FINAL PUSH: Princeton University women’s basketball player Ellie Mitchell pushes past a foe in a game last season. Power forward Michell was named the Ivy Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in her career and was a second-team All-Ivy choice. She ended her Tiger career with 1,125 rebounds, the most-ever at Princeton for either a men’s or women’s player. Mitchell’s gritty play was a key factor in Princeton’s success last winter as it went 25-5, winning both the Ivy regular season title and the league’s postseason tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over the course of 2024, Princeton University athletic teams and local high school sports programs produced a number of highlight moments along with some dramatic postseason near-misses.

In the winter season, the Princeton University men’s basketball team appeared to be building on the success it experienced during its magic ride to the NCAA Sweet 16 in March 2023, getting off to a 24-3 start on the way to winning its third straight Ivy League regular season crown. Things went awry, though, in the postseason as the Tigers were stunned by Brown in the Ivy tournament semis and then lost to UNLV in the first round of the NIT. The Princeton women’s hoops squad won the Ivy regular season title and tournament and seemed poised for an NCAA run. Facing West Virginia in a first-round contest, the Tigers rallied to trail by seven late in the game but ended up falling 63-53 to end the winter at 25-5. The Princeton women’s squash team brought a 12-2 record into the College Squash Association (CSA) Howe Cup final but fell short of a national title as it lost 6-2 to Trinity.

On the high school scene, the Princeton High girls’ swim team produced a dominant winter, rolling to its third consecutive Mercer County Championships title. Going for their second straight state crown, the Tigers won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Group B sectional title and then topped Shawnee in the Group B state semis before getting edged 89-81 by fellow powerhouse Chatham in the state final. The Princeton Day School girls’ hockey went 7-3 down the stretch, winning the Librera Cup and advancing to the NJSIAA state tournament semis. The Panthers led 3-1 early in the third period against Immaculate Heart in the semifinal contest, only to fall 4-3. The PDS boys’ hockey team won their NJSIAA Non-Public first round contest and then nearly pulled the upset of the tournament as they battled eventual state champion St. Augustine tooth-and-nail before falling 3-2 in overtime.

In the spring, the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team rode a high-powered attack to the Ivy tournament title but couldn’t overcome an early deficit in losing to Maryland in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Tiger women’s lax team rebounded from a losing season in 2023 to get back in the NCAA tourney. The Tigers won their first round game over Drexel, but fell short in 21-16 shootout against Boston College in the second round. The Princeton softball team won the Ivy regular season title and the league postseason tournament. The Tigers then topped Ole Miss 4-2 at the NCAA Louisiana regional to earn the program’s first win in the national tourney since 2005 but ended up getting eliminated by host Louisiana in the double-elimination regional.

Across town, the Hun School softball team brought a 16-1 record into postseason play and were looking to make a deep run in both the Mercer County Tournament (MCT) and Prep A state tourney. The Raiders ended up falling in the MCT quarterfinals and the Prep A final. The Hun baseball team, however, did close the deal in playoff action, winning the MCT and the Prep A crown to go along with taking first in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL). The PDS girls’ lacrosse team featured a powerful attack that got it to the Prep B state final where it lost to Montclair Kimberley Academy. Sparked by the dynamic duo of Patrick Kenah and Brendan Beatty, the Princeton High boys’ lax team advanced to the MCT final for the first time since 2017 but came up short as it fell 16-11 to Hopewell Valley in the title game.

The return of Beth Yeager from a year-long hiatus to play for the U.S. national team at the Paris 2024 Olympics sparked Princeton field hockey to a stellar campaign that saw it win the Ivy regular season title. The Tigers edged Boston College 1-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament before dropping a 1-0 heartbreaker to Saint Joseph’s in a quarterfinal clash. The Princeton men’s soccer team went 5-1 in its last six regular season games and then went on to win the Ivy League tournament, topping Cornell in the semis and Penn in the final. The Tigers finished the fall by losing 1-0 to Akron in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Princeton women’s soccer team produced a title double, winning both the Ivy regular season title and league tournament. Playing at Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, the Tigers saw their stellar campaign end with a 2-1 defeat.

Having rolled to the NJSIAA Group 4 state title in 2023, the Princeton High boys’ soccer team looked formidable again this fall. The Tigers won the first-ever Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament, edging Notre Dame 1-0 in the final. Going for its second state title, PHS topped Monroe 1-0 in the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final, but then fell 1-0 to Southern in the state semis. The PHS girls’ volleyball team did achieve its goal of earning a second straight NJSIAA Group 3 title, winning each game in the state tournament by 2-0 scores, culminating with a comprehensive 25-8, 25-11 victory over Ramapo in the state final. Another Tiger girls’ program, cross country, made history as well. The Tigers placed first in both the CVC Championship and the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 sectional meet. The squad, which featured a core of young runners, went on to win the Group 4 state championship meet for the first time in program history and then took second at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, the best-ever finish for the team at that event.

