The third annual student-centric awards banquet celebrates the true meaning of Spartan athleticism. 

During a special night in Clayton Gym, St. Stephen’s Athletic Council President Addie Bae Magruder ’25 welcomed all St. Stephen’s Varsity athletes and coaches for the third annual Spartys Varsity Athletic Banquet. Many parents and other fans tuned in via livestream to the student-only event, planned and organized by the 2024-25 SSES Athletic Council, a group of students charged with promoting and celebrating Spartan Athletics.

“The Spartys not only celebrate award winners, but every varsity athlete’s determination and effort,” said Magruder, who has played on eight Varsity teams over the last four years. “Each one of you has worked incredibly hard this year, and I truly hope you are proud of your achievements.”

Magruder shared that the majority of awards were peer nominated. The main mission reflects our school values: competing with integrity and earning the respect of teammates and opponents.

“We are defining and redefining what it means to be a Spartan Athlete. So, thank you all for your competitive spirit, your drive to improve and your willingness to be part of a team — and for your input on the awards.”

The following is a list of winners and remarks and sentiments shared during the ceremony by the award presenters.

Managers of the Year

Simone McCaskill ’27 (Girls Sports)
“She went above and beyond for our team, coming to nearly all of our practices and games ready to work with a smile on her face!” 

Faizaan Mohammed ’28 (Boys Sports)
“Faizaan supported two Varsity teams this school year. He raised team energy when it was needed, helped keep players loose and ready for competition, and supported the team from the bench.”

Student Athletic Trainer of the Year

Edison Leigh ’26
“Edison has been in the Sports Medicine program for multiple seasons. He is dedicated, knowledgeable, always on top of tasks and eager to learn. His presence was prominent in football games, where he was always attentive and made sure everyone was hydrated on the sidelines.”

Athletic Council Awards

Best AUX: Charlotte Perkins ’27
“Everyone here knows how vital it is to have a quality person on their squad take control of the AUX. You need someone who can read the room and meet the team where they’re at … but you also need someone who can change the energy with one banger. From the locker room to the bus to the court, Charlotte managed to do all that — and we expect nothing less from her next year.”

Best Pregame Ritual: Varsity Field Hockey
“Traditions on teams are often passed down year after year, and this year’s best pregame ritual is a tradition that has spanned at least nine years. So, if you’ve ever seen this squad warm up, you know that when the beat drops the entire team is already in a circle and preparing to dance together. To some, it may resemble an Irish jig, to others it looks more like hip hop or break dancing. Whatever you call it, it’s certainly not Chrysalis-level synchronized movement, but it gets the team loose and puts a smile on their face before warm-ups begin.”

Best Underdog Victory: Varsity Girls Soccer
“Underdog victories are the sweetest of all. That feeling when your opponent underestimates you, and your squad doesn’t just show up… they show up to make a statement. This year’s Underdog Victory of the Year came during the winter season when the 5th-seeded Spartans took on top-seeded Episcopal School of Houston. Let’s set the stage for a minute: EHS has nearly twice as many students in their upper school as St. Stephen’s, and they were the reigning champions of the SPC 4A Tournament. Not only were the Knights undefeated in conference play leading up to the Championships this winter, but they also outscored their conference opponents, 28-0, in six South Zone games. And, to top it off, they had five senior college commits on their team. Needless to say, the Spartan Varsity Girls Soccer team, with 6 underclassmen starting that SPC semifinal match, banded together and earned a spot in the 4A Championship, stunning EHS with a gritty 2-1 victory.”

Team Champions, Individual Champions and Team Runners-up 

This year, St. Stephen’s competed in the 4A Division in SPC in nearly every Varsity sport. Top competition was tough, which is what makes these trophies so special.

SPC 4A Champions - Girls Varsity Soccer (defeated Hockaday 2-1 in the final)

SPC Championship Runners-Up
Boys Varsity Cross Country
Girls Varsity Swimming & Diving
Boys Varsity Swimming & Diving
Boys Varsity Tennis
Boys Varsity Lacrosse (SPC 3A Championship)

First Place - Individual Athletes

Graham Boles ’25, SPC 4A Cross Country Meet Champion
Claire Wan ’25 SPC 4A Girls Golf Champion (3rd year in a row)

All-Conference Awards

The following Spartan athletes earned SPC All-Conference Honors this season. All-Conference awards are voted on by coaches and administrators in the conference.

