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NYU Wrestling Captain From NJ Battles Brain Cancer With Unbreakable Spirit
Benny Bautista isn’t new to tough battles.
The 21-year-old captain of the NYU wrestling team and Paramus Catholic grad has spent years facing challenges on the mat. But now, Bautista, of Montvale, NJ, is up against something even tougher: Grade 3 Oligodendroglioma, a rare and aggressive brain cancer.
Despite the diagnosis that came just after New Year's, Bautista's unwavering spirit and selflessness have not faltered. For his teammates, Bautista is more than just a leader—he’s the glue that holds them together.
"When I think of altruism, I think of Benny," said Danny Lightfoot, team …
NJ's Woj, Famed NBA Insider, Drops Cancer Diagnosis Bomb: Report
Adrian Wojnarowski, a Glen Rock resident who became the preeminent NBA insider for ESPN before his shocking retirement in September, revealed to Sports Illustrated he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year.
In a profile about his retirement, Wojnarowski, known for his "Woj bombs" that altered the NBA landscape, discussed his decision to leave a job that paid him $7.3 million annually to become general manager of the St. Bonaventure college basketball team, making $75,000, living in an apartment above a bar in upstate New York.
Last February, blood tests revealed Wojn…
Meet Michael Ray Richardson, Who Played For Knicks, Nets, In North Jersey
Michael Ray Richardson was a four-time NBA All Star who starred for the Knicks and Nets before being banned for drug use, starting him on a road to redemption.
Richardson is signing copies of his new book "Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption," at Bookends in Ridgewood on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.
On the Knicks, Richardson led the league in assists and steals, and made the All-Defensive team twice, while also playing for the Nets and Warriors.
In 1986, Richardson was banned from the NBA for repeated drugs and alcohol violations. Richardson played fo…
Fast Facts About New Jersey Native Just Named New Orleans Saints Interim Head Coach
The New Orleans Saints' new interim head coach may be familiar to football fans in the Northeast.
Darren Rizzi, who has served as the Saints special teams coach since 2022, was named interim head coach on Monday, Nov. 4, after the team fired Head Coach Dennis Allen.
The 54-year-old Hillsdale, NJ, native was one of Bergen Catholic's most widely recognized receivers, bringing the school's football team to the State Championship Game twice. The team won a title in 1986, and Rizzi held a BC career record of 69 receptions — a title that he held for 22 years, for 1,239 yards and 1…
Nutley Wrestling Community Embraces High School Grappler After Dad Marc DellaVolpe's Death
Nutley's wrestling community is mourning the loss of Marc DellaVolpe, who is being widely remembered as one of the most passionate, supportive, and knowledgeable parents on the sidelines.
DellaVolpe, 47, of Nutley, died unexpectedly on Thursday, Oct. 17.
"He was very supportive of his son, Louis, and traveled all over the place [for his matches]," said 10-year Nutley youth wrestling coach Michael Blanchard.
Blanchard's son is the same year as DellaVolpe's son, Louis, and the two have been wrestling together since first or second grade. They both just started as freshmen at Nutley High Scho…