The PDS boys’ soccer team produced a magical run to the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public final. First-year coach Gary Roberts guided his sixth-seeded squad to 1-0 wins on the road in the quarters and semis before it fell on penalty kicks in the sectional final at Moorestown Friends. Paced by Grayson McLaughlin, boys’ cross country came through in postseason competition, placing first at both the Prep B state championship meet and the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B Championships. Featuring a balanced attack and a stingy defense led by goalie Diego Pena, the Hun boys’ soccer emerged as one of the top teams in the area. The Raiders advanced to the Prep A state final for the first time in years where it fell to perennial powerhouse Pennington to end the fall with a 13-4-2 record.

X-FACTOR: Princeton University men’s basketball player Xaivian Lee flies to the hoop in a game last winter during his sophomore season. Guard Lee emerged as a star in 2023-24, averaging 17.1 points and 5.7 rebounds a game up from 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds as a freshman. Lee’s heroics helped Princeton win the Ivy League regular season title on the way to a 24-5 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PU – Winter

Led by the dynamic duo of sophomore stars, Caden Pierce and Xaivian Lee, the Princeton University men’s basketball team produced another stellar campaign. Coming off a 2022-23 season that saw the Tigers reach the NCAA Sweet 16, coach Mitch Henderson’s squad picked up where it left off, reeling off nine straight wins to start the season.

With forward Pierce providing inside punch and guard Lee emerging as an electrifying performer, Princeton posted a 24-3 regular season record and earned its third straight Ivy League regular season title. But running out of gas, the Tigers faltered in postseason, losing to Brown in the Ivy Madness tourney semis and then getting defeated by UNLV in the first round of the NIT to end the winter at 24-5. Pierce was named as the Ivy Player of the Year while Lee joined him as a first-team All-Ivy selection.

Senior standouts Ellie Mitchell and Kaitlyn Chen starred as women’s basketball won its sixth straight Ivy League regular season title and then went on to win its fifth straight Ivy Madness postseason tournament. Coach Carla Berube’s squad fell 63-53 to West Virginia in the first round of the NCAA tournament as it finished with a 25-5 record.

Senior point guard Chen was named as a first-team All-Ivy selection, leading the Tigers in scoring (15.9 points) while shooting a career high from the floor (49.1 percent) and from the three-point line (32.2 percent). Power forward Michell was named the Ivy Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in her career and was a second-team All-Ivy choice. She ended her Tiger career with 1,125 rebounds, the most-ever at Princeton for either a men’s or women’s player.

UP IN ARMS: Princeton University women’s hockey player Sarah Fillier celebrates after scoring a goal last winter. Fillier ended her sensational career on a high note, tallying a team-high 43 points on 30 goals and 13 assists. Fillier, who helped the Canadian women’s national team win the gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, tallied 93 career goals (sixth all-time in program history), 101 career assists (second all-time), and 194 career points (fourth all-time). She was later picked first in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) draft by New York. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Sarah Fillier ended her sensational career with women’s hockey on a high note, tallying a team-high 43 points on 30 goals and 13 assists. Coach Cara Morey’s squad posted a 14-12-6 record as it advanced to the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals.

Fillier, who helped the Canadian women’s national team win a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, tallied 93 career goals (sixth all-time in program history), 101 career assists (second all-time), and 194 career points (fourth all-time). She was later picked first in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) draft by New York.

Adam Robbins and Brendan Gorman sparked the offense while Nick Carabin and Noah de la Durantaye spearheaded the defense for men’s hockey. Coach Ron Fogarty guided the Tigers to an overall record of 10-16-4. In March, Fogarty was fired and a month later, Ben Syer, a longtime assistant coach at Cornell and Quinnipiac, was named as the new head coach of the program.

There was drama for wrestling before the season even started as head coach Chris Ayres unexpectedly left the program in September after 17 years, taking the head coaching job at Stanford. He was succeeded by one of his assistants, Joe Dubuque, who guided the Tigers to a 6-7 record in duals. Princeton performed well at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships as Matt Cover took fourth at 285 pounds, Tyler Vazquez placed fifth at 141, and Luke Stout finished sixth at 197.

Aidan Wang starred as men’s swimming placed second at the Ivy League Championships. Wang was named the High Point Diver of the Meet after sweeping the one-meter and three-meter diving events. Coach Matt Crispino’s squad piled up 1,321 points at the Ivy meet with Harvard winning with a total of 1,682.

Dakota Tucker led the way as women’s swimming placed first at the Ivy League Championships. Tucker was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer after winning three events — the 200-yard individual medley, the 400 IM, and the 200 breaststroke. Coach Abby Brethauer’s team tallied 1,403 points, well ahead of second-place Harvard’s 1,317.5 as the program won its 25th Ivy title.

Distance running star Nicholas Bendtsen set the pace as men’s track took first at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Championships. Bendtsen placed first in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters at the meet. Coach Jason Vigilante’s squad piled up 168 points in taking first with Cornell coming in second at 115. It marked the ninth consecutive and 25th Ivy Indoor Heps Title for the program.

Tessa Mudd and Georgina Scoot flew high for the women’s track as it placed second at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Championships. Mudd won the pole vault and was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet while Scoot won both the long jump and triple jump. Coach Michelle Eisenreich’s team fell just short of the title as it scored 134 points with Penn posting a winning total of 140.

