Spring 2024–25 Athletics Banquet 

“It was a terrible spring, weather wise, but it was a good spring on the river, fields, track, and courts!” joked Director of Athletics Sherren Granese at the Spring 2024–25 Athletics Banquet. Teams often compete on Saturdays and Ms. Granese noted it rained every Saturday from March 22 through June 7. Despite the weather, “Thank you for being there to cheer your children on, win or lose,” she told parents and guardians. 

Ms. Granese shared some notable spring season highlights, such as varsity lacrosse winning the EIL post-season lacrosse tournament for the first time ever in a rematch against Dana Hall, and the track and field team setting a new EIL track championship meet record in the 4 x 400 relay with a time of 4:16.90. But “more important than the wins and losses are all of the special moments that you shared together as a team,” she told student athletes. That was particularly true of the JV lacrosse team, who loved their season so much they still wanted to practice after their season ended.

While the spring sports season banquet evening marks the official closing of the 2025 spring seasons, it also marks the end of 19 athletic careers at Winsor. “It has been my pleasure to watch them grow and develop, some from the 5^th grade, others arriving in the 9^th grade, into the athletes, leaders, and outstanding young women they are today,” said Ms. Granese of the graduating seniors. Six seniors will even pursue collegiate athletics.

Thanking both the Athletics and Facilities Departments, Ms. Granese also extended her gratitude to the coaching staff noting “it is no surprise” that Coach Shalise Manza Young was named the EIL Coach of the Year for track and field for the sixth year in a row, especially with another championship and a record number of individual results. Additionally, Tennis Coach Maria De Marco was voted the EIL Coach of the Year for the fifth year in a row and Winsor Assistant Athletic Director Trina Hable was named EIL Coach of the Year for lacrosse.

The evening continued with remarks from the coaches. Read what they had to say about each of the teams this season:

Crew

It would be hard to describe the Winsor crew’s spring without using the word “resilient.” The team battled an incredibly cold, wet, and wavy season and found some joy in headwinds and speed in tailwinds. This year, they raced six varsity boats in every home race, taking down crews such as Buckingham Browne & Nichols, Choate Rosemary Hall, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, and Greenwich Academy. They travelled to Pomfret, CT and raced in 35 mph gusts to win the du Pont Cup. These successes qualified four varsity boats for the New England Interscholastic Championships, seeding each boat in the top 10. 

The Winsor crew also raced elite club programs such as Narragansett, Riverside, CRI, and Greenwich Crew and found success as they prepared for the USRowing Northeast Championships in Lowell, MA. Unfortunately, due to the weather, the championship regatta was canceled. The Winsor crew showed incredible resilience through the disappointment of the cancellation and maintained a positive attitude as they battled the uncertainty of how the season would end. 

They came together and finished third in New England (ahead of 36 other schools). Congrats to 1st Varsity 4+ for a bronze medal finish and to the 4th Varsity 4+ for their gold medal finish at NEIRAs. The 2nd Varsity 4+ finished first in the petite final with open water and the 3rd boat battled hard through the line, finishing .4 seconds off of 3rd. 

Additionally, congratulations to the Under 17 double of Allegra and Olympia Catalino ’28 and the Under-17 Four—Ginny Choe ’27, Ella Troalic ’27, Angeliki Agape Volandes ’28, Ava Petruziello ’27, and Sisi Ansari ’28 for qualifying for the US Youth National Championships, which will be held in Sarasota Florida in June. 

JV Lacrosse 

The JV lacrosse team began the season with just four dedicated players. Thanks to Liv Blecher ’28’s unwavering commitment, the team grew to a strong seven, who loved being together and working together. With the addition of some of the mid and varsity players, the team was able to play four games.

The season kicked off with an impressive win over Beaver Country Day School, followed by a loss to Austin Prep and a victory against Newton Country Day School. With another month of practice—and support from both the middle school and varsity teams—the JV squad earned redemption by defeating Austin Prep in a hard-fought 10–6 rematch.

With some players completely new to the game, everyone was catching and throwing with confidence by the final day. They showed that the strength of a team isn’t about how many players are on it, but how they show up for each other—with consistency, enthusiasm, and a shared commitment to improving together. Congratulations, JV lacrosse!

Varsity Lacrosse 

We are proud and honored to stand here today and reflect on what has been a truly remarkable and unforgettable season for Winsor varsity girls lacrosse. We finished the season 12–5 overall, with a dominant 6–1 record in the EIL—a reflection of the hard work, grit, and passion this team poured into every single game. Early on, we made a statement with a huge win over a very strong Holderness squad, setting the tone for what would become one of the most successful seasons in recent years.