Graham Boles	Cross Country	All-SPC
Ben Oehler	Cross Country	All-SPC
Oscar Whiteley Bermeo	Cross Country	All-SPC
Audrey Wan	Cross Country	All-SPC
Eleanor Evarts	Field Hockey	All-SPC
Jadyn Houston	Field Hockey	All-SPC
Charlie Dugan	Boys Volleyball	All-SPC
Josh Mugo	Boys Volleyball	All-SPC
Donnica Armstrong	Girls Volleyball	All-SPC
Gabriel Sahely	Boys Basketball	All-SPC
Donnica Armstrong	Girls Basketball	All-SPC
Sebastian Estep	Football	TAIAO All Star
Luke Mabley	Football	TAIAO All Star
Basil Baldwin	Football	TAIAO All Star
Sebi Creixell	Football	TAIAO All Star
Jack Jojola	Boys Soccer	All-SPC
Mirta O'Mahony	Girls Soccer	All-SPC
Sarah Gaskins	Girls Soccer	All-SPC
Addison Tallas	Girls Soccer	All-SPC
Victoria Ogle	Girls Soccer	All-SPC
Harper Nelson	Girls Soccer	All-SPC
Rhett Smerklo	Boys Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Austin Ross	Boys Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Tristan McCain	Boys Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Levi Skaistis	Boys Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Watt Wilkinson	Boys Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Gerard Borrell	Boys Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Lucy Middleton	Girls Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Reena Desireddi	Girls Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Campbell Walker	Girls Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Ashna Ross	Girls Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Savvy Horne-Lalande	Girls Swimming and Diving	All-SPC
Eleanor Evarts	Girls Lacrosse	All-SPC & All-State (TGHSLL)
Emilia Fink	Girls Lacrosse	All-SPC & All-State (TGHSLL)
Charlie Dugan	Boys Lacrosse	All-SPC & All-State
Luke Mabley	Boys Lacrosse	All SPC & All-District Attack
Will Walters	Boys Lacrosse	All-SPC & All-State
JP Kim	Boys Lacrosse	All-SPC & All-District
Basil Baldwin	Boys Lacrosse	All-SPC & THSLL Honorable Mention
Kellen Buccholz	Boys Lacrosse	THSLL Honorable Mention
Logan Horvath	Boys Lacrosse	THSLL Honorable Mention
Wilder Lee	Boys Lacrosse	THSLL Honorable Mention
Darby Osborne	Girls Lacrosse	All-State (TGHSLL)
Jadyn Houston	Girls Lacrosse	All-State (TGHSLL)
Clara Rogers	Girls Lacrosse	All-District (TGHSLL)
Story Rogers	Girls Lacrosse	All-District (TGHSLL)
Parker Williams	Girls Lacrosse	All-District (TGHSLL)
Emma Eggleston	Girls Tennis	All-SPC
Leela Weisser	Girls Tennis	All-SPC
Kieran Desireddi	Boys Tennis	All-SPC
Pranav Kandhaadai	Boys Tennis	All-SPC
Zach Prager	Baseball	All-SPC
Keyen Gupta	Boys Golf	All-SPC
Claire Wan	Girls Golf	All-SPC
Oscar Whiteley Bermeo	Boys Track & Field	All-SPC
Ben Oehler	Boys Track & Field	All-SPC
Santiago Echeverry	Boys Track & Field	All-SPC
Graham Boles	Boys Track & Field	All-SPC

 

Sportsmanship Awards

Competing with integrity and earning the respect of your teammates and opponents is a top priority of Spartan Athletics. The following sportsmanship awardees were voted on by their teammates and coaches. 

Sebi	Creixell.	Football	Fall
Emilia	Fink	Field Hockey	Fall
Lex	Gonzalez	Boys Volleyball	Fall
Cindy	Maroney	Cheerleading	Fall
Audrey	Wan	Girls Cross Country	Fall
Oscar	Whiteley Bermeo	Boys Cross Country	Fall
Leigh	Wittliff	Girls Volleyball	Fall
Donnica	Armstrong	Girls Basketball	Winter
Charlie	Dugan	Boys Basketball	Winter
Liza	Flink	Girls Swimming & Diving	Winter
Bryson	Gibbs	Boys Soccer	Winter
Fan Shing	Hung	Boys Swimming & Diving	Winter
Siena	Kelly	Girls Soccer	Winter
Julia	Conkling	Girls Lacrosse	Spring
Jerin	Jeong	Crew	Spring
Coco	Kim	Girls Track & Field	Spring
Kevin	Li	Boys Tennis	Spring
Setara	Manasa	Mountain Biking	Spring
Katie	Oddo	Girls Tennis	Spring
Ben	Patrick	Boys Track & Field	Spring
Jack	Talarico	Baseball	Spring
Levi	Tvrdik	Mountain Biking	Spring
Claire	Wan	Girls Golf	Spring
John	Wells	Boys Lacrosse	Spring
Eli	Yorio	Boys Golf	Spring

 

Spartan Spirit Award

The Spartan Spirit Award honors two athletes who bleed purple and red. They are the resident hype people for their squad and consistently bring positive energy to practices and competitions. 

Mirta O’Mahony ’27
“Mirta hyped up her team in the most tense moments and held her squad accountable to the highest standards — and, perhaps most importantly, she expressed gratitude toward her squad and coaches. One teammate shared, “She gave us the most intense pregame and halftime talks, and she’s always the loudest person on the field.” 

