The Williston Northampton School Athletics Department handed out its end-of-year awards to seniors during an all-school athletics assembly on May 21. During the assembly, team representatives from spring sports gave recaps of their seasons and announced team awards; individual athletes that broke school records were recognized for their accomplishments; and senior leaders were honored with Williston’s Blanket Awards, Wildcat Varsity Legacy Awards, Athletic Leadership Awards, and our George Denman Bowl and Alumnae Bowl trophies.
Jade Morris, the Director of Athletics, addressed the school at the start of the assembly. Noting the effort and work it takes to succeed as a student-athlete at Williston, Morris praised students for their resilience and adaptability throughout the year.
“You are constantly being asked to shift, adjust, and grow,” Morris said. “Some days you succeed immediately. Some days you struggle first. But what matters is that you continue to adapt, continue to show up, and continue to lean into the next challenge with courage.”
The two biggest honors given out at the assembly are the George Denman Bowl and Alumnae Bowl winners. Presented to seniors whose contributions to athletics at Williston have been characterized by exceptional achievement, faithful participation, and loyal devotion to the best interests of the school.
The Denman Bowl, awarded to the top male athlete, went to Brody Richardson ’26. The Alumnae Bowl, bestowed to the top female athlete, went to Zola Piekarski ’26.
Richardson was a four-year member of both the cross-country and track and field teams, and smashed numerous records in both sports throughout his career. This year in track alone, Richardson captured NEPSAC championships in both the 800-meter and 1500-meter races, set Division II meet record times, earned Outstanding Male Athlete honors at the NEPSTA Championships, and rewrote the Williston record books in the 800, 1500, and 3000. In cross-country this past fall, Richardson won a New England championship and solidified his hold as the school’s course record-holder.
“But what makes Brody truly deserving of this award goes beyond the records, medals, and accolades,” Morris said. “His coaches spoke not only about his talent, but about his dedication, discipline, and approach to his craft.”
Piekarski also dominated in multiple sports as a Wildcat, playing four years in both field hockey and ice hockey. Some of the honors she earned in her time here include: NEPSAC Player of the Year, multiple All-NEPSAC First Team selections, Western New England All-Star honors, NFHCA All-American recognition, team MVP awards, and captaincies in both field hockey and hockey. She leaves Williston holding the number one spot in field hockey career points with a record of 204 points and became just the 12th player in program history to reach 100 career points in hockey, finishing with 107.
“Zola embodies everything the Alumnae Bowl represents,” Morris said. “She pursued excellence at the highest level, competed with humility and passion, and made every program she touched better because she was part of it. Her legacy will be felt at Williston for years to come, and we can’t wait to cheer her on next year at Penn.”
Williston also recognizes seniors for their impacts on athletics that extend beyond competition with the Athletic Leadership Award. It is presented to seniors who have distinguished themselves through exceptional leadership, character, and sportsmanship.
Kat Mayer ’26, Owen Converse ’26, and Dean Ruksnaitis ’26 were recognized in 2026.
“I have heard Coach [Tom] Beaton call Dean the best lineman he has ever coached at Williston,” Morris said, “but he always quickly follows that by saying Dean is just as exceptional of a person.”
“[Converse’s] coaches describe him as selfless, caring, and competitive, but most importantly, someone who will do anything to lift up the people around him,” Morris said. “Owen brings a positive attitude to this community day in and day out, and his leadership has made a lasting impact on Williston athletics.”
“Kat is warm, friendly, and someone who always finds a way to make the people around her laugh,” Morris said. “Her coaches said she leads with humility, cares deeply about others, and has an incredible ability to connect with every teammate. They said Williston is truly going to miss next year, and it is easy to understand why.”
The Wildcat Varsity Legacy Award is a newer Williston athletic tradition, and is a special honor recognizing student-athletes who have earned a varsity letter in every season—fall, winter, and spring—throughout all four years at Williston.
“This remarkable achievement reflects an unwavering commitment to athletic excellence, team leadership, and school spirit,” Morris said. “We are proud to celebrate their lasting impact on our athletic program.”
