Three Dana Hall Students Sign National Letters of Intent

WELLESLEY, MA – Three seniors at Wellesley's Dana Hall School signed National Letters of Intent Wednesday to continue their athletic careers in college.

Autumn Ceppi committed to Bucknell University for basketball; Maddie Wallis will swim for the University of Georgia; and Emma Benkert joined the rowing team at Southern Methodist University.

Ceppi, a Bedford resident, is co-captain of the Dana Hall varsity basketball team. This is her third consecutive season being named Eastern Independent League All-League and a New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Class B All-Star.

Wallis, from Wellesley, was EIL All-League (50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay) in 2014-15 and EIL MVP, EIL All-League (200 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay), New England Champion (50 Free, 100 Free) and winner of the New England Championships Grace Robinson Award in the 2015-16 season.

Acton resident Benkert, rowing for the Cambridge Boat Club, placed 4th in the 8+ sweep event at the 2015 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. As a member of Community Rowing, she placed 28th at the 2016 World Indoor Rowing Championship. Her 8+ won New England Regionals in the spring and over the summer, her double placed 20th and her single placed 27th at the USRowing Club National Championships.

Benkert also served as co-captain of the swim team and has been named EIL All-League three consecutive years.

"While Dana Hall athletics has been solidly competitive for years, Autumn, Maddie and Emma have certainly taken us to a new level," John Suby, director of Athletics, Health and Wellness, said in a statement. "Autumn, as a three-time New England All Star; Maddie, named as one of the best swimmers at Class B New England’s last year; and Emma, taking her grit, commitment and enthusiasm we’ve seen in swim to a new sport outside of school—crew—we’ve been lucky to have all of them. They will all leave a huge legacy here at the school."

Image submitted by Dana Hall School