NMH Culminates Spring Season with Athletics Celebration

Levity and jubilation coursed through Alumni Hall and Memorial Chapel on May 16, as NMH wrapped up its year in sports with the Spring Athletics Celebration. The mirth was punctuated by reflections from student-athletes and coaches on the busy spring season, recognition of individual and team accomplishments, and a fond farewell to several beloved members of the NMH athletics community.

The evening began with the traditional team banquet in Alumni Hall, where students celebrated with teammates and posed for photos with friends and coaches. Following the dinner, the crowd made its way up the hill to the chapel, where the awards portion of the evening began with an introduction by Athletics Special Advisor Rick Hendrickson.

“This is the one evening when all 23 of our spring teams get together,” said Hendrickson, who noted that the spring season comprises the largest number of teams in the NMH athletics program, with roughly 70% of the student body represented.

Hendrickson announced several highlights from the spring season, including the return of the NMH varsity baseball program, which had been on hiatus since 2019, and the 50th anniversary of the girls’ rowing program, among other team and individual accomplishments.

He also took the time to recognize unsung members of the NMH community instrumental to the success of the athletics program, including the groundskeepers, training staff, dining hall staff, counselors, coaches, and athletics administrators.

“There are a vast number of people that are intertwined with everything that we do,” Hendrickson said. “Those people do a lot of work to help us so that we can compete, so that we can do things as simple as practice, and in so many other ways.”

Grant Gonzalez, the assistant head of school for campus life and coach of the cross-country and track and field teams, stepped to the lectern to ruminate on the ways NMH athletics exemplifies the school’s motto of “learning for the head, heart, and hands.”

“You've trained through effort and competition — that's the hands part of our model,” Gonzalez said. “You've engaged your head through strategy, discipline, and focus, and you've shown your heart in how you encourage each other, how you carry yourself through a win or a loss, and how you celebrate someone else's progress and not just your own.”

The crowd was then treated to a video montage of highlights from the spring season, followed by reflections from student-athletes Paeto Wangweera ’25 and Elianna Umana Kimura ’25.

Wangweera spoke about his experiences on the varsity boys’ volleyball team and how it taught him to appreciate the moments between games — the practices, the bus rides, and the bonds that are forged from working together toward a shared goal.

“It was those things that made me enjoy volleyball: the attention to detail and the joy of being around people who care about me,” Wangweera said. “When I’m talking about details, I don’t mean just on the court or on the field: It's all the same off the court. You have to spend the time on the weird traditions, go to team lunches, team dinners, all of it, because those details will help you further in life.”

Kimura, a three-season athlete with the girls’ track and field, varsity Alpine skiing, and varsity soccer teams, meditated on the true value of competition and the sense of camaraderie that courses through the school’s athletics program.

“You will meet people in your life who are better than you, especially for something that you are good at,” Kimura said. “And yet that is the greatest tool we can use to our advantage. By pushing yourself, by just trying to keep up with the person ahead, you will become better than you ever expected yourself to be.

“NMH calls us citizens, scholars, and athletes, because we are more than one label that defines us,” she continued. “We have backgrounds, stories, moments that extend beyond a frivolous concept of just a ‘game.’ It doesn't matter if you're the star player on the team or the kid who is just learning for the first time, a senior or a freshman. At the beginning of the game, we all come together in a circle, to say ‘NMH on 3,’ and at the end, even if we lose, we come together again, repeating those words, fusing together our hardships and feats, and drawing the circle.”

Coaches awards were then presented to individual students from each of the 23 spring teams who exemplified the spirit and dedication NMH strives for throughout the season.

The recipients of the spring season coaches’ awards were:

