Wheatley Fall Athletic Teams Receive NYS Scholar/Athlete Recognition

Written by Tom Fitzpatrick Friday, 23 December 2011 00:00

Wheatley’s fall athletic teams have each been named a New York State Scholar/Athlete team. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) identifies high school varsity teams for their academic excellence in its Scholar/Athlete Recognition Award Program.

This program, which was initiated by NYSPHSAA twenty-one years ago, recognizes high school athletic teams based upon a composite of the grade point averages among team members. NYSPHSAA also recognizes a team champion, the team with the highest GPA, for each varsity sport. Wheatley has received the team championship recognition for 16 of its varsity teams since entering the program in 2000-2001.

This year, Wheatley’s girls varsity volleyball team, girls varsity soccer team, girls varsity tennis team, field hockey team, boys varsity soccer team and boys varsity and girls varsity cross country teams have all been recognized as Scholar/Athlete teams by NYSPHSAA. These teams have demonstrated athletic excellence on their fields of play and academic excellence in the classroom.  

The girl’s varsity soccer team, coached by Paul Paino and lead by captains Jackie Stagnari and Michelle Kalish, had a grade point average of 96.703. The girl’s varsity volleyball team, coached by Tom Greeley and lead by captains Katie McArdle and Marie Farrar had an average of 94.55.

The girl’s varsity tennis team, coached by Mo Schneider and lead by captains Jennifer Barry, Dianna Beague, Brooke Roitman and Shelley Foreman, had an average of 97.359. The girl’s varsity cross-country team, coached by Dan Walsh and lead by captain Jamie Forrest, had an average of 93.063. The varsity field hockey team, coached by Kristin Adamski and lead by captains Yasmine Ali and Stacie Lessoff, had an average of 98.591.

The boy’s varsity soccer team, coached by Steve Cadet and lead by captains Alec Butwin and BJ Schiela, had a grade point average of 96.583. The boys varsity cross country team, coach by Dan Walsh and lead by captains Matt DeBenedittis and Nick Conte, had an average of 97.977.

Wheatley is proud of the recognition these team members have earned and offers its congratulations to the members of the teams and their parents. This accomplishment is a credit to the athletes who have had to balance the demands of a rigorous academic schedule with long hours of practice and competition required to successfully compete in interscholastic athletics at the varsity level.