Darien Students Named FCIAC Exemplary Scholar-Athletes

DARIEN, CT — Two Darien students have been named as Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference Exemplary Scholar-Athletes for the winter season.

The honor is the most prestigious scholar-athlete award given by the conference to seniors who maintain a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA.

The student-athletes must also demonstrate leadership qualities by being a positive role model for other students on and off the field, and exhibit an ability to help a teammate overcome adversity, according to the FCIAC website.

The latest Darien recipients are Elise Hole, co-captain of the Darien High School girls varsity basketball team, and Chase Dolan, captain of the DHS boys basketball team

Hole carries a 4.3 grade-point average while taking multiple Advanced Placement and honors classes and is a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, and Spanish National Honor Society, the FCIAC said. She also completed a language immersion program in Conil de la Frontera, Spain, after her sophomore year at DHS.

A three-sport athlete, Hole earned All-FCIAC Honorable Mention recognition in both her sophomore and junior seasons. She also served as a goalkeeper for the girls soccer team during her junior and senior years and was named to the 2025 All-FCIAC Girls Soccer First Team.

Hole has competed in outdoor track and field since her sophomore year, participating as a hurdler and high jumper in the spring.

Outside of athletics, Hole has volunteered with Person to Person, The Darien Depot, and Building One Community, and works as a summer lifeguard for the town of Darien, the FCIAC said.

Hole is slated to attend the University of Florida this fall, where she plans to study biology.

Dolan has combined academic achievement with leadership across multiple sports, the FCIAC said.

Dolan is a third-year varsity player on the boys basketball team and holds a weighted grade-point average of 4.22. He primarily takes AP and honors classes and has been recognized as an AP Scholar with Honor.

Dolan was inducted into the National Honor Society as a junior, the FCIAC said.

A third-year member of the Spanish National Honor Society, Dolan has earned the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. He tutors Spanish-language students at Building One Community.

In addition to basketball, Dolan is a varsity baseball player and is slated to serve as team captain during the spring season. He has also participated in soccer and golf at DHS.

Dolan volunteers with the Darien Little League Challengers Program and DSA Epic Soccer, according to the FCIAC.

He is scheduled to attend the Carroll School of Management at Boston College this fall.

Dr. Amy Fedigan, the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Darien Public Schools, recognized Hole and Dolan as well as Alexis Procopion and Ryan Xing, who earned FCIAC Exemplary Scholar-Athlete honors last October.

Procopion is a captain of the DHS girls volleyball team and had a 4.25 GPA at the time of the announcement. She is president of the Best Buddies and Mindful Moments clubs and is a Blue Wave anchor.

Xing is a four-year member of the DHS golf team, and had a 4.325 weighted GPA when he was announced as an honoree. Xing is interested in music and is a member of Tri-M and volunteers at Project Music where he teaches violin, the FCIAC said. He also plays the piano at various competitions, recitals and charity events.

"Alexis, Ryan, Chase and Elise were selected not only for their athletic contributions but for their unwavering commitment to self-improvement, their ability to help teammates navigate adversity, and their dedication to putting the team's success above their own," Fedigan said last week in the school district's weekly email communication to the community. "Please join us in celebrating these four outstanding role models who perfectly embody the DPS spirit of excellence both on the green/court and in the classroom!"

For more information on Procopion and Xing, and all of the other students, check out the FCIAC website.