Winter Athletic Awards
Girls Varsity Basketball
This season was a testament to growth, resilience, and the power of coming together as one team. We finished the regular season with 10 wins which was great, especially for a group that welcomed new faces and adjusted to new lineups throughout the year. From the very beginning, the girls committed themselves to improving each day — learning how to trust one another, communicate, and embrace their roles. Their determination and unity were on full display as they closed out the season with a meaningful win on Senior Day — a moment that perfectly captured the heart of this team. We are especially grateful for our five seniors – Ja Seng Ra, Amanda, Graci, Kelsey, and Talia for their leadership, dedication, and commitment that have helped shape our program!
Girls Varsity Basketball
Most Valuable Player
Graci H. ‘26
From day one, Graci has led through her play, setting the tone with her work ethic and competitive spirit. Offensively, she has been a force, averaging 26 points this season. Her toughness stands out. Time and time again, she has stepped up in big moments, giving our team a spark when we needed it most. Beyond the scoring, her resilience and determination have been motivating not only to her teammates but to us as coaches as well. Graci’s presence on and off the court has made a meaningful difference this season. We are incredibly grateful that she took a chance on Watkinson and chose to be part of this program. Her impact in such a short time will be lasting.
Girls Varsity Basketball
Most Improved Player
Kelsey W. ‘26
Kelsey’s return to our program this season has been nothing short of impactful. Her decision to rejoin the team could not have come at a better time. From day one, Kelsey has put in the extra work. Whether it’s staying after practice to get more shots up or asking thoughtful questions about how she can improve, she has approached this season with determination and a team-first mindset. As coaches, we have watched Kelsey’s game grow and improve over the course of the season. Each game we needed her to do more and she did just that, confidently, helping the team. We are so proud of how she has stepped up to lead the team on and off of the court.
Girls Varsity Basketball
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
Amanda K. ‘26
Amanda has been a consistent and reliable presence in our program over the past several years. Amanda leads by example, always striving to make the right play and puts the team first. Her unselfishness and steady presence make everyone around her better. This year, as a captain, she embraced even more responsibility, offering strong leadership and guidance to the group. She leads by example and sets high standards for being a great teammate. he is often the first to celebrate the accomplishments of others and just as quick to offer support or a helping hand when someone needs it. Her selfless approach and commitment to the team have made a lasting impact on our program.
Girls Varsity Basketball
Coaches Award
Talia H. ‘26 and Hannah P. ‘27
As a three-year captain, Talia has demonstrated what it means to lead with consistency, resilience, and heart. She has kept this group united and focused. Talia’s willingness to embrace whatever role the team needed from her each season was a driving factor for our success over the years. This season she significantly increased all of her stats across the board – points, assists, rebounds, etc. She has poured so much into this team and program, and her leadership has left a lasting mark.
Hannah has been the definition of doing all the little things that make a big difference. She works incredibly hard in games, consistently giving maximum effort from start to finish. Hannah takes pride in being the best defensive player on the court each game, embracing the toughest assignments and setting the tone with her intensity. While her hustle and effort don’t always show up on the stat sheet, they have absolutely been the difference in many of our wins this season. She impacts the game in countless ways. When we’ve needed a big shot, Hannah has stepped up with confidence and delivered. Just as importantly, we can always count on her to bring the spark of energy that lifts everyone around her. We are so grateful for her toughness and commitment to the team.
Boys JV Basketball
This season, JV basketball finished with a record of 8-2. The team worked incredibly hard all season on improving skills, communication and set plays. We played some terrific basketball throughout the season with at least one win against all of our HVAL opponents. I am very proud of our team and the dedication of all of the players this season!
Captain Remarks:
Dylan G. ’26
This season started off strange for me, as I had to make the decision on if I wanted to play JV or Varsity. I decided on JV, as I couldn’t put in the time I wanted for varsity, but knew I would love playing once again under my coaches from previous years. I definitely made the right decision. I absolutely loved this season, and the teammates I was able to share experiences with. My teammates and coaches around me always gave me the best support, and cheered for me whenever playing hard or scoring, no matter if it was in game or in practice. I’ll always remember this season for how hard we worked, and cannot thank everyone enough who was involved in this season.