This team was powered by the draw controls and grit of the midfield, an explosive and dynamic offense, and an anchor in the net. Whether it was shutting down breakaways or making clutch stops late in the game, our goalie was a steady, dominant presence that gave us the confidence on defense to play aggressively and push forward. That combination kept us undefeated in the league as we approached the final stretch. And then came the toughest part of our season, seven meaningful games in nine days. One day at a time, this group—fueled by outstanding leadership—showed unwavering mental and physical toughness. They faced adversity head-on, stayed determined, and celebrated every small victory along the way, which ultimately led to some of the biggest wins in recent Winsor lacrosse history.

We beat Proctor Academy for the first time in five years. We went into our final league game tied for first place. And for the first time ever, we became the EIL Tournament Champions, defeating our rivals Dana Hall 10–6!

But we didn’t stop there. We earned our first-ever spot in the New England McCoy Cup Tournament and faced an elite, fast, and physical Greenwich Country Day team in the first round—and we beat them! That advanced us to the McCoy Cup Championship game against our longtime rival and powerhouse Pingree, where we fought until the last whistle. 

We are so proud of each and every one of you. Thank you for your heart, your commitment, and the legacy you leave behind. 

Sailing

The sailing team had another impressive season! During the regular season the team competed in eight race days at the Community Boating Center. Once again, Winsor finished at the top of their division in racing 420s and took second place overall. The entire team is to be congratulated for such a remarkable season. Led by the captains, Kimberly Nguyen ’25, Julia Nephew ’25, and Paige Fenton ’26, the team tackled perhaps the most difficult sailing season in recent memory with extraordinary winds and rain for most of the spring season. 

Many days the team was racing in the most extreme weather conditions with wind regularly above 20 and sometimes gusting as high as 30 miles per hour during the races. At the end of the season at the Mass Bay League Championships, the winds were so high that three quarters of one fleet, about 15 boats, failed to finish racing due to capsizes because of the extraordinary wind. Keep in mind that Winsor is the only all-female team in the entire league, so the team was at a great disadvantage, as less weight plays a role in keeping the boats flat and upright. The heavier teams were able to use this exceptionally windy spring to their advantage. Congratulations, varsity sailing, on another outstanding spring of smart and tactical sailing.

Softball

The varsity softball season started with a lot of changes. New coaches, new captains, and a new outlook on the program. Team building and positive energy were the building blocks of each practice and game throughout the season. We started our season facing some of our toughest EIL opponents: Newton Country Day, Beaver Country Day, and Portsmouth Abbey. This set us up for some more inner league battles with Pingree and Concord Academy during the middle of our season. We reached our last few weeks of the season and were able to capture wins against Lexington Christian Academy and the Wheeler School, both in exciting fashion. A three-hour-long game ending in a high-scoring, comeback win for the Wildcats was not how we expected to end the season, but it was very “on brand” for our team. One thing this 2025 team will not do is give up! Although our final record of wins and losses was not our intended goal at the start of the season, there were many things that were not reflected in the wins and losses columns. Our frequent laughs throughout games and practices, the eruption of cheers when a teammate makes a play we’ve been practicing for weeks, or the pure joy on a player’s face when they get their first hit of the season. In all, our tight knit squad of 11 has shown that although there will be teams that have more experience, we will give it our all until the very last out. We are so excited to see our young players grow into strong leaders on and off the field in the coming years. Congratulations, varsity softball!

Junior Varsity Tennis

The JV tennis team had a very good spring season. The team was strong from the top of the ladder to the bottom of the ladder and ended the season with a record of seven wins and two losses. The team opened the season with a 5–1 win over the Rivers School in a hard fought match that had some tight sets. Our only losses were close matches against Phillips Andover Academy and Newton Country Day School. Thankfully, we had a chance to play NCDS again and we beat them in the rematch. In practices, the team had a great attitude and there was lots of laughter and fun. At crunch time in matches, though, the team exhibited great competitiveness and grit which allowed us to beat many talented opponents. This group of players were extremely fun and rewarding to coach, I hope to welcome many of them back next spring. Congratulations, JV tennis, on a great season!

Varsity Tennis

What a season it’s been! This year was truly special for our tennis team—a season marked not only by outstanding performance, but by growth, grit, and unity. Over the course of ten weeks, the team competed in 15 matches and capped off the season as NEPSAC quarterfinalists after a hard-fought battle. 

They also claimed the EIL Championship for the fifth year in a row, going undefeated in league play without dropping a single set—a truly rare feat. Along the way, they defeated five of the top teams from the highly competitive ISL league, further proving their strength and resilience on the court. Their only loss during the regular season was to Phillips Andover Academy, the Division I NEPSAC Champion.