The seven seniors who earned recognition were:
- Nina Coffee ’26
- Mel McCullagh ’26
- Teppei Morita ’26
- Zola Piekarski ’26
- Catie Putt ’26
- Skyler Walker ’26
- Brenna Ziter ’26
The Blanket Award is given to students who played at Williston for more than a year and played a sport in all but one of those seasons.
The seniors given blankets were:
- Lateef Aiyeyemi
- Keshav Ambadi
- Lily Anderson
- Nina Coffee
- Kenzo Endo
- Bennett Evelti
- Gabe Follone
- Francesca Gionfriddo
- Connor Graff
- Luke Green
- Mel McCullough
- Yasmine McKenzie
- Owen Mish
- Teppei Morita
- Casey Muscato
- Zola Piekarski
- Catie Putt
- Jumpei Ro
- Shane Sexton
- Riana Shaw
- Zoe Simon
- Skyler Walker
- Brenna Ziter
Below are the remarks Morris gave in full. To learn more about Williston athletics, click here. See photos from the event on our Flickr page.
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Spring Athletics Assembly!
Before we begin hearing from our spring team leaders, I want to take a moment to talk about something I have come to deeply appreciate in my second year at Williston; resilience, adaptability, and the incredible ability this community has to rise to whatever moment is in front of us. The word that keeps coming to mind for me is “chameleon.”
Not because people here change who they are, but because they adapt so naturally to the environment they are in and to what is needed of them in that moment.
Think about our faculty and staff. In one moment, someone may be teaching a class, fully focused on helping students understand a concept. Ten minutes later, they are rushing to the dining hall to grab lunch or snacks for their team’s road trip. Along the way, they may get stopped by an advisee who needs support or advice. A few hours later, that same person is standing on the sideline as a coach, trying to think strategically in real time and making decisions. Then at the end of the night, maybe they are covering a dorm duty, answering emails on their couch, or heading home to take care of their own family. And somehow, they continue to show up for all of it.
But because many of you in this room are students, let me give you another example.
Think about someone like Francesca Gionfreddo. Fran is a three sport varsity athlete, every season looks a little different for her. She serves as a captain of all three though. This winter, she obviously crushed it on the diving board, but then in addition, helped the swim team in events, without pause. You may find her doing wall ball outside of the athletic center or at assembly encouraging students to take advantage of Arete. Then the next moment she may be running events for the Wildest Cats.
And even more than that, in the final weeks of her time at Williston, she took the initiative to meet with me to think about how we could add leadership training for next year’s captains. She was not doing that for recognition. She was doing it because she cares about all of you, after she leaves.
That is resilience.
That is adaptability.
That is being a chameleon.
And the truth is, every single one of you is doing this in your own way every day. You are constantly being asked to shift, adjust, and grow. Student. Athlete. Artist. Friend. Leader. Teammate. Proctor. Advisee. Roommate. Community member.
Some days you succeed immediately. Some days you struggle first. But what matters is that you continue to adapt, continue to show up, and continue to lean into the next challenge with courage.
Now, let’s hear from our spring team leaders.
As a reminder, this assembly provides an extra punch, we will hear from our leaders about the spring season and then move onto the final athletic awards.
I’d like to welcome the leaders of…
- JV Baseball
- Varsity Baseball
- Boys JV Golf
- Boys Varsity Golf
- Girls JV Golf
- Girls Varsity Golf
- Varsity Softball
- Boys JV Tennis
- Boys Varsity Tennis
- Girls JV Tennis
- Girls Varsity Tennis
- Boys Track & Field
- Girls Track & Field
- JV Ultimate
- Varsity Ultimate
- Girls Varsity Water Polo
- Girls JV Lacrosse
- Girls Varsity Lacrosse
- Boys JV Lacrosse
- Boys Varsity Lacrosse
Lets give another round of applause for all of our spring teams and leaders as they join you back in the chapel pews.
To kick off the awards portion of our assembly, we are going start with our Blanket Awards. As you know, students at Williston are encouraged to participate and get engaged in all aspects of student life here. Many of our graduating seniors have made an exceptional commitment to participating in our competitive athletic program. To honor this distinguished level of participation, the Blanket Award recognizes students who have been at Williston for more than one year, they are eligible for the award if they missed only one season not including their senior year. I would like to ask the following 23 seniors to come forward when I read your names. Please remain up front and we will applaud you as a group at the end.