Outside hitter Ben Harrington starred for men’s volleyball, earning first-team All-Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) honors for the third time in his career. Nyherowo Omene and Henry Wedbush were also named as first-team All-EIVA selections. Coach Sam Shweisky guided the Tigers to a 12-12 record as it fell in the EIVA quarterfinals.

Making its first appearance in the College Squash Association (CSA) Howe Cup final since 2020, the women’s squash team took second as it fell to Trinity in the title match. Zeina Zein, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, was named as a first-team All-American while Emma Trauber and Liyen Teoh were second-team choices. Coach Gail Ramsay’s team finished the winter with a 12-3 record.

GOLDEN GIRL: Princeton University women’s fencer Maia Weintraub, right, celebrates a win at the 2022 Ivy League Championships. In August, Tiger rising junior Maia Weintraub helped the U.S. women’s foil team earn a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

Sparked by the trio of Karim Elbarbary, Hollis Robertson, and Thomas Rosinmen, men’s squash advanced to the CSA semifinals. Elbarbary, Robertson, and Rosinmen were each named first-team All-Americans. Coach Sean Wilkinson guided the Tigers to a 10-3 record.

Tristan Szapary provided a highlight as fencing placed fourth at the NCAA championships. Szapary won the men’s épée championship, making him the ninth Princeton men’s fencer to win an NCAA individual title and first since 2012. Coach Zoltan Dudas’ squad had 131 wins between the men’s and women’s fencers at the event, which was won by Harvard with a total of 169. In August, Tiger rising junior Maia Weintraub helped the U.S. women’s foil team earn a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

YOUNG GUN: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Nate Kabiri heads to goal in action last spring. Attackman Kabiri tallied 32 goals and 25 assists in his debut campaign, leaving him secondamong all-time among Princeton freshmen scorers with 57 points. Kabiri’s production sparked the Tigers to an 11-5 campaign as they won the Ivy League postseason tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PU – Spring

A pair of precocious freshmen, Nate Kabiri (32 goals, 25 assists) and Colin Burns (26 goals, 9 assists), along with junior standout Coulter Mackesy (40 goals, 24 assists) sparked the attack for the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team as it won the Ivy League tournament. Coach Matt Madalon’s squad fell to Maryland in the first round of the NCAA tournament to end the spring with an 11-5 record.

McKenzie Blake (67 goals, 5 assists) and Haven Dora (29 goals, 40 assists) led the offense while Amelia Hughes (13.40 goals against average, 157 saves), the Ivy League Goalie of the Year, spearheaded the defense as women’s lacrosse got back on the winning track. Coming off a disappointing 7-9 campaign in 2023, coach Jenn Cook’s squad posted a 11-7 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Jacob Faulkner (8-1 record, 3.24 ERA) starred on the mound while Nick DiPietrantonio (.293 batting average) and Jake Koonin (.319) had big years with the bat for baseball. Coach Scott Bradley guided the Tigers to an 18-26 record and a spot in the Ivy League tournament.

It was another banner season for softball as it went 30-18 and won both the Ivy regular season title and the league postseason tournament. It marked the fifth Ivy regular season crown for Princeton in the last eight years and the 22nd overall.

Coach Lisa Van Ackeren’s squad topped Ole Miss 4-2 at the NCAA Louisiana regional to earn the program’s first win the national tourney since 2005. The Tigers were eliminated by host Louisiana in the double-elimination regional. Princeton was led by first-team All-Ivy performers Sonia Zhang (.388 batting average), Lauren Sablone (.363), and Julia Dumais (.308). Van Ackeren, for her part, was named the Ivy Coach of the Year.

Jackson Clarke set the pace as men’s track won the Ivy League Heptagonal Outdoor Track Championships. Clarke was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the meet after winning the 100 meters and the 200 meters while also helping Princeton finish second in the 4×100 meter relay. Coach Jason Vigilante’s squad piled up 204.5 points in taking first with Harvard coming in second with 126. It marked the 22nd Outdoor Heps title for the program and the first of Vigilante’s tenure.

Alexandra Kelly came up big as women’s track placed second in the Ivy League Heptagonal Outdoor Track Championships. Kelly was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer at the meet after winning the long jump and finishing second in the triple jump. Coach Michelle Eisenreich’s team fell just short of the title as it totaled 184 points with Penn scoring 184.5 to take first.

Paul Inchauspe made quite a debut for men’s tennis, earning first-team All-Ivy League honors and getting named as the Ivy Rookie of the Year. In dual match action, Inchauspe compiled a 20-6 record, going 19-6 at the No. 1 position and 5-1 in league play. Coach Billy Pate’s squad went 22-8 overall and 5-2 Ivy League as it earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament where it lost to VCU.

Continuing its domination of Ivy League competition, women’s tennis won its fifth straight league title and 18th overall. Coach Jamea Jackson guided the Tigers to a 16-7 overall record and 6-1 Ivy as it advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament where it fell to Virginia. Singles stars Neha Velaga and Maia Sung earned All-Ivy honors while Johnson was named the league’s Coach of the Year. After the season, Jackson left the program to become the head coach at Arizona State. Former Tiger assistant coach Elizabeth Begley was named to succeed Jackson.