Boys JV Basketball
Most Valuable Player
Liam W. ’27 and Cam L. ’30
For the second year, the first of these awards goes to Liam W., whose energy, hustle, and leadership on the court were impressive. As one of our starting point guards, Liam saw opportunities, kept the ball moving, and often blindsided opponents with his quick hands and self-assured steals. These strengths, as well as his more and more dependable breakaway lay-ups, consistently made him the team’s high scorer. His upbeat approach and strong leadership as Captain made his participation all the more valuable. Congratulations, Liam!
The second recipient of this award is Cam L., whose skills on the court propelled the team to many victories this year. Cam is an incredibly reliable point guard, using great communication on the court to make accurate passes and get other teammates involved. Cam also had a season high 37 points in an impressive team win against Christian Heritage. Cam’s on-court presence was invaluable this year, and we are excited to award him the MVP. Congratulations, Cam!
Boys JV Basketball
Most Improved Player
Grover G. ‘28
This award goes to Grover Gaupp-Iscove, a player who showed significant growth as a player and teammate over the course of the season. Through hard work and hustle in practice, Grover earned his way into more and more minutes on the court in games; on the court and off, he visibly and consistently supported his team while also working hard to develop his basketball skills. He improved both his shooting skills and his ability to find his spot on the court, dependably hitting his mark on the floor and becoming a key component of many scoring plays.
Boys JV Basketball
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
Dylan G. ’26
This award goes to Dylan G., a player who, in addition to being a strong contributor on the court, always exemplifies good sportsmanship and represents Watkinson in a positive way. This was also Dylan’s second year as one of the team’s Captains, as his teammates recognize both his great work ethic and his inspiring attitude as an athlete and leader. We thank Dylan for his many contributions to the team, and we’ll miss him next year.
Boys JV Basketball
Coaches Award
Kyle H-B. ’27
In both practices and games, a common sight was Kyle Hawthorne-Blake injecting a little bit of humor and positivity in whatever situation came up. Regardless of the moment—a mistake during a drill, a questionable shot in a scrimmage, or a tense moment in a game—Kyle was generously and sincerely supportive of his teammates. He offered his encouragement to every player regardless of their experience and ability—which is why the team chose him as a Captain for the second year in a row, and why we are giving him the Coaches Award. Thanks for being a superb teammate and role model, Kyle!
Boys Varsity Basketball
The Watkinson basketball team had a very successful season, with a conference record of 9-1 and an overall record of 11-5. Watkinson has had several close, exciting games, including wins over Christian Heritage and Harvey, with the winning shot at the buzzer. The boys worked very hard this year, and their hard work paid off resulting in improvement in individual skills and overall team play. Watkinson had a challenging schedule against some of the top prep schools such as Putnam Science, Hamden Hall, Westminster and IMGA. It was a great experience for the team to play against tough competition. Overall, it’s been a fun season and fulfilling season for the seniors and returning players next year.
Boys Varsity Basketball
Most Valuable Player
Jalen W. ‘26
Jalen excels on the court with his hard work ethic. Jalen loves the challenge of an opposing team trying to pressure him. Jalen has scored crucial baskets in many games while he maintains that calm demeanor. Jalen is usually first in most of the team practice drills and is our leading scorer this year. Congratulations to Jalen for leading Watkinson to a successful basketball season!!
Boys Varsity Basketball
Most Improved Player
Liam M. ‘26
Liam works extremely hard whenever he is on the court. Liam has stayed after many practices to work on his game. Liam has improved each of the past three years by working during the off-season and during the season. Liam is a vital part of our team’s success this year due to his growth in the game of basketball. Congratulations Liam for your contribution to the varsity team.