Blanket Award Winners
- Lateef Aiyeyemi
- Keshav Ambadi
- Lily Anderson
- Nina Coffee
- Kenzo Endo
- Bennett Evelti
- Gabe Follone
- Francesca Gionfriddo
- Connor Graff
- Luke Green
- Mel McCullough
- Yasmine McKenzie
- Owen Mish
- Teppei Morita
- Casey Muscato
- Zola Piekarski
- Catie Putt
- Jumpei Ro
- Shane Sexton
- Riana Shaw
- Zoe Simon
- Skyler Walker
- Brenna Ziter
Next up, is the Wildcat Varsity Legacy Award, a special honor recognizing student-athletes who have earned a varsity letter in every season—fall, winter, and spring—throughout all four years at Williston. This remarkable achievement reflects an unwavering commitment to athletic excellence, team leadership, and school spirit. We are proud to celebrate their lasting impact on our athletic program.
- Nina Coffee
- Mel McCullagh
- Teppei Morita
- Zola Piekarski
- Catie Putt
- Skyler Walker
- Brenna Ziter
Next will be the Athletic Leadership Award,
The Athletic Leadership Award is presented to seniors who have distinguished themselves through exceptional leadership, character, and sportsmanship. These student-athletes lead by example, elevate those around them, and represent Williston with pride and integrity.
This year we will have three recipients.
The first Athletic Leadership Award recipient is someone whose impact on Williston athletics extends far beyond the field. Dean has been a four-year member of the football program and track and field team, earning accolades that reflect both his talent and leadership: NEPSAC Class A Lineman of the Year, First Team All-Conference as both a junior and senior, team captain in both his junior and senior seasons, this year’s Sportsmanship Award recipient, along with All-Conference and NEPSAC recognition throughout his career.
I have heard Coach Beaton call Dean the best lineman he has ever coached at Williston, but he always quickly follows that by saying Dean is just as exceptional of a person. Whether in the biggest moments of competition or the quieter moments that few people notice, Dean leads with humility, consistency, and care for others. He is a leader in every sense of the word, and I cannot wait to watch what he accomplishes next year. Go Eagles.
It is my honor to present the Athletic Leadership Award to Dean Ruknaitis.
Our next Athletic Leadership Award recipient is someone who has consistently elevated those around him through his leadership, positivity, and selflessness. Owen has made a tremendous impact on Williston athletics as a two-sport athlete in both hockey and lacrosse. This year, he served as captain of the hockey team and earned the Sportsmanship Award, adding to the Sportsmanship recognition he also received in lacrosse during his junior year.
As mentioned earlier, Owen also etched his name into Williston history this season by setting both the single-season save record with 181 saves and the career save record with 282 saves. While those accomplishments are incredibly impressive, what stands out even more is the type of teammate and person he is every single day.
His coaches describe him as selfless, caring, and competitive, but most importantly, someone who will do anything to lift up the people around him. Owen brings a positive attitude to this community day in and day out, and his leadership has made a lasting impact on Williston athletics.
It is my honor to present the Athletic Leadership Award to Owen Converse.
Our last Athletic Leadership Award recipient is someone who has made an incredible impact on Williston athletics as a three-sport athlete in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. Her accomplishments speak for themselves: captain of both the field hockey and lacrosse teams this year, recipient of the Most Improved Player Award in both field hockey and basketball as a sophomore, and an All-NEPSAC selection in lacrosse.
But what stands out most about Kat cannot be found in statistics or record books. Last year, Kat tore her ACL, a challenge that would test anyone physically and mentally. Despite the difficult road ahead, she approached every day with optimism, resilience, and positivity. Even while working through rehab this year, she continued to fully support her field hockey and basketball teams, embracing a different role than the one she wanted to be in without ever letting it shake her spirit or commitment to her teammates.
Kat is warm, friendly, and someone who always finds a way to make the people around her laugh. Her coaches said she leads with humility, cares deeply about others, and has an incredible ability to connect with every teammate. They said Williston is truly going to miss next year, and it is easy to understand why.
It is my pleasure to present the Athletic Leadership Award to Kat Meyer.
