Hampton Hall of Fame inductee Kristen Everhart could do it all

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, September 17, 2017 | 11:00 PM

Though she goes by Kristen Everhart, the Hampton girls track and field record book still says Kristen Lawler.

An exemplary runner, jumper and swimmer, Everhart rewrote the high jumping record books her senior year with a 5-foot-6¾ jump that stands more than 20 years later.

Her success was honored Saturday when she was inducted into the Hampton Athletic Hall of Fame.

“I was beyond excited when I got the call,” she said. “I look at the names of people who were in it, and it's such an honor.”

The type of athlete who was good at anything, Everhart qualified for WPIALs all four years and the PIAA championships twice. She also ran in the 1,600 relay — earning multiple medals in WPIAL events — and was captain of the track and field team as a senior.

In addition, she was captain of the swim team for the 1996-97 season, qualifying for WPIALs in every event except the breaststroke, and swam in relays at the state championships.

She also started at forward/midfielder as a freshman and sophomore for the soccer team that won back-to-back WPIAL championships. After that, she decided to focus on track and swimming. It wasn't the last time she had to make a difficult choice with her sports commitments.

After being accepted to Penn State without any athletic scholarships, she walked on to the track and field team as a high jumper. It was a major accomplishment, but her rigorous academic schedule made it difficult to manage after her freshman year.

“I was really excited (making the Penn State track team),” she said.

Everhart eventually completed a double major in biology and math, as well as a business minor.

“The experience was amazing, but it was such a huge time commitment,” she said. “I knew with all my heart I had to hang it up.”

�Everhart comes from a family of successful athletes at Hampton. Brother Kevin Lawler (Class of '99) was an accomplished soccer and tennis player.

After graduation, Everhart worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 10 years.

Now a stay-at-home mom with two children, Alexa, 10, and Jackson, 8, Everhart resides in the Mars area with her husband, Brian.

“It's nice knowing, looking back, you put so much hard work into practicing and don't expect much out of it except the memories you have and how it shapes you,” she said. “It's nice to be recognized for it.”

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hampton