Boys Varsity Basketball
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
Nathan P. ‘26 and Alex W-P. ‘28
Nathan has worked hard all season and always displays a positive demeanor regardless of the challenges we may face. Nathan is an excellent teammate and never complains or says anything negative. Nathan exemplifies the ideal Watkinson teammate with his positivity and excitement to be part of this team. It’s a pleasure to award Nathan the co-sportsmanship award for the varsity basketball team. Congratulations Nathan!
Alex works extremely hard during practice and will always give his best efforts. Alex is always willing to be in the gym working out and is always positive. Alex’s demeanor is extremely calm in any situation which demonstrates how well he handles basketball challenges. Alex is an excellent teammate who is always willing to help teammates or encourage others when needed. Congratulations Alex for demonstrating great team sportsmanship.
Boys Varsity Basketball
Coaches Award
Aidan T. ‘26
Aidan does so much as one of three team captains. Aidan is relied on to manage many responsibilities on the court and off the court. Aidan is a great teammate and leader by building relationships with each teammate. The coaches rely on Aidan to communicate with the team and bring the items for our away games. Aidan arranged several team events outside of school to bond as a team prior to the start of the season. It’s a pleasure to recognize Aidan as the recipient of the coach’s award. Congratulations Aidan!
Varsity Fencing
This was a wonderful rebuilding season for Varsity Fencing. The team was led by two new coaches and welcomed several fencers new to the sport. By the end of the season, the team even had a newly formed squad, adding a saber team to the existing epee and foil squads. With several winning matches and a lot of personal improvement throughout the season, the Varsity Fencing team ends its season on a high note and is ready for even more success next year.
Captain Remarks
Maxwell M. ‘27
As one of the team captains of Watkinson’s Varsity Fencing, representing Men’s Epee, I’m very proud of what we have accomplished. The team started in earnest back in 2023-2024 during my Freshman year, and back then we only fenced one weapon: foil. The next year, epee was introduced and our team really grew with the help of our coach Andrew Aavatsmark, and our captains Hans Aavatsmark and Charles Taylor. That year ended in some great successes both on my part and my teammates. This year, both of the Aavatsmarks and many of our original fencers have left by either graduating or, in the case of Dr. A, moving to a different job. This year, our coaches—Ben Ide, Dr. York, and Miss Haggerty, have been able to overcome the initial upturn and uncertainty with the team’s future, as well as the addition of an entirely new weapon, and the year picked up very well despite having less matches than last year. As we now prepare for a few end-of-season tournaments, I can safely look back at the year so far and say I’m happy with where the team is going. With more work and organization, I’m very optimistic about 2027.
Patrick L. ‘28
Our year started off with a major blow to our ranks because three of our six members left to join saber. After our numbers got cut in half we switched our goals to treating this year as a point of growth. And we did grow, quite a lot in fact, making significant improvements to our skill as fencers while also increasing our physical strength and motivations. This was all possible thanks to Ben Ide. He joined our fencing team this year and helped everyone on the team improve in more ways than one, and while I may have known him before he joined Watkinson he still took the time and became friends with every single one of our fencers. So thank you, not only to coach Ben, but to the entire Watkinson fencing team.
Zoey S. ‘28
This year’s fencing season was just incredible. The whole team did an excellent job fencing their absolute hardest during matches, and kept every day exciting, despite some logistical concerns from early in the season. We all improved so much and I am very proud of everybody. Moreover, the team truly couldn’t have done it without the guidance of our wonderful Coach Ben and Coach York, who supported us the full way through. Thank you to all of my teammates, and here’s to a season well fenced!
Gideon J. ‘28
We had a pretty rough start to the season due to losing our previous coach. Thankfully, Coach Ben and Dr. York were able to pull this season together with rather short notice. We had the largest team we’ve ever had, and we grew as fencers more than in any other season. This season saw the genesis of a Sabre team, in which coach Ben did an amazing job teaching us despite the circumstances. Thank you Coach Ben, Dr. York, and Ms. Haggerty for a great season, looking forward to next year’s!