Now we will move to our final two athletic awards;
The George Denman Bowl and the Alumnae Bowl are the highest honors awarded in Williston athletics. These awards are presented to seniors whose contributions to the athletic program have been characterized by exceptional achievement, faithful participation, and loyal devotion to the best interests of the school.
This year’s George Denman Bowl recipient is someone whose career has redefined excellence at Williston.
His accomplishments across cross country and track and field are truly extraordinary. A four-year member of both programs, he has earned multiple MVP honors, All-NEPSAC recognition in nearly every season, New England championships, school records, and meet records. This year alone, he captured NEPSAC championships in both the 800m and 1500m, set Division II meet record times, earned Outstanding Male Athlete honors at the NEPSTA Championships, and rewrote the Williston record books in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m.
In cross country, he became a New England Champion and the school course record holder, while also maintaining first honors academically this year. His achievements place him among the most accomplished student-athletes in school history.
But what makes Brody truly deserving of this award goes beyond the records, medals, and accolades. His coaches spoke not only about his talent, but about his dedication, discipline, and approach to his craft. His cross country coach shared that watching Brody’s development over the past four years has been one of the highlights of a 30-year coaching career, praising his remarkable commitment, tactical mindset, and ability to rise to the moment when it matters most.
His track and field coach described this spring as arguably the most dominant boys track season in school history and noted that many coaches go entire careers without coaching an athlete capable of what Brody accomplished. Most importantly, they spoke about the intentionality, precision, and work ethic he brought to every practice and every race.
Brody represents everything this award stands for: exceptional achievement, faithful participation, and loyal devotion to the best interests of the school. His legacy at Williston will be remembered for years to come, and we can’t wait to cheer him on at the finish line next year.
It is my honor to present this year’s Denman Bowl to Brody Richardson.
Alumnae Bowl
Our last award of the afternoon will be the Alumnae Bowl….
A four-year standout in both field hockey and ice hockey, she established herself as one of the most accomplished student-athletes in school history. Her list of accolades is remarkable: NEPSAC Player of the Year, multiple All-NEPSAC First Team selections, Western New England All-Star honors, NFHCA All-American recognition, team MVP awards, and captaincies in both field hockey and hockey.
She leaves Williston holding the number one spot in field hockey career points with a record of 204 points and became just the 12th player in program history to reach 100 career points in hockey, finishing with 107.
But as impressive as those accomplishments are, what truly separates Zola is the impact she has had on the people and programs around her.
Her field hockey coach reflected on the growth she showed from a shy freshman into a transformational leader who elevated the entire program. While her ability to take over games was undeniable, what stood out most was her selflessness. Finishing her career with more assists than goals says everything about the teammate she is. Her coach shared that Williston Field Hockey is better because of Zola and that she leaves the program stronger than she found it.
Her hockey coach described her as one of the most trusted, skilled, and complete players they have coached. Beyond the points and accolades, they spoke about her relentless effort, positivity, and selfless leadership. She became the heartbeat of the team, consistently lifting up those around her and earning the deep respect of teammates and coaches alike.
Zola embodies everything the Alumnae Bowl represents. She pursued excellence at the highest level, competed with humility and passion, and made every program she touched better because she was part of it. Her legacy will be felt at Williston for years to come, and we can’t wait to cheer her on next year at Penn.
It is my honor to present Zola Piekarski with this year’s Alumnae Bowl.
As we wrap up today, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank the many people who make all of this possible.
First, a big thank you to Steve Hoyt for his tireless work and commitment to our athletics programs and social media. I’m truly grateful for your partnership this year. Along with Steve, I also want to recognize our new Sports Media Team students, and our writers, Matt Liebowitz and Geoff Smith, for helping bring our student-athletes’ stories and moments to life in such a powerful way this year.
I also want to thank our coaches, students, Bob Hill, Dean’s Team, Campus Safety, Facilities, Housekeeping, and Sage Dining staff. So much of what we experience here happens because of your care and behind-the-scenes work every day.
And saving the best for last, I want to thank Melissa, Blayne, Ansel, Borge, Caleb, and JT. I’m incredibly grateful to work alongside you.
And now, what you’ve all been waiting for, let’s turn it to our slide show- thank you Ms. B for all of your hard work on this!
VIDEO
Thank you all for coming- make it a great day!