Torrey Athletes Recognized at Honors Convocation

The following student-athletes received Athletic Department Awards:

Hagey Girl's Sports Participation Award
Cailin Keane '16

Jack Wigley Award
George Little '16

Iron Torrey Award
Katie Lyle '16
Claudia Mortyn '16
George Little '16
Cailin Keane '16

Torrey Booster Club Scholarship
Savannah Magallon '16
Bruce Edwards '16

Scholar-Athlete Award
Sophie Ausmus '16
Michael lamkin '16

Athlete of the Year
Alaysia Styles '17
Tomas Miralles '16

The Hagey Girl’s Sports Participation Award is presented to a varsity athlete for participation, desire and enthusiasm in women’s athletics.

Our 2016 Hagey Girl’s Sports Participation Award goes to a Lady Torrey for all seasons.  A leader in the pool for water polo and swimming, in the ocean for the surf team and even on dry land for the cross country team, Caitlin Keane will receive an Iron Torrey Award later this morning having competed for Country Day in 4 athletic seasons every year of upper school.  Talking about Caitlin, all of her coaches use words like leader, work ethic, optimism, care-taker, friendly, team before self, and dedication.   However, the word used more than any other to describe Caitlin is, “enthusiasm”.  Water polo coach, Stephanie Heinrich, says that Cailin’s enthusiasm is contagious and surf coach, Jean Ah Lee, says it is an inspiration. Caitln won 4 cross country team awards over the years and qualified for State 3 times. She won the surf team’s coaches award this year placing well in both short and longboard heats. As talented in the classroom and on the stage as she is athletically, Caitlin is a true Scholar, Artist and Athlete of Character.  She will study marine biology at UC Santa Cruse next year where I am sure she will quickly become a fixture in the Pleasure Point and Steamer Lane lineups.

Like Caitlin, our Jack Wigley Award winner is an Iron Torrey who incredibly played more than 12 athletic seasons over 4 years of upper school.  George Little played 14 seasons of cross country, ice hockey, roller hockey, basketball and lacrosse.  Never the biggest player on the field or ice, George is known for a tough, physical style of play that often intimidated taller and heavier opponents. Hockey coach, Dan Wagner, calls George a “grinder”.  While his athletic skills were valued, what was most appreciated about George by his team mates and coaches was his leadership.  Coach Wagner notes that his energy and enthusiasm motivated his team mates.  George had a captain’s role all 4 years of cross country and coach, Scott Sanders, says he always lead with character.  And lacrosse coach, Rory Hyland, says that George leaves behind a legacy of, not only excellence and relentlessness but of leadership.  Just as relentless in the theater, George excelled in many roles on the stage while he excelled on the playing field.

We will award 4 Iron Torreys this year.  Katie Lyle played 12 seasons over 4 years of softball, golf, soccer, rock climbing and volleyball. Claudia Mortyn played 12 seasons of golf, track, soccer and rock climbing. George Little played 14 combined seasons of cross country, ice hockey, roller hockey, basketball and lacrosse. And Caitlin Keane played 16 total seasons of cross country, water polo, surfing and swimming.

 

Our female Torrey Booster Club Scholarship Award goes to a young lady that started out at Country Day as a softball and basketball athlete before developing a passion for golf, Savannah Magallon.  And once Savannah caught the golf bug, she dove into the sport with all her heart.  Shooting in the mid-50’s over 9 holes as a freshman she was shooting in the low 30’s as a senior and was ranked amongst San Diego’s top 25 golfers.  Over the years, her swing and short game improved tremendously.  However, one thing that didn’t have to improve was Savannah’s character because that was excellent right from the start.  Whether it was walking up to the coach of the opposing team to shake hands and introduce herself before a match, or how she nurtured her team mates, or how she was always willing to help her coaches in any way possible, the praise that she has received from San Diego’s golf community has been overwhelming.  Savannah will golf on scholarship at UC San Marcos next year.

No one has a bigger smile, a larger laugh or a bigger heart on our campus than our male Torrey Booster Club Scholarship Award winner, Bruce Edwards.  It is common place to see Bruce on campus with multiple lower school children literally hanging all over him.  Bruce is a hero in Country Day’s lower school and the world will be a better place if he studies education in college because he is a natural to be an excellent teacher.  However, as much as Bruce likes to kid around, if you want to see him get serious, all you have to do is put a basketball in his hands.  Basketball coach, Ryan Meier, says he has never seen more growth in a player than he has in Bruce since his freshman year.  Bruce has been extremely dedicated to the game and his commitment has paid off.  He is a 3- time team captain and was selected the team’s MVP 3 times.  He was the Under Armour Holiday Classic MVP, a Union Tribune Athlete of the Week, a Mighty 1090 Radio Player of the Week, 1^st Team All-Coastal League and 1^st Team All-CIF.  Bruce will continue his growth as a player during a post graduate year at the Petty School in New Jersey next year before playing at Princeton in 2017-18.

 

Basketball coach, Terri Bamford, says that coaches dream about having a player like Alaysia Styles, our 2015-16 Female Athlete of the Year, on their team.  She is 6’2”, long, quick as a cat, strong and athletic.  Coach notes that it is “Birdy’s” (as she is known to friends and opponents alike) combination of strength and athleticism that gives her the ability to play all 5 positions on the court; she can handle the ball like a guard, shoot the 3 and battle in the paint.  Bird led the Lady Torreys in scoring and rebounding, to a Division 5 State Championship as a sophomore and to a CIF Open Division Runner-Up finish this year.  She has been selected to the Union Tribune’s All-Academic Team, 1^st Team All-Coastal League, 1^st Team All-CIF, 1^st Team All-CAL HI Junior Team, and 3^rd Team All-CAL HI All-State and ESPN has ranked her as the 10^th 2017 wing in the nation.  Alaysia took on a new challenge this spring; softball.  Although new to the sport, she caught on quickly and became a force at the plate and the team’s starting 1^st baseman.  Softball coach, Erin DaSilva, notes that Bird’s work ethic and team before self philosophy combined with her fun, positive and competitive attitude were a fantastic addition to this year’s team.   Though only a junior, Alaysia received 20 basketball scholarship offers and has committed to play for Cal, Berkeley in 2017-18 after her senior season at Country Day. 

A 3-sport athlete who excelled in cross country, soccer and track and field, Tomas Miralles is our Male Athlete of the Year.  Tomas won 5 cross country team awards over his 4 years including this year’s MVP Award.  He was Coastal Conference Champion and 2-time runner-up and he was the CIF San Diego Section runner-up 3 times.  Tomas led his team to 2 CIF Championships and to a 3^rd place finish in the State Meet.  He owns the fastest time ever for a Torrey at State, is the only Country Day runner to finish in the top 10 at State (6^th) and holds the 1^st, 2^nd and 8^th best times on the cross country program’s Top 10 Times List.  In track, Tomas hold the school record in the 800 meter run.  He is the 2015 and 2016 Coastal conference 800-meter champion and won the silver medal in the 800 at CIF’s in 2015.  Track coach, Kevin Reaume, says that Tomas was an inspiration for the younger runners this year and that he did an excellent job leading the team as captain.  Tomas started at midfield and occasionally at forward for Coach Jerry Fleischhacker’s soccer team where his toughmindedness and skill as a runner was a tremendous asset to the team.