Rachael Carver and Kayla Yelensky spearheaded the offense while goalie Lindsey Lucas starred on defense as women’s water polo won its second straight Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) title. Carver tallied 32 goals and 65 assists and Yelensky had 60 goals and 20 assists. Lucas, for her part, went 16-6 with a .554 save percentage and 222 saves, getting named as the CWPA’s Most Valuable Player. Coach Derek Ellingson guided the Tigers to a 23-7 record as they fell to Hawaii in the NCAA quarterfinals. In August, former Tiger star goalie Ashleigh Johnson ’17 and rising Princeton junior Jovana Sekulic helped the U.S. national team take fourth in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Continuing to dominate the national scene, the women’s lightweight rowing varsity eight won its fourth straight Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships title. Princeton won its third straight Commissioners’ Cup, which is given to the women’s lightweight program that scores the most points at the regatta. Coach Paul Rassam’s team totaled 67 points to edge runner-up Stanford by one point.

Led by a second-place performance from its varsity four boat, women’s open rowing took fourth place in the team standings at the NCAA Championships. Earlier in the spring, coach Lori Dauphiny’s squad won its seventh straight title at the Ivy League Championships as the varsity eight placed first to lead the way.

WRAPPED IN THE FLAG: Nick Mead poses with the U.S. flag during the closing ceremony this August at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Former Princeton University men’s heavyweight crew star Mead ’17 served as one of the U.S. flag bearers at the ceremony along with swimming star Katie Ledecky, becoming the first American rower to be so honored.Earlier, Mead rowed for the U.S. men’s four that won the gold medal, earning the first victory in the event for the Americans since the Rome 1960 Games. (Photo provided by Nick Mead)

Second-place finishes from its second varsity eight and third vagary eight helped men’s heavyweight rowing take second in the Ten Eyck standings at the IRA Championships. The second-place finish in the team standings by coach Greg Hughes’ program was the highest mark for the program since 2016. In August, former men’s heavyweight standout Nick Mead ’17 helped the U.S. men’s four win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

With its varsity eight taking second in its grand final at the IRA Championships, men’s lightweight rowing took third in the team standings. Coach Marty Crotty’s top boat has medaled in six of the last eight IRA grand finals.

William Huang and Riccardo Fantinelli led the way as men’s golf placed second at the Ivy League Championships. Huang placed second individually while Fantinelli tied for fifth for coach Will Green’s squad.

Victoria Liu produced another stellar campaign for women’s golf as she won her second career individual Ivy League Championship. Coach Erika DeSanty guided the Tigers to a sixth-place finish in the team standings at the Ivy competition. Liu went on to tie for 25th at the NCAA Las Vegas Regional.

STICKING WITH IT: Princeton University field hockey player Beth Yeager races upfield in a game this fall. Junior star Yeager, who played for U.S. national team at the Paris 2024 Olympics, helped Princeton go 14-6 in 2024 as it won the Ivy regular season title and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals. Yeager tallied 16 goals and 11 assists, getting named as the Ivy League’s Offensive Player of the Year for the third time. She also became a three-time All-American. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PU – Fall

The return of Beth Yeager after a one-year hiatus from school to play for the U.S. national team at the Paris 2024 Olympics helped spark the Princeton University field hockey team to a memorable campaign. Junior forward Yeager tallied 16 goals and 11 assists in getting named as the Ivy League Player of the Year for the third time. She also earned All-American honors for the third time. Yeager’s production helped the Tigers win the league’s regular season title. Coach Carla Tagliente’s squad advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals where it lost 1-0 to Saint Joseph’s to end the fall with a record of 14-6.

Danny Ittycheria (9 goals, 1 assist) and Jack Jasinski (1 goal, 9 assists) sparked the offense while Giuliano Fravolini Whitchurch spearheaded the back line as men’s soccer caught fire down the stretch. Coach Jim Barlow’s squad went 5-1 in its last six regular season games and then went on to win the Ivy League tournament, topping Cornell in the semis and Penn in the final. The Tigers fell 1-0 to Akron in the first round of the NCAA tournament to finish its 2024 season with a 12-7 record.

The one-two punch of Pietra Tordin (10 goals, 2 assists) and Heather MacNab (2 goals, 9 assists) along with the stellar play of goalie Tyler McCamey (0.65 goals against average) helped women’s soccer win both the Ivy regular season title and league tournament. Coach Sean Driscoll’s team lost 2-1 to Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA tournament as it posted a final record of 14-5.

Decimated by a number of injuries, football struggled to a 3-7 campaign. Star running back John Volker helped coach Bob Surace’s squad end the season on a high note, rushing for 130 yards and gaining 40 yards receiving as Princeton edged Penn 20-17 in the season finale. After the season, Princeton and the other Ivy League football programs got some good news as the league announced in December that it will allow league teams to play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs starting in 2025. The decision reversed the league’s previous policy of barring its football programs from competing in the tourney despite allowing all other sports to take part in national postseason play.