Varsity Fencing
Most Valuable Player
Maxwell M. '27
As captain of the men’s epee squad, Maxwell has done an excellent job guiding other fencers in practices and matches. He is a consistent and reliable leader among his peers and has been an integral part of this year’s fencing team.
Varsity Fencing
Most Improved Player
Henry S. '29
New to fencing this season, Henry has shown incredible growth in his athleticism and his fencing skills. Never deterred by tough competition, his attacks on opponents have scored him several points in recent weeks. We can’t wait to see Henry’s skills improve even more next year.
Varsity Fencing
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
Zoey S. '28
Zoey is captain of the women’s foil squad and is a natural leader on the team. She’s quick to step in when extra help is needed, and she sets the bar high for what a dedicated athlete should look like, both at practices and in competition.
Varsity Fencing
Coaches Award
Gideon J. '28
Stepping up as captain of the newly formed men’s saber squad, Gideon sets a great example of a committed work ethic in the sport. He led weekly workouts and consistently guided teammates as they looked to improve as fencers.
Girls MS Basketball
The Girls Middle School Basketball team had an eventful 2025-2026 season. As a young team with many new players to the game, the girls worked hard every practice to improve and learn the game of basketball. With only 9 members on the team, each player worked hard to always be present and bring their best effort. Each practice and game was a joy to coach, and the young rams played with energy and enthusiasm. We laughed a lot, and made great strides in our athletic journeys. We are so proud of all these young players accomplished, and we look forward to what next season will bring with our returning members!
Girls MS Basketball
Most Valuable Player
Cadence J. ‘30
As a first time member of the team Cadence came to play. She was the lead scorer for the young rams, and led with humility and focused energy. Throughout the season, Cadence made huge strides as our primary point guard, and as a conscientious teammate she worked diligently to help her teammates make the best plays possible. In practices, Cadence shared insight and wisdom with her teammates about how to improve, and was always ready to ask for advice from her coaches. We feel grateful that Cadence joined our team this year, and we look forward to all she does in her basketball journey!
Girls MS Basketball
Most Improved Player
Sofia L. ‘31
Sofia is a returning player this season, and has improved tenfold! She is a natural athlete, but dedicated her season to improving her fundamental basketball skills. As the second lead scorer for our team, Sofia made big plays, even hitting three point shots! She plays defense with intensity, and is easily able to adjust to different roles on the court. There are times she is on top of the zone, and other times she is asked to play in the bottom, and regardless of where she is, she is ready to create stops and make steals. We are so proud of her, and look forward to her returning next season!
Girls MS Basketball
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
Silvie H. ‘32
When “being a good sport” comes to mind, 6th grade Silvie H. is front and center. Silvie is always smiling, always radiating her joyful energy, always lifting the vibes and days of those around her. On the court, she is a relentless defender, an enthusiastic high-fiver, a spontaneous dancer in passing, and an all-around determined and dedicated teammate. Whether she scores a basket or celebrates a teammate’s shot, she responds the same way; you will see an immediate, spirited sprint (and often a quick dance) back on defense. She is a teammate any player would hope for, and few are lucky to have. We can’t wait to see all she accomplishes in her next two seasons as a young Watkinson girls middle school basketball player! Congratulations, Silvie!
Girls MS Basketball
Coaches Award
Sahana A. ‘31
Sahana as a 7th grader this year has brought her play and commitment to another level. Each practice and game she arrived with energy and delivered results. She is constantly curious about how to improve, and even when frustrated, listens closely to apply new advice during practices and games. Sahana is a leader, and her determination is contagious. It has been a pleasure to watch her gain confidence on the court, and lead by example. We look forward to watching her develop new skills, and can’t wait to see all she accomplishes next season!
Boys MS Basketball – 6th/7th Grade Team
The 7th/6th Grade Basketball Team put together an outstanding season filled with growth, teamwork, and determination. The team finished the season with an impressive record, competing strongly in every game and finishing the season with a big win against I.D.S. in front of a packed crowd in the gym. The dedication shown at practices, the willingness to learn, and the respect displayed toward coaches, officials, and opponents made this season one to remember. It was a great year for this talented group, and their hard work has built a strong foundation for even more success in the seasons ahead. We look forward to working with all these players again next season!