• Jackie Robinson Baseball Award: Vinnie Pasquarosa ’25
• John E. Baldwin Golf Award: Blake Baksay ’25
• David H. Schorer Boys’ Lacrosse Award: Leo Piamthipmanus ’25
• Girls’ JV Lacrosse: Eliza Jessen ’26
• Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse: Kaia Swamp ’25
• Outdoor Team: Grady Miller-Foulk ’25
• Boys’ Novice Rowing: Yusei Yano ’28
• Boys’ Varsity Rowing: Soren Anderson-Flynn ’25
• Girls’ JV Rowing: Lucy Jacobs ’28
• Girls’ Varsity Rowing: Maggie Provencal ’25
• Varsity Softball: Rachel Wood ’25
• Boys’ JV Tennis: Julian Bartels-Thiel ’25
• Crawford L. Gilligan Boys’ Varsity Tennis Award: Tommy Wey ’28
• Charles E. Barbour Boys’ Tennis Doubles Award: Ethan Huang ’26 and Tommy Wey ’28
• Girls’ JV Tennis: Devin Troy ’25
• Girls’ Varsity Tennis: Grace Cummiskey ’25
• Boys’ Varsity Track and Field: Will Olsen ’25
• Girls’ Varsity Track and Field: Elianna Umana Kimura ’25
• Boys’ JV Ultimate: Ayman Qawwash ’26
• Max Fezer Boys’ Varsity Ultimate Award: Rigel Velez ’25
• Girls’ Varsity Ultimate: Jane Namusisi ’26
• Boys’ JV Volleyball: Tad Coleman ’27
• Boys’ Varsity Volleyball: Paeto Wangweera ’25

Before announcing the final two spring season awards, Hendrickson recognized seven coaches who are departing NMH after the season.

The following coaches are leaving to pursue other opportunities:

• Sam Keator: boys’ JV lacrosse head coach, boys’ varsity lacrosse assistant coach, boys’ varsity hockey assistant coach
• Charley Neisner: girls’ JV lacrosse head coach, girls’ varsity basketball assistant coach
• Meg Merlino: girls’ and boys’ varsity volleyball head coach

In addition, four longtime NMH coaches are retiring after this season:

• Diane Arena: girls’ JV field hockey coach
• Ted Kenyon: girls’ JV field hockey coach
• Bill Roberts: boys’ varsity tennis coach
• Mark Yates: boys’ varsity and JV ultimate coach

“Each of these retirees have 20-plus years of service,” Hendrickson said of the retiring coaches. “But what most impresses me — the one thing that all these coaches share — is what you've had to say about them and what others have experienced with them: that they are transformational influences.”

Rounding out the seasonal awards portion of the ceremony were the Excellence in Athletics and Excellence in Coaching awards.

The student award, given to an athlete who “exemplifies the core values and principles of NMH athletics and serves as a model for peers and as a standard for students, scholars, and athletes,” went to Leo Piamthipmanus ’25 from the boys’ lacrosse team.

“This young man, his coach tells me, decided to play goalie this year because it's what's best for the team,” Hendrickson said. “He stays after practice and is the last one cleaning the field and then hangs around to play with the coaches’ kids. When he is on the bench, he leads the bench and is the most positive teammate that we have.”

This season’s Excellence in Coaching Award went to tennis coach Bill Roberts.

“[Bill has] coached very good teams, and he's coached teams that struggled,” said Hendrickson. “His focus is always on having fun and performing well, and he tells me that if his kids do that, the winning will take care of itself. That definitely reflects our core values.”

The awards ceremony concluded with the announcement of the annual Housen Coaching Awards. Established in 1979 by David and Sadye Housen GP ’77, ’78, ’79, ’81, these awards are presented at the end of the academic year to two coaches who embody the spirit of NMH athletics and serve as transformational influences in the lives of athletes.

“Our two recipients this year won championships and coached beginners,” said Hendrickson. “They smile each time I speak with them about their teams, their mission, and the years past. One is the stalwart of the field hockey program; the other is the lifeblood of our Ultimate program. I can say many things about these two, but words fall short of the true impact they have had on hundreds of lives.

“I’m very pleased to present these awards to Diane Arena and Mark Yates,” said Hendrickson, as the crowd exploded in applause.

The ceremony over, students and coaches spilled out of the chapel into the early moments of a warm spring dusk, eager to enjoy their last weekend of the academic year together.

Watching the passing groups of students, their faces alight with the same energy he’s witnessed countless times through his years as a coach and teacher, Roberts reflected on his award and career at NMH.

“What can I say?” said Roberts, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “The absolute best part of coaching is working with the kids: watching them become better athletes and better teammates. We didn’t always have the best team, but we always had fun.”

Photos by Matthew Cavanaugh Photography. See more scenes from the 2025 Spring Athletics Celebration on Flickr.