagan, Alice Schmidt, and Anissa Gainey.
"I have to say that winning the 4x800, DMR, and 4x1,500 in '03 stands out as my favorite moment because of how great that team was that was I on,'' said Donohue. "Shalane, Alice, and Anissa were just so talented. We made such a great team.''
How great was Donohue?
Check out these numbers!!
Known for her blood and guts, blue-collar running style, Donohue, who graduated from Haddonfield in 2001, finished her historic high school career with nine Meet of Champions titles (two in cross-country, one indoors and 6 outdoors). She probably would have won more M of C titles, but she only ran one indoor track season after starring on the basketball court through her junior season. Donohue scored over 1,000 career points in basketball and led Haddonfield to a state Group 2 title.
She won three national titles in the mile, including a then state record 4:42.96 when she won the mile in the final high school race of her career at the 2001 National Scholastic Championships at North Carolina State University. Donohue also finished her career with a state record 15 state outdoor Group Championship titles out of a possible 16! Donohue won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 four straight years at the outdoor state Group Championships, and also won the javelin three times!
At the 2001 M of C, Donohue, after already winning the 1,600 and 3,200, nearly won the javelin, placing second to Chelsea Salisbury of Buena by just three inches. In 2000, Donohue was named to the All-Century Team by The Star-Ledger, and she was chosen as the state's Athlete of the Year multiple times.
After graduating from Haddonfield, Donohue earning All-American honors seven times at North Carolina , running and she captured an ACC title in the javelin.
In 2005, after graduating from NC, Donohue accepted an internship with Nike's In-Store Communications department and continued to train around the Nike campus in Beaverton, Oregon. By the beginning of 2006, Donohue was training full-time and competing as a professional. In 2007, Donohue made the U.S. World Outdoor Championship team in the 1,500, and a year later accomplished her biggest goal when she finished second in the 1,500 at the U.S. Olympic Trials to earn a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
In 2010, Donohue (pictured here on far left) made the U.S. World Indoor Championship team in the 1,500, and in 2015 she qualified for the U.S. National Championships in the 800. After surgery prevented her from competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012, Donohue qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in both the 800 and 1600.
Donohue finished her career with personal bests of 4:03.49 for 1,500, 1:59.99 for 800, 2:37.42 for 1,000, and 8:55.07 for 3,000.
She is also a member of the Haddonfield Hall of Fame and the NJSIAA Hall of Fame.
Nowadays, the 38-year-old Donohue lives in Haddonfield, and she married (her last name is now Livecchi), and she has two daughters (Juliet-3 1/2), and Sophia (1 1/2). She works on the Corporate Audit Team for Campbell Soup.
"Looking back on my career, I feel like I got the most of myself,'' said Donohue. "I accomplished everything I could have ever hoped for, and to be here at Franklin Field where I have so many great memories, and be added to the Wall of Fame is a dram come true.''