Winter Sports Recap 2023

The 2023 winter sports season was defined by two NYCAL championship titles, impressive individual performances, a new Varsity Table Tennis team and skill-building across all levels. In addition to our four eligible basketball teams making the playoffs, the Junior Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students and Junior Varsity Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball teams both won the NYCAL championship. This marked the first time both Junior Varsity teams won the title in the same season, and the first time the Junior Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team has won the championship in 10 years. Read below to learn more about the highlights from each Varsity, Junior Varsity and Middle School team. Go Cougars!

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Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team finished fourth in the league and competed against Trevor Day in the NYCAL semifinals. The team was led by guard Callen M. '25, forward Matthew D. '24 and captains Mark L. '23 and Miles D. '23. Coaches Casey Shane '06 and Jack Healy consider the team's win against Columbia Prep one of the most memorable moments of the season, writing, "It was our first win against them in the last eight years, and overall a phenomenal team win at home." Reflecting on the season, they state the student-athletes fully committed to the "team first" philosophy, which helped them both on and off the court. Casey and Jack believe the future of the program looks bright, as many players will be returning next year and members of the championship Junior Varsity Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team will be joining the roster.

Varsity Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Varsity Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball team had a strong season that included an appearance in the NYCAL quarterfinals. Led by lone senior and captain Mia L. '23 and a group of juniors including co-captains Asha S. '24 and Nyla-Starr H. '24, the team placed second in the Fieldston tournament earlier in the year – beating LREI and then losing to Fieldston by two points in the championship game. The team also had strong wins over Lycée and UNIS during league play. As coaches Nicola Zimmer and Brooke Carbajal write, "Every player on the team improved substantially over the course of the season. We're proud of their growth, and we're already excited for next season."

Varsity Indoor Track

The Varsity Indoor Track team capped off an impressive season with several wins at the NYCAL championships. Zack P. ‘24 won the 1000 meter and 1600-meter race.  Calhoun also came in first place in the 4x400 meter relay, ran by  Daniel S. ‘23, Aneldy V. ‘26, Harrison Z. ‘24 and Zack P. ’24. At the NYSAIS Indoor Track championship meet on February 24, Zach P. '24 finished ninth in the 1600-meter race. The team was coached by Prince Gomes, Teddy Celaya and Liam Harvey ‘22.

Varsity Table Tennis

Calhoun's newly formed Varsity Table Tennis team hosted the first-ever table tennis match at Calhoun in January, competing against Browning in the 81st Street Commons. Led by coaches Xiaolin Lin & Heyden Ashton, the team also had matches against other area schools, including Fieldston and Horace Mann.

Junior Varsity Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Junior Varsity Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team had a stellar season. Going into the NYCAL playoffs with a 9-3 league record, the team defeated Trevor Day to win the NYCAL championship – the first championship win in ten years, and the second time overall. From the daily commitment to the importance of competing for something greater than themselves, the team "truly figured out what it takes to win," write coaches Justin Drucker and Nakiea Miller. As they continue, "The [team's] chemistry was great, and they were focused on being the best versions of themselves all season; that's why we won."

Junior Varsity Grey Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Junior Varsity Grey Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball team led the league in total points scored and wrapped up their season by defeating Loyola to win the NYCAL championship. Coaches TJ Miller and Cheikh Fall describe the game as "the biggest basketball game these athletes have played up to this point....[and] also the biggest crowd they played in front of." The coaches cite the team's loss at the buzzer against Heschel earlier in the season as a key learning experience that allowed them to win the championship game when it came down to the wire. In daily practices, coaches "focused on individual player improvement and what that means in a team environment."

Junior Varsity Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Junior Varsity Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team spent their time on the court building skills and working together. Led by Max R. '26, Jaylan F. '26 and Alik L. '26, "the team got better by the week," write coaches David Shepard and Justin Drucker. As they continued, "They truly played for each other, and they remained positive throughout the season. Seeing how hard they played in practice, knowing their season was over, was pretty special. [We're] extremely proud of this group."

Junior Varsity Green Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Junior Varsity Green Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball team competed in four games this season. The one that stood out the most to coaches Cheikh Fall and Kaliph Grant was the game against Sacred Heart, explaining how the team "managed to hold them to fewer points than they were accustomed to scoring, which made that game feel like a win in our book." Sinmi A. '25 was "the team's leading scorer for the first time in her basketball career.... She never missed a practice and was never late." As a whole, the team progressed and improved throughout the season and the coaches expect several of them will have developed enough to play for the Junior Varsity Grey Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball team next year.

Middle School Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Middle School Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team had a memorable win against Grace Church in January. In addition to that victory, one highlight of the season for coach Zeus Rocancourt was the team's game versus Lycée. In the first quarter, Calhoun was down by twelve points, and in the third quarter they were down by more than twenty. According to Zeus, "The team rallied hard and fought back, pressing and getting a lot of stops, ultimately losing by one point. It was a remarkable comeback, and they fought to the last second, showing incredible resilience." Fela B-O. '27 and Max L. '27 stood out as leaders throughout the season; "they maintained a positive attitude during tough losses and led by example on and off the court of what a student-athlete should look like."

Middle School Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Middle School Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball team, coached by Gabby Montes and Valerie Rivera, had a memorable season. As the coaches write, "This season we focused on learning and developing our skills and fundamentals on the court and strengthening our relationships with our teammates. As a small team, we had many challenges, but due to those challenges, we grew as a team from one game to the next. While we didn’t have scoreboard wins, we did have many small victories. One game that stood out for all of us was our home game with Lycée. We had a very challenging and emotional game, but they kept it cool and demonstrated what true sportsmanship is all about. It was a moment that made us feel proud as coaches. We also had many athletes step up and take on new roles and responsibilities this season. Aster K. '27 and Simone A. '27 led this team with a tremendous amount of compassion and kindness. They helped guide new players through a difficult season and have grown individually as athletes and people."

Middle School Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball

The Middle School Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team wrapped up their season with wins against UNIS and York Prep. They spent practice sessions and games building key skills and developing a sense of strategy. Guided by coaches Barkee Wilkes and Jeffery Cudjoe, team members were able to practice all positions on the court throughout the season.