Overcoming a shaky 2-8 start, women’s volleyball got into a groove as it ended up going 12-2 in Ivy League play to tie for the league title. Coach Sabrina King’s team advanced to the final of the Ivy tournament where it fell 3-0 to Yale to end the fall with a 15-11 record. Sophomore Kamryn Chaney emerged as a star, tallying 421 kills on the way to getting named the Ivy Player of the Year.

Producing another dominant campaign, men’s water polo won its fourth straight Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) title. Coach Dusty Litvak’s squad lost 15-8 to Stanford in the NCAA quarterfinals to conclude a stellar 23-9 campaign. Roko Pozaric tallied 75 goals and was named the league MVP for the third consecutive year.

Myles Hogan set the pace for men’s cross country as it earned its fourth straight Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. Hogan placed fifth individually as the Tigers had a winning score of 51 with Harvard coming in second at 62. Coach Jason Vigilante guided the Tigers to 24th place in the NCAA Championships.

Mena Scatchard led the way as women’s cross country placed first at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships for the first time since 2015. Scatchard placed second individually as the Tigers posted a winning score of 40 with Harvard taking second at 53. 

Coach Brad Hunt’s squad ended up placing fourth at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. Scatchard qualified individually for the NCAA Championships where she finished 123rd.

Making history, women’s rugby earned the first wins in its three seasons as a 15s varsity program, defeating Division III Bowdoin 59-0 in late September and then rolling to a 49-12 win over Division I foe Mount St. Mary’s in late October. Coach Josie Ziluca’s team ended the fall at 2-6.

TRIPLE CROWN: Members of the Hun School baseball team celebrate after they defeated Lawrence High 10-2 in the Mercer County Tournament final in mid-May. Hun, which went 20-5 in 2024, also won the Prep A state tournament and took first in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL). (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

Hun

The backcourt combo of Mac Kelly and A.J. Mickens excelled as the Hun School boys’ basketball team advanced to the Prep A state semis. Coach Jon Stone’s team ended the winter with a 10-14 record.

Sophomore transfer guard Gabby D’Agostino made an immediate impact, scoring 47 points in her debut for girls’ basketball. D’Agostino went on to lead the Raiders in scoring as coach Sean Costello’s squad finished the season at 10-14.

Ryan Levesque and Justin Laplante sparked the offense for boys’ hockey. Coach Eric Szeker led the Raiders to a 5-12 record in his debut season at the helm of the program.

Achieving a title triple play in the spring, baseball won both the Mercer County Tournament and the Prep A state title along with taking first in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL). Charles Batista starred with the bat (.433 batting average) and on the mound (0.21 ERA) to help coach Tom Monfiletto’s club go 20-5.

Lexi Kobryn ended her stellar career by hitting .571 and striking out 205 with a 0.27 ERA as softball went 18-3. Kobryn, a Villanova commit, became the first Raider with 500 strikeouts in her career and just the second to have 100 hits in addition to Lauren McQuade. Coach Kathy Quirk’s team advanced to the Prep A state final where it fell 3-2 to Pingry.

Brendan Marino and Danny Cano led the attack to help boys’ lacrosse go 8-9. Coach Alex Lopes guided the Raiders to the Mercer County Tournament (MCT) semis in his first season with the team.

The one-two punch of Ava Olender (69 goals, 31 assists) and Gabby Kim (57 goals, 11 assists) powered girls’ lacrosse as it went 9-8. First-year coach Geoff Chrisman led the Raiders to the MCT semis.

Quarterback Jack Moran put up some astounding statistics, connecting on 203 of 278 passes for 4,513 yards and 47 touchdowns to fuel the offense for football this fall. Coach Todd Smith’s team produced another dominant campaign as it posted a 9-1 record.

Featuring a balanced attack and a stingy defense led by goalie Diego Pena, boys’ soccer emerged as one of the top teams in the area. Luke Donahue, Sasha Mykhalchuk, Christopher Meehan, and Luciano Verduci each scored six goals on the season as the Raiders advanced to the Prep A state final. Coach Pat Quirk’s squad ended the fall at 13-4-2.

Graduate transfer Sophia Clark, a native of England, provided a spark for field hockey, tallying 10 goals and five assists. Coach Tracey Arndt’s team got off to a 7-3 start but faltered down the stretch as it finished the fall with an 8-10 record.

It was a season of nail-biters for girls’ soccer as it had four one-goal games and five ties. Coach Krista Sahrbeck guided the Raiders to a 2-10-5 record.

Making its debut as a varsity sport, girls’ volleyball made progress. Coach Vicky Santiago guided the Raiders to a 3-10 record, highlighted by a pair of wins over Pingry.

RECORD PACE: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse player Tessa Caputo heads to goal in a game this past spring. Senior star and Fairfield University commit Caputo tallied 100 goals and 61 assists in 2024 to help PDS go 15-6 and advance to the Prep B state final. Caputo ended up with a program career record of 435 points on 275 goals and 160 assists. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PDS

Wyatt Ewanchyna (7 goals, 20 assists) and Jake Harrison (6 goals, 12 assists) triggered the offense as the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team produced another winning season. Coach Scott Bertoli’s squad won their first-round game in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public state tournament and then nearly pulled the upset of the tourney in the quarterfinals as they battled eventual state champion St. Augustine tooth-and-nail before falling 3-2 in overtime and ending the winter at 10-8-1.

