Fall 2026 Athletes of the Week

Varsity Volleyball

This student spent all week showing her teammates that she believes in them. She brought energy, enthusiasm and passion to every practice and game. She had several aces this week followed by kills and defensive plays that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. This weeks Athlete of the Week is Lillian Kanter!

JV Field Hockey

This athlete is a formidable defender. She’s tenacious and unrelenting and strikes fear into every foe she faces. In our Saturday game against Rumsey Hall, she fought tirelessly in the blazing sun to fend off the young stick wizards from the wilds of Western Connecticut. She deftly took control of the ball, sometimes smashing it to the other end of the field, sometimes showcasing her fancy stickwork, then passing wide. Alas, we were down 2-0 at the half and feeling a bit deflated. That’s when this player said yes to Coach MJ’s idea to try a new position. Jumping from defense to forward, she helped turn the game around. She pulled an unusual move that vexed those Rumsey rascals: dribbling backwards, turning and protecting the ball as the enemy flailed in futility. Spectators watched with mouths agape as this defender-turned-attacker pushed her way past the last line of Rumsey resistance to score our team’s first goal of the season. It seems fitting that the last three letters of this player’s surname spell yes in French. This is a player who always says yes, always believes in her team and never backs down. So let us all say “Oui, Oui!” The athlete of the week is Lilia Zouaoui!

Varsity Soccer

Last season, she played center forward and was a major contributor to the team’s Class A, Founders League, and WWNEPSSA championships. The season before, she stepped into a wing-back role and helped the team capture both the Founders League and WWNEPSSA titles. Whenever the team has needed her to fill a different role, she has embraced the challenge with a smile, consistently putting the team’s needs ahead of her own. This season, she has been in outstanding form at center back, displaying tremendous composure and confidence when building out of the back, along with the grit, hunger, and belief to win the ball or delay an opponent’s attack. Her two perfectly timed sliding challenges against Austin Prep prevented what looked like certain goals, and she capped off the week by assisting the winning goal against Class A favorite Worcester Academy this past weekend. She has been a key part of a team that has conceded just two goals in more than 400 minutes of soccer, a remarkable reflection of the defensive organization, resilience, and commitment she helps bring to the group. This week’s Athlete of the Week is Lucie Martinelli!

Thirds Volleyball

This week’s Athlete of the Week stood out with a strong all-around performance on the court. She consistently hustled to get to every ball and delivered controlled, dependable passes that helped keep rallies going and gave our team opportunities to attack. Her commitment to improving her game was evident even before the match. She came early to put in extra work on her serves, and that preparation paid off. Throughout the game, she delivered strong, confident serves that put pressure on the other team. Her effort, preparation, consistency and willingness to do the extra work make Makeda Jumah a well-deserving Athlete of the Week!

Varsity Field Hockey

This field hockey player has gotten off to a great start this season, scoring three goals in our first two games. She works hard everyday to improve her own skills and she brings great intensity to drills in practice to help her teammates grow as well. This player plays with so much heart and hustle and she is willing to do whatever it takes to help her team be successful. In addition to her valuable presence on the field, this player serves as an excellent leader and demonstrates a high level of sportsmanship and all of her teammates look up to her. Congratulations to Anya Webb!

Varsity Volleyball

This varsity volleyball player stepped up this week into a new position and was fearless. She showed great leadership and kept morale high amongst teammates. We are proud of the work this player has done and we look forward to seeing her continue, Grace Hazelton!

Cross Country

This Athlete of the Week made her cross country debut at Choate this past weekend on a course with some truly questionable terrain: rocks, dirt, roots, bridges, and even a hairpin turn. In her very first meet, she was the first Porter’s runner to finish the novice event with an impressive time of 26:13. Beyond her strong performance, we are so happy to have her with us because of the enthusiasm and support she brings to those around her. She adds real depth to our squad, and we see great things in her future. And perhaps the best moment came after a speedy mile one, when she passed by her coaches and teammates and casually announced that she was “just chillin’.” This week’s Athlete of the Week is Kennedy Jennings!