Hall of Fame
John Pacovsky is one of just three Raiders in school history, along with current hall of famer Jason McMullen and also Derek Nothstein, to earn three NCAA All-America honors in any event. They have all done so in the javelin. He was also an integral part of SU Track & Field teams that won three straight PSAC titles from 2003-05.
On the final throw of his collegiate career, Pacovsky unleashed his personal best throw of 222 feet, 4 inches to place third at the NCAA Championships and earn his third and final All-America First Team award. That throw remains the third-farthest ever at Shippensburg with the new javelin.
In his sophomore season, Pacovsky first qualified for nationals with a throw at the Quaker Invitational, and also threw more than 200 feet at the Raleigh Relays. He earned his first All-America classification with a fifth-place throw of 209 feet, 10 inches at nationals that season. His junior season featured an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships on a top throw of 205 feet, 5 inches.
As a senior, Pacovsky came one inch shy of a PSAC title, placing second on a throw of 209 feet. He placed third at the PSAC Championships as a sophomore, throwing 210 feet, and took seventh as a junior despite battling a foot injury at the time of the conference meet.
Pacovsky was consistently among the leaders on the Raider conference championship teams. He served as a team captain and graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
After graduation, Pacovsky continued competing in the javelin for several years while also coaching at both Carlisle High School and Trinity High School as well as mentoring specific athletes along the way. Pacovsky met his wife, Amanda, in 2009 at a best friend’s wedding. The couple lives in Mechanicsburg and are the proud parents of 5-year-old daughter, Mia, who just started kindergarten. He has worked for the last eight years as a field claims adjuster for Farmers Insurance.