Boys MS Basketball – 6th/7th Grade Team
Most Valuable Player
Wes B. ‘31
Wes led our team in scoring and rebounding in every game except for one this season. He played mostly as our starting Center on defense and led the offense as one of our main ball handlers on offense. There is always room to grow as a basketball player, but Wes is ready to take the next steps in his career as he moves up here at Watkinson. His basketball skill set is already impressive and Wes knows how to use his size to his advantage when digging in down in the paint. Wes’ contributions this season certainly led to our wins on the season and we expect him to only grow stronger next season.
Boys MS Basketball – 6th/7th Grade Team
Most Improved Player
Boys MS Basketball – 6th/7th Grade Team
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
Landon A. ‘31
The McDonald Sportsmanship Award winner on a basketball team is the heart of the locker room. Whether they’re the star scorer or coming off the bench, they lead by example—encouraging teammates after mistakes and staying composed under pressure. All of these things are packaged up into Landon, despite being a starting guard and 2nd leading scorer on our team; his attitude elevates the entire team, proving that character matters just as much as talent. Ask any coach, they would take a player like Landon over anybody else, because he thinks about everyone else around him before himself, and that cannot be taught. We thank Landon and look forward to a strong 8th grade season next Winter.
Boys MS Basketball – 6th/7th Grade Team
Coaches Award
Liam G. ‘32
Liam may be one of the shorter and younger players on the court, but he plays like he’s ten feet tall. Quick on his feet, he dives for loose balls, pressures full court, and never backs down from a challenge. His smile and great attitude lightened the mood during practices and on the court in the tough games. Liam has a bright future here at Watkinson and we wanted to honor his effort this season with a Coach’s Award. He was always one of the first to begin working at practices, always asking questions of his coaches and helping teammates when he could. Thank you Liam and we look forward to working with you again next season.
Boys MS Basketball – 8th Grade Team
The 8th grade basketball team wrapped up an exciting season filled with growth, grit, and teamwork. The 12 players on the team all fought hard in each game, battling injuries as well as their opponents on the other side of the court. The season was highlighted by strong defensive efforts, fast-break points, and a thrilling win against Independent Day School that showcased the team’s resilience on our home hardwood court. Our team worked hard every day at practice and played strong in their games, even being outsized by a few opponents. We thank each of the boys for letting us coach them and for the effort they all put in day in and day out.
Boys MS Basketball – 8th Grade Team
Most Valuable Player
Nate F. ‘30
Nate started almost every game this season and led the team in scoring in all but 1 of those games. He played as one of our main ball handlers at point guard, running the offense and rebounding like a defensive star. His attitude on the court during our practices is contagious and he is always eager to help his teammates out. We look forward to watching him grow his skills going forward into his high school sports career.
Boys MS Basketball – 8th Grade Team
Most Improved Player
Jack C. ‘20
Jack joined our basketball team for the first time this winter season and we are glad he did. He quickly showed his knowledge of the game of basketball, as well as a growing skill set on the court. Jack scored several baskets in almost every game this season and continued working hard at each practice. He allowed us to coach him openly and always showed a true desire to learn and get better on the court. Hopefully Jack sticks with basketball as he will be a valued addition to our Watkinson teams as he moves into high school next year.
Boys MS Basketball – 8th Grade Team
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
Daniel C. ‘30
I think Daniel may be the first 3 time winner of the McDonald Sportsmanship Award and nobody at Watkinson is more deserving. He puts in maximum effort every day; whether in a game or at practice. He is always encouraging his teammates and is one of the first to help a fallen player up off of the court; whether it is a teammate or an opponent. Daniel will be a valued asset moving into high school next Fall and we know that his sportsmanship and work ethic will not be an issue with his future teammates.