Going 7-3 down the stretch, girls’ hockey won the Librera Cup and advanced to the NJSIAA Tournament semis. The Panthers went 12-6 under new coach Jamie Davis as Eibhleann Knox (9 goals, 12 assists) and Logan Harrison (11 goals, 4 assists) led the offense while goalie Brigid Milligan (176 saves) had a strong season between the pipes.

The trio of Gary Jennings (213 points), Jordan Owens (212 points), and Adam Stewart (187 points) starred in the backcourt for boys’ basketball. Coach Eugene Burroughs’ squad ended the winter with a 7-16 record.

With senior star Mia Hartman getting sidelined by injury early in the season, Nandini Kolli and Sophia Rae Barber stepped up for girls’ basketball. Coach Seraphine Hamilton’s squad posted a 3-16 record. Hamilton later left the program to coach the William Smith College women’s hoops program and was succeeded by Pat Reddington.

Sebastian Rzeczycki (42 goals, 14 assists) and Matt Whittaker (38 goals, 13 assists) sparked the attack for boys’ lacrosse this spring. The Panthers posted a 7-12 record for first-year coach Nick Taylor.

Tessa Caputo produced a huge final campaign for girls’ lacrosse, piling up 161 points on 100 goals and 61 assists. Caputo, a Fairfield University commit, totaled a program career record of 435 points on 275 goals and 160 assists. First-year coach Lucia Marcozzi guided PDS to a 15-6 record as the squad advanced to the Prep B state final and the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B tournament.

Nathan Bennett placed first in the 400 meters while Avery Hall won the high jump to help boys’ track take third in the Prep B state championship meet. Coach Mark Adams guided his squad to a 10th-place finish at the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B championships.

Distance runner Emily McCann starred as girls’ track finished third in the Prep B state championship meet. McCann placed first in the 800 meters and third at the 3,200 at the competition. Coach Mark Adams’ team went on to finish 10th at the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B championships.

Junior transfer Santino Cignarella made a big impact for baseball, batting .421 with 18 runs and 24 hits. Coach Eric Schnepf’s squad went 6-17, earning its first-ever win in the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public B tournament as it topped St. Joseph (Hammonton) 10-4 in the first round before losing to Gloucester Catholic in a quarterfinal contest.

Freshman Abhishek Srinivasan starred at third singles to help boys’ tennis advance to the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA Non-Public South Jersey tournament. Coach Michael Augsberger’s squad posted a 10-8 final record.

FAST COMPANY: Members of the Princeton Day School boys’ cross country team enjoy the moment after they placed first in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public Group B Championships in November. It marked the program’s first-ever Non-Public title. Earlier in the fall, PDS took first at the Prep B state championship meet.

Paced by Grayson McLaughlin, boys’ cross country produced a historic fall, placing first at both the Prep B state championship meet and the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B Championships. In the Prep B meet, McLaughlin placed third individually with Edward Letko coming in sixth and Alexander Chai taking seventh as PDS had a winning score of 42 with Newark Academy finishing second with 61. At the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B meet, McLaughlin finished third again and Letko took fifth as the program earned its first ever Non-Public title. Coach Mike Mazzei’s team posted a winning score of 57, 32 points better than runner-up Rutgers Prep.

Olivia Lumba took 11th individually at the Prep B state championship meet to help girls’ cross country finish sixth in the team standings. Coach Mike Mazzei’s team went on to place 16th at the NJSIAA Non-Public Group A meet.

Freshman Arundhati Prabhu starred at second singles as girls’ tennis enjoyed another superb season. Catching fire down the stretch, coach Michael Augsberger’s team advanced to the final of the NJSIAA Non-Public tournament state final and ended the fall at 11-6.

Abby Leonardi helped trigger the offense with her setting as girls’ volleyball advanced to the Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL) final and the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public B tournament. Coach Mike Villafane’s squad posted a final record of 10-15.

Keegan Fullman (9 goals, 4 assists) and Todd Devin (7 goals, 4 assists) led the way as boys’ soccer produced a magical run to the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public final. First-year coach Gary Roberts guided his sixth-seeded squad to 1-0 wins on the road in the quarters and semis before it fell on penalty kicks in the sectional final at Moorestown Friends. The Panthers finished the fall with an 8-14 record.

Mackenzie Brodel and Nica Martin each had seven goals as girls’ soccer experienced an up-and-down campaign. Coach Chris Pettit’s squad went 8-9-1, highlighted by advancing to the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) quarters.

Senior goalie Molly Hall held the fort as field hockey battled through a tough campaign. Coach Heather Farlow’s squad posted a final record of 6-10.