But beyond the wins, what truly stood out this season was the team’s commitment to one another. This season was about more than just winning—it was about teammates becoming friends, supporting one another, and creating memories that will last long after the final match. We knew qualifying for NEPSAC wouldn’t come easily this year, and everyone stepped up—from extra training to dedicated time with coaches. What was most inspiring to watch was how the focus shifted from individual success to team success—a mindset that’s not always easy in an individual sport like tennis. This group understood that supporting one another, playing for each other, and committing to a shared goal was what would ultimately set us apart. I truly believe that team-first mentality was the key to our success. Looking ahead, we’re already excited to build on everything we started this year. And to our seniors—thank you for your leadership, your dedication, and the memories you’ve given us. You will be missed. Congratulations varsity tennis team of 2025—and I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish in seasons to come!

Track and Field

The weather this season was not track and field friendly, but the members of Winsor’s track and field team posted lots of great performances despite competing through cold and rain at nearly all of our meets.

During the regular season we faced some strong teams, which pushed all of the athletes to give their best effort. In the season opener the Wildcats finished second of six teams at Austin Prep, then fourth of five teams in a meet hosted by eventual NEPSTA Division I champion Andover on a very unpleasant afternoon with strong winds.

When we finally saw sun at the meet at Milton, Winsor finished a solid second against three ISL teams and there were 33 new personal bests that day from veterans and newcomers alike. 

On an individual basis, during the season we saw eight athletes either move up on our all-time top-10 record lists or enter the list for the first time. 

But Winsor track and field has one team goal every year: win EILs. We knew it would take a total team effort, and that’s what the Wildcats delivered. There were wins in six events—two from Gabrielle Peskin ’28 and one each from Yemisi Adetowubo ’26, Dani Peskin ’30, Nia Lawrence ’26, and the record-setting 4×400 relay team of Tessa Laurans ’28, Gabrielle Peskin ’28, Maddie Cheng ’25, and Lara do Rosario ’26. 

But just as importantly, Winsor had an athlete who finished in fifth place or better in every event. The amazing 1-2-3-4 finish in the 3000 gave the Wildcats an insurmountable point total and Winsor celebrated its ninth straight EIL championship, beating second-place Concord by 22 points.

The season ended at the NEPSTA Division II championship, where the Wildcats were sixth of 17 teams. In a sign of how bright the team’s future can be, only 4.5 of the 38.5 points scored came from seniors. At New England’s, Yemisi broke the 11-year old school record in shot put with a throw of 31-9.

Honors

In addition to three Winsor coaches across track and field, tennis, and lacrosse being named EIL Coach of the Year, several Winsor student athletes received All League and All New England Honors. At the banquet, they stood for applause and recognition of their accomplishments. 

• Varsity Lacrosse EIL Honorable Mention: Katherine Danik ’25, Emily Yakoobian ’28
• Varsity Lacrosse EIL All League: Lucy Condron ’26, Lexi Pascucci ’26, Kate Perkins ’26, Nell Sparks ’25
• Varsity Lacrosse All NEPSAC Honorable Mention: Nell Sparks ’25
• Varsity Lacrosse All NEPSAC: Lucy Condron ’26, Kate Perkins ’26
• Varsity Softball EIL Honorable Mention: Sophia Cheng ’28
• Varsity Softball EIL All League: Kenna Schneider ’25
• Varsity Tennis EIL Honorable Mention: Lucy Yin ’28
• Varsity Tennis EIL All League: Karina Artemiev ’25, Julia Bae ’25, Maya Cukras ’27, Ila Desai ’27, Jiwon Lee ’27
• Varsity Tennis EIL Player of the Year: Julia Bae ’25
• Varsity Tennis All NEPSAC Honorable Mention: Jiwon Lee ’27
• Varsity Tennis All NEPSAC: Julia Bae ’25 
• Varsity Track EIL Honorable Mention: Leila Andermann ’27, Gracie Zhou ’26
• Varsity Track EIL All League 4 x 400: Tessa Laurans ’28, Gabrielle Peskin ’28, Maddie Cheng ’25, Lara do Rosario ’26 
• Varsity Track EIL All League 800 and 1500: Gabrielle Peskin ’28
• Varsity Track EIL All League 3000: Dani Peskin ’30
• Varsity Track EIL All League triple jump: Yemisi Adetowubo ’26
• Varsity Track EIL All League discus: Nia Lawrence ’26
• Varsity Track All New England 4 x 400: Tessa Laurans ’28, Gabrielle Peskin ’28, Maddie Cheng ’25, Lara do Rosario ’26 
• Varsity Track All New England triple jump and shot put: Yemisi Adetowubo ’26
• Varsity Track All New England long jump: Maddie Cheng ’25
• Varsity Track All New England 800 and 1500: Gabrielle Peskin ’28
• Varsity Track All New England 3000: Gracie Zhou ’26
• Varsity Track All New England 400: Tessa Laurans ’28
• Varsity Track All New England 100 hurdles: Erika Ruiz ’25