Finn Neary ’28
“Finn showed up to off-season training with a steadfast commitment to getting better and lifting those around him. In season, he was one of the grittiest, most determined athletes on the court. One teammate said, “He is so passionate about his sport that it’s contagious. You can’t help but love playing and competing when he’s around.” 

Coach(es) of the Year

*Typically awarded to one coach, but this dynamic duo cannot be separated!

Andy Aceves & Andy Lopez (Soccer)
They’ve been described as “fun but still on top of the game”, “incredibly authentic,” and “as passionate about their sport as they are about their team.” They are competitive and want to win, but not at the expense of teaching athletes what’s most important: the habits we’re developing and the people we’re becoming. One athlete shared, “They are true leaders, and they always believed in us.” Another athlete wrote, “They are so supportive of us. They see us as people, not just athletes.” One more said, “They are the reason this sport is so much fun to play.” A colleague added, “They manage to strike a perfect balance of healthy competitiveness and genuine humor. They care deeply about their squad, and the team can feel it.” 

Record-Breaking Performances

SPC RECORD: Levi Skaistis ’26 - 100 Breast (55.68)
SPC RECORD: 200 Medley Relay - Austin Ross ’26, Levi Skaistis ’26, Tristan McCain ’26, and Watt Wilkinson ’26 (1:32.49)
SPC RECORD: 400 Free Relay - Austin Ross ’26, Levi Skaistis ’26, Tristan McCain ’26, Watt Wilkinson ’26 (3:06.98)
SCHOOL RECORD: Gabi Curtis ’26 - 100m (12:17; Gabi broke her previous record of 12:43)

Yvonne Adams Audacity Award
The Yvonne Adams Audacity Award honors an athlete who not only competes at a high level in their sport, but also someone who recognizes that sport is an avenue to make a greater positive impact in our community and beyond. This teammate "leans in", as Coach Adams used to say, to create a space that is welcoming and inclusive of all students.

Lucia Perogio ’27
"In her first year on The Hill, Lucia was a major contributor to one Varsity program and spent another season giving a new sport a try. One teammate shared, “They quietly stepped into a major role on our team. I remember there were practices early in the season where we were all translating words and actions on the field. At first, we’d just smile trying to understand one another, but it didn’t take long to all be on the same page, even when we didn’t all speak the same first language.” They navigated the ups and downs of an academic year, speaking a non-native language, living in a new country more than 5,000 miles from home, and making fast friends - friends that belonged to many different groups on campus: day students and boarding students, international and domestic students, athletes and non-athletes alike.”

Most Outstanding Newcomers

Carolina Reyna ’28
“Carolina is new to St. Stephen’s this year and competed on four varsity teams. She is nothing short of remarkable. One teammate said, “She’s just amazing.” Another teammate wrote, “Have you seen her? She carried her teams.” One of her peers added, “She made a huge difference in every sport she played this year!” 

Keenan Hardy ’28
“Keenan is new to Varsity teams this year, participating on three Varsity squads in his first year of Upper School Athletics. He has a balanced demeanor - never gets too high and never gets too low. One teammate wrote, “He pushed through when things got hard and just kept going.” Another teammate shared, “He doesn’t seem like a freshman at all. He has the maturity of a more experienced player.” 

Breakout Athletes of the Year

Jadyn Houston ’27
“Jadyn contributed to three Varsity squads this season. While she wasn’t always a starter, she was a difference-maker in all three programs. As a second-year Varsity athlete, she stepped up her game, became more vocal, both in games and at training. One teammate shared, “She’s a game changer. It’s impressive that she can take on such different roles on each of her teams.” 

JP Kim ’26
JP is a highly motivated sophomore who clearly upped his game from last year to this year. One teammate said, “He put in work in the off-season, and it showed on the field.” Another teammate added, “In a lot of ways, it didn’t seem like he was new to our sport. He always knew what to say and when to say it.” 

Athlete of the Year

Eleanor Evarts ’26
“Eleanor has been a multisport athlete for the past three years. She earned All-SPC Honors in two sports this year, and teams often relied on her for a change of pace or game management. One teammate frankly said, “Without her, our results would have been much different.” Another teammate shared, “She always impacts the tempo of the game.” One more wrote, “She is commanding on the field, lets no one past her, and is one of the best competitors that I’ve met.” 

Charlie Dugan ’25
“Charlie was a member of three Varsity teams, captaining two of those squads. His teammates (on all three teams) praised his work ethic and commitment. One teammate shared, “He left everything out there. His intensity and dedication were at another level.” Another teammate wrote, “He was our X-factor - an absolute workhorse who wouldn’t take a break all game.” 

Congratulations to all 2024-25 Varsity athletes and coaches!

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