SPECIAL K: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Kyleigh Tangen displays her freestyle form in a 2024 meet. Senior Tangen took first in both the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races at the Mercer County Swimming Championships in late January to help PHS win its third straight county crown. Tangen and the Tigers won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Group B sectional title and advanced to the Group B state final on the way to finishing with a 14-1 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PHS

Senior stars Kyleigh Tangen, Jesse Wang, Lauren Girouard, and Courtney Weber came up big to help the Princeton High girls’ swimming team produce another championship winter. The Tigers went undefeated in regular season meets and then rolled to their third straight Mercer County Championships title. Going after their second straight state crown, the Tigers won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Group B sectional title and then topped Shawnee in the Group B state semis before getting edged 89-81 by fellow powerhouse Chatham in the state final. Coach Carly Fackler’s squad ended the winter with a 14-1 record.

The quartet of David Brophy, Daniel Geo, and the Xu twins, David and Jaiden, starred as boys’ swimming enjoyed another stellar campaign.  The Tigers won all their regular season meets and then took first at the Mercer County Championships for the third straight year. In the state tournament, PHS advanced to the NJSIAA North 2 Group B sectional final where it lost 96-74 to Chatham. The defeat left coach Carly Fackler’s team with a 13-1 mark.

Sparked by the all-around play of Anna Winters (332 points, 112 rebounds), girls’ basketball had one of its best seasons in recent years. Coach Dave Kosa guided the Tigers to 15-9 record. Over the summer, Kosa left PHS and was succeeded by Joe Smiegocki.

The one-two punch of senior stars Jahan Owusu (377 points) and Jihad Wilder (146 points) led the way for boys’ basketball.

Coach Pat Noone’s squad ended the winter with an 11-13 record.

Blase Mele made history for wrestling as he took sixth at 138 pounds at the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships. Mele became the third wrestler in Tiger history to place at the state championships. Coach Jess Monzo led the Tigers to a third-place finish at the Mercer County Tournament and an 11-13 record in duals.

The dynamic duo of Patrick Kenah (61 goals, 47 assists) and Brendan Beatty (40 goals, 54 assists) powered boys’ lacrosse to a superb spring. Coach Chip Casto’s team advanced to the MCT final on the way to going 11-8.

Fueled by the finishing touch of Riley Devlin (66 goals, 20 assists), Leah Bornstein (56 goals, 22 assists), and Quinn Gallagher (49 goals, 22 assists), girls’ lacrosse bounced back from a 7-12 season in 2023 to go 12-9. The Tigers produced a major highlight for coach Kate Federico when they defeated Montgomery 9-8 in overtime in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey Group 3 sectional. PHS went on to fall to Northern Highlands in the sectional quarters.

Centerfielder and leadoff hitter Alex Winters capped his career for baseball with a superb final season, batting .400 with 26 runs, 19 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. Coach Dom Capuano’s squad ended the spring with an 8-16 record.

Shortstop Natalie Hester stood out with her glove and bat (.475 batting average with 29 hits and 22 runs) as softball made progress. The Tigers went 4-4 down the stretch to end the spring at 7-12 under coach Marissa Soprano.

Throwing star Sean Wilton enjoyed a record-breaking season for boys’ track. Wilton placed first in the shot put at the NJSIAA Group 4 state championship meet with a personal record of 57’ 5.50. Wilton then outdid himself at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, placing eighth with a best throw of 57’ 11.50 to medal at the meet and set a new school record. Coach Ben Samara’s team tied for 19th in the team standings at the Group 4 meet as Sawyer Quallen placed 13th in the triple jump and Josh Barzilai took 21st in the 800 meters.

The 4×800 relay of Madeline Aboumeri, Phoenix Roth, Rachel Xin, and Lena Murray provided a highlight for girls’ track as they placed 10th at the NJSIAA Group 4 state meet. Previously they had placed second at the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional as coach Ben Samara’s team placed 10th in the team standings in that competition.

Senior Melvin Huang’s gritty play set the tone for boys’ tennis. Huang placed first at second singles at the Mercer County Tournament to help the Tigers take second in the team standings, just 0.5 points behind first-place WW/P-North. Huang and the Tigers ended up making the final round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 3 sectional where they fell to WW/P-South. Coach Sarah Hibbert guided the Tigers to a 16-1 record.

Brooks Cahill-Sanidas starred for boys’ golf as the Tigers placed second in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2 Group 3 tournament.  Cahill-Sanidas placed second individually at the event with an even-par 70. Coach Pat Noone’s team, which also placed second at the Mercer County Tournament, posted a 13-0 record in dual match play.

Jacqueline Zang led the way as girls’ golf placed sixth in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) championship Junior star Zang tied for 13th individually with a three-over 75. Earlier in the spring, Zang carded a one-over 73 to take second at the Mercer County Tournament, helping the Tigers finish first in the team standings as they edged runner-up Lawrenceville by one stroke. Coach Jess Monzo guided the Tigers to an 8-0 record in dual match action.

ON THE BALL: Princeton High girls’ volleyball player Pearl Agel sets the ball in a game this season. Senior libero Agel starred as PHS went 28-1 this fall, winning its second straight New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state championship. Agel piled up 268 digs in 2024 to end her career with a program-record total of 848. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

The quintet of Naomi Lygas, Pearl Agel, Lois Matsukawa, Kaelin Bobetich, and Charlotte Woods helped girls’ volleyball produce another dominant campaign this fall. The Tigers won their second straight NJSIAA Group 3 title, winning each game in the state tournament by 2-0 scores, culminating with a comprehensive 25-8, 25-11 victory over Ramapo in the state final. Along the way, Lygas set the program career record for kills (852) while Agel set the mark for digs (848) and Matsukawa set the mark for assists (1,738). Coach Patty Manhart’s team finished the fall at 28-1.

