Calhoun’s spring sports season was filled with defining moments and impressive achievements across every level of competition. With all varsity teams qualifying for the NYCAL playoffs and several Middle and Upper School teams battling back for exciting comeback victories, our student-athletes and coaches represented Calhoun with pride and determination. Their resilience and teamwork made this season one to remember and set a strong foundation for the years ahead.

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Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Baseball 

The Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Baseball team finished their season in second place with a 5-1 league record, fueling a memorable playoff run. In the semifinals against Trevor Day, the team mounted an "epic comeback" as Coach Scott Tuchman describes it. Calhoun was down 5-1 in the last inning but managed to force extra innings before eventually winning 6-5. Their strong season culminated in their appearance in the NYCAL championship, where the team put a valiant effort together against Browning. The baseball program says farewell to six wonderful seniors who will be missed on and off the field: Howard J., Oliver M., Andres C., Josh M., Julian G. and Brian S. However, the team will return twelve players who will be hungry to improve on this season.

Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Volleyball

The Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Volleyball team was dominant throughout the season. Calhoun notched a series of commanding 3-0 victories against competitors like Trevor Day, UNIS, and Lycée. At the Lycée game, "The team showed great energy, communicated effectively, and competed hard throughout the game. Everyone played with intensity and worked together," describes Coach Brooke Carbajal. Following their success in the regular season, the team secured the NYCAL regular season championship and entered the playoffs with the #1 seed – earning a decisive victory against Grace Church in the semifinal round, and then advancing to the NYCAL championship against UNIS. They ended their season with a hard-fought match against Riverdale in the NYSAIS state tournament. Elijah B. '28 led the team with blocks, dominated the net all season, and always laid it all out on the court. Richie W-F. '26 was a clutch player and the team could always rely on him when a point was needed. Aneldy V-D. '26 "was a true leader both on and off the court. His leadership showed in many ways — he was vocal, led by example through his strong work ethic, and consistently brought a positive attitude that energized and motivated the team."

Varsity Girls/Non-Binary Students Softball

In their final regular-season game against Trevor Day, the Varsity Girls/Non-Binary Students Softball team rallied from an early 10-2 deficit to an exciting 18-14 comeback victory. In the fourth inning, their bats "came alive" as Calhoun scored five runs and held Trevor Day scoreless, shifting the momentum for the rest of the game. Coach Rafael Aviles described it as "a true example of the team’s resilience, determination, and refusal to give up." The victory secured them the number 4 seed in the program's first-ever playoff run. Ruthie L. '26 delivered an outstanding performance against Trevor Day and throughout the entire season, throwing a total of 1,117 pitches and recording 47 strikeouts, in addition to an impressive .577 batting average and a .645 on-base percentage. She led by example and made a tremendous impact on the program. As Coach Rafael reflects on the season, he cites the team's growth and unity among their greatest accomplishments, writing, "As a new and developing team, the players continued to improve their skills, support one another, and never gave up regardless of the challenges we faced." The work the team did this year will help lay the foundation for future success.

Varsity Track & Field

The Varsity Track & Field team had another banner season. Following weekly competitions at Queens College, the team had an exceptional showing at the NYCAL championship meet on May 12. The G/NB team placed third overall, collecting medals across individual events and team relays. Simone A. '27 earned gold in the 200m with a time of 26.53 and the 400m with a time of 1:03.53. Lila S. '27 came in first place in the 3000m with a time of 12:18.45 and second place in the 800m with a time of 2:36.72. The G/NB 4x400m relay team claimed first (Ariana Z. '28, Jordynn W. '29, Simone A. '27, and Lila S. '27) and the 4x100m team was the third-place finisher (Ariana Z. '28, Leah-Kaye P-M. '27, Sienna B. '26, and Simone A. '27). Sienna B. '26 won bronze in the shot put finals with a throw of 22-8.5, while Esme M. '28 rounded out the top four with a throw of 22-8. To close the season, Calhoun sent two runners to the NYSAIS championship; Simone A. '27 finished fifth in the 200m with a time of 25.89 and Lila S. '27 finished tenth in the 3000m run with a time of 11:36.57. Additionally, Lyle M. '26 represented Calhoun well throughout the season and will be missed next year. 

Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Tennis

The Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Tennis team ended their season on a high note, competing in the NYCAL championships held on May 13. At the all-day tournament, every NYCAL team competed for individual and team championships, and as Coach Mahika Rathod writes, "We all got to experience the growth and improvements made throughout the season." Players were locked in, fought hard, and showed great teamwork. Alik L. '26 had a standout performance, going 3-2 playing second singles; he also holds the record for most wins on the team with 10 wins to 2 losses this season. Reflecting on the season's accomplishments, Coach Mahika believes "the team grew closer and reveled in each others’ wins and lifted each others’ spirits after losses." Alik, Hugo D. '26, and Fletcher J. '26 were veterans of Calhoun's tennis program and will be missed after graduation. Next year's team, led by Rishi K. '27 and Charlie G. '27 looks strong, with a large group of returning ninth and tenth grade players.

Middle School 7/8 Baseball

The Middle School 7/8 Baseball team's game against Avenues brought out the best of our student-athletes. Down 7-0 in the fourth inning, the team remained calm and confident as they gradually gained momentum by scoring additional runs, eventually pulling off a 9-8 victory. Everyone throughout the lineup was contributing and cheering on their teammates. Coach Nate Fingeret "had never been more proud as a coach," saying the win took "guts, perseverance, and belief from everyone." The team met their goal of improving collectively – "every practice, every game, as the season progressed the team got better and the results highlight that too," describes Coach Nate. Max G. '30 was "was undisputedly the team leader and captain this season and did an amazing job." Additionally, Sawyer S. '31 gave 100% to a game he has never played; Val S. '30 was a real leader who stepped up to be starting catcher; Toby S. '31, Gabe S. '31, and Markus S. '31 brought their years of experience and enthusiasm for baseball and shared it with the team; Oliver L. '31 returned to the sport and showed up with a great sense of excitement; Theo M. '31 and Otto K. '31 both tried something new and were crucial members of the team, growing a lot throughout the season. 

Middle School 7/8 Track & Field

Our Middle School 7/8 Track & Field team's season was full of standout individual performances and a strong team culture. At the NYCAL championships on May 14, many runners had personal bests in at least one of their events, including the B/NB and G/NB 4x100m relay teams. Leonardo S. '30 was dominant in the sprinting events throughout the season and placed first in both the 100m and 200m events in the championships. Olivia A. '30 consistently placed second and third in the 100m and 200m in regular season meets, followed by Courtney C. '30; both represented Calhoun well at the final championship meet. Approaching the season, Coaches Kim Cassidy and Gabby Montes wanted "to make our team feel like a team, even though track is composed of individual events." They accomplished this, writing, "Our team embodied the idea of team spirit and teamwork. They were always cheering for each other (and for runners on other teams), supporting each other, and working together during hard practices." Sloane H. '30, although hurt for most of the season, was a leader and was "the loudest cheerleader for her team both during practice and at meets." Many runners improved their times over the course of the season, and Coach Kim is "really proud of our team for coming together and working together."

Middle School 7/8 Boys/Non-Binary Students Volleyball

This year's Middle School 7/8 Boys/Non-Binary Students team was small but mighty. Following a victory against UNIS in late April, the team went into their match against Lycée with more confidence. As Head Coach Arisa Hirabayashi recounts, "While we started the first set strong, we ended up losing that set with Lycée’s comeback in the last few points." After a reset, "The team showed a consistent level of high energy in the second set, and a comeback in the third set down from 11-14." The players showed an impressive amount of growth from the first few weeks of the season – coming to understand rotation and positions on the court, and growing to appreciate and practice 3-touch plays with a proper set to outside and middle hitters. The players also demonstrated improvement in their defensive skills, such as learning base defense positions, blocking in the front row, and covering tips. Xavier H. '30 was a strong leader throughout the entire season. As a setter and an experienced team member from last year, he showed great leadership in volleyball skills as well as mindset. 

Middle School 5/6 Soccer

This spring was our first season of Middle School 5/6 Soccer. The team's roster was full of student-athletes eager to play. During twice-weekly practices, the team learned the basics of the sport and developed their technical skills and agility. The most memorable moments of the season were the two Cougar Games played at Soccerroof in Wall Street. With family and friends looking on and pinnies donned, the group broke into three teams to rotate through a series of scrimmages. Players brought intensity and enthusiasm as they competed against each other. The future of the soccer program at Calhoun is bright!