10 Westover Athletes Named Conference, League All-Stars

Middlebury, Connecticut – Westover School’s spring sports season brought much success for the Wildcats, as ten varsity players in three sports were named conference and league all-stars. 

Varsity Lacrosse

Under Head Coach Ann LeClerc, two Varsity Lacrosse players – Courtney Bliss and Lindsay Rogers – were selected as New England Preparatory School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) All-Stars, and Rogers and Hannah Tompkins also were selected as Western New England Preparatory School Women’s Lacrosse Association (WNEPSWLA) All Stars. Phoebe Paron was selected to represent Westover as a Connecticut Independent School Athletic Conference (CISAC) All-Star.

Bliss, a senior from Lakeville, CT, was a three-year member of Varsity Lacrosse who had a huge impact on the program. As co-captain in the 2014 season, she finished with a total of 23 goals and 12 assists. Her understanding of the game and her leadership were two of her key skills. Her passion for the sport inspired her teammates to strive to be better, and her energy fostered a winning environment for her teammates. For her leadership and her talent, she was selected as a NEPSAC and WNEPSWLA All-Star and was also awarded the Coaches’ Award for the 2014 season.

Rogers, a junior from Lyme, CT, has been a member of Varsity Lacrosse team for three years. She was mostly responsible for the midfield and attack and was a sharp shooter, though she also was seen as an aggressive defender on the field. She posted 11 goals, 6 assists, and 29 draw controls during the 2014 season. Her vocal leadership and desire to improve and perfect her skills are two of her vital assets for the team. For 2014, Rogers was honored as a NEPSAC All-Star alongside teammate Bliss, and she shared  WNEPSWLA All-Star honors with teammate Tompkins.

Tompkins, a junior from Pennsburg, PA, scored her 100th high school career goal on April 28, 2014 against Cheshire Academy. A new addition to the Wildcats’ squad this season, Tompkins served as a major contributor to the team’s success. She is an aggressive player and willing to play anywhere on the field for the betterment of the team. Other coaches noticed her on the field and for her 2014 standout season, she was selected as WNEPSWLA All-Star.

Paron, a junior from Woodbury, CT, was responsible for much of the team’s success throughout the season with her positive attitude and unwavering determination. She started and played every minute of each varsity contest. But more importantly than the minutes was Paron’s reliability, speed, and skill in all aspects of the game. She was a key part of Westover's transition game. This spring she has stepped in to take the draw, and she is seen as a major threat on attack as well as a consistent force in the defensive end. This season she was honored as a CISAC All-Star and also received the Varsity Lacrosse Coaches’ Award at Westover’s Spring 2014 Sports Awards. 

Varsity Softball

Under Varsity Softball Head Coach Jim Demeis, two teammates – Emma McGovern and Catherine Caroe – were selected as CISAC All-Stars.

McGovern, a senior day student from Woodbury, CT, was a four-year member of the varsity softball team. For the past two seasons, she started as catcher. This past season she hit in the four-spot and reached base safely in almost every game, batting over .500 and helping the team achieve a 7-4 record. In addition to her selection as a CISAC All-Star, she was also selected to the WNEPSSBA All-Star team. For both her team leadership and her statistical accomplishments, she was selected as the 2014 team’s Most Valuable Player. She looks to play at Ithaca College next year.

Caroe, a senior day student from Woodbury, CT, was the starting pitcher for the Wildcats, after having only begun to focus on pitching during her junior year. She earned all seven wins for the Wildcats this year and recorded 27 strikeouts. Offensively, she contributed to the team by batting .463 this season.

Varsity Tennis

Four members of the Varsity Tennis team, under coach James Sorrels, were named as CISAC All-Stars, as the team won the CISAC championship this season, boasting a 3-0 record against CISAC schools, including a 7-0 win against Chase Collegiate, a 6-1 victory over Ethel Walker, and a 5-2 win against Hamden Hall.

For their first place finish, the four Wildcats selected to the All-Star team are senior co-captains, Stuart Lemay of Harwich Port, MA, and Nadia Gribkova of Moscow, Russia, who were honored as singles players, and sophomores Sophia Hodson of Monroe, CT, and Claire Donovan of Brewster, NY, who were honored as doubles players.

The accomplishments of these Wildcat All-Stars represent not only their individual achievements, but also their team's collective efforts and the continued success of Westover’s overall Athletics program.

Westover is a selective boarding and day school in Middlebury, Connecticut, with 205 students in grades 9-12 from 17 states and 20 countries. The School offers its students more than 20 Advanced Placement courses as well as signature programs in science, engineering, art history, and music.