Azariah Breitman (21 goals, 6 assists) and Archie Smith (16 goals, 12 assists) triggered the offense while goalie Nicolas Holmelund (102 saves) and backs Chase Hamerschlag and Connor Hewitt spearheaded the defense as boys’ soccer added to its winning tradition. The Tigers won the first-ever Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament, edging Notre Dame 1-0 in the final. Going for its second straight NJSIAA Group 4 state title, PHS topped Monroe 1-0 in the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final and then fell 1-0 to Southern in the state semis. Coach Ryan Walsh guided the Tigers to an 18-3-4 record in his second season at the helm of the program.

HAMMER TIME: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Chase Hamerschlag blasts the ball in action this fall. Junior center back Hamerschlag helped shore the Tiger defense and also contributed seven goals and two assists as PHS went 18-3-4. The Tigers won the first-ever Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional title along the way. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Saving its best for last, girls’ soccer went 6-1-1 in its last eight games. The Tigers pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the fall as 16th-seeded PHS edged top-seeded Freehold Township 1-0 on penalty kicks in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 sectional. First-year coach Meghan Brennan’s squad fell 1-0 to Montgomery in sectional quarters to end the fall at 7-10-3. Kacey Howes (5 goals, 3 assists) sparked the offense for the Tigers while goalie Julia Zaladarriaga (96 saves) and back Romy Johnson led the defense.

The all-around play of Carmine Carusone helped football enjoy a memorable campaign. Running back/defensive back/kicker Carusone rushed for 651 yards and five touchdowns, made 22 receptions for 285 yards and three TDs, had three interceptions and 56 tackles, and kicked four field goals and 16 extra points as the Tigers went 5-5. Coach Charlie Gallagher led PHS to its first appearance in the state tournament since 2014 where it fell to undefeated and eventual champion Winslow in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 4 sectional.

Senior Mia Ramirez went out with a bang for field hockey, tallying 21 goals and six assists in her final campaign for the Tigers. Coach Heather Serverson’s team posted a 6-10 record.

Led by a core of young stars, girls’ cross country made history.

With junior Karol Karra, sophomore Grace Hegedus, sophomore Eowyn Deess, and sophomore Phoenix Roth setting the pace, PHS placed first in both the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament and the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 sectional meet. The Tigers went on to win the Group 4 state championship meet for the first time in program history and then took second at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, the best-ever finish for the team at that event. Coach Jim Smirk’s squad took fourth at the Nike Cross Nationals Northeast Regional meet to cap its stellar season.

The trio of Braedyn Capone, Finn Wedmid, and Felix Farrugia were at the front of the pack for boys’ cross country as the Tigers placed fourth in the team standings at the Colonial Valley Conference Championships. Coach Smirk’s team went to finish fourth at the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 sectional and 11th at the Group 4 state championship meet.

The first doubles pair of Maya-Alexandra Todorov and Ashna Bushan proved to be a constant for girls’ tennis. Playing in their second season together, Todorov and Ashna Bushan won their flight at the inaugural CVC Tournament after winning the title at the final MCT in 2023. Coach Sarah Hibbert guided the Tigers to a 12-2 record as they advanced to the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 3 sectional final.

STATE OF GRACE: Stuart County Day School basketball player Taylor States heads to the hoop in action last winter. Over the course of 2024, States starred for both the Stuart hoops and volleyball programs. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Stuart

Taylor States averaged a double-double for the Stuart Country Day School basketball last winter, scoring 262 points and grabbing 138 rebounds in 12 games. Coach Tony Bowman led the Tartans to a 6-6 record.

The scoring prowess of Allison Lee (88 goals, 10 assists) powered lacrosse. Under new head coach Paige Meszaros, Stuart went 3-2 in its last five games to end the spring at 6-12. 

Kirsten Brenya displayed her versatility for track at the Prep B state championship meet. Brenya placed first in both the high jump and triple jump and took third in the 400-meter hurdles. Sparked by Brenya’s heroics, coach Alec Valle’s squad finished fifth in the team standings at the Prep B meet.

Senior goalie Emily Harlan held the fort for field hockey in the fall, making 134 saves on the season, while Nyla Flamer sparked the attack with six goals and three assists. Coach Missy Bruvik guided the Tartans to a 5-11-1 record.

It was a breakthrough season for volleyball as Stuart made its debut in New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) competition and ended up advancing to the semifinal round of the South Jersey Non-Public B sectional. Taylor State and Vlada Sokol starred on the front row for the Tartans while Alex Durish excelled at setter. Coach Anna Kachmarski led her squad to an 11-8 mark.

Claire McLaughlin provided a highlight for cross country. McLaughlin placed 22nd at the Prep B state championship meet for coach Gary Dura’s team.