Kate Sui ’29 < Back David Stephenson Kate Sui ’29 Oct 3, 2025 David Stephenson brings a broad international background to Mercersburg. Though he is from the United States, he has worked abroad, most recently serving as a college counselor at an international school in Mexico. One factor in his decision to come to Mercersburg was “feeling the kindness of the community and the faculty while interviewing online.” Since arriving at school, he’s been amazed by the welcoming atmosphere and the natural beauty of the school: “The chapel especially stood out to me. There’s a real sense of peace here.” At Mercersburg, he is excited about collaborating with a team of experts to provide students with broad support. Stephenson greatly values working as part of a strong college counseling team, stating: “There’s a real focus and depth of expertise here and it’s exciting to be part of something that’s working so well.” His primary goal is to get to know students personally and help them discover the best-fit college for their individual strengths and ambitions. In addition, he is excited to grow into the role and learn more about how he can best support students. “Right now, I’m just enjoying being here and getting to know people. I’m looking forward to gaining more experience and becoming even more effective in the role.” Outside of work, Stephenson enjoys traveling, reading, and going to concerts. Previous Previous Next Next

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Alice Yoo '27 < Back Showing up & handing off Alice Yoo '27 May 3, 2024 Last week, the Blue Storm girls and boys relay teams traveled to Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania to compete in the 4x400m event at the historic Penn Relay Carnival, which dates back to 1895 and in which Mercersburg Academy athletes have participated for over a century. The girls team, consisting of Madison Goodhart ’24, Nia Henley ’24, Erika Sowah ’24, and Anne Sehon ’25, finished third in the independent school division with a time of 4:11.88, and the boys team, including Winston Watkins ’25, Arnav Rao ’26, Konrad Spory ’26, and Iman Zhakan ’26 finished 14th in 3:42.10. The team did not have to prepare in any special way for the race. Outdoor track & field head coach Nikki Walker stated, “These relays are just part of our season and not something that we train specifically for.” The team ran regular workouts and tried to get enough rest. Watkins added, “Nothing changed too much out of the ordinary. We’re still running workouts with the rest of the team.” As the team prepared for the Penn Relays, a mix of emotions filled the air. “I was extremely excited because the 4x400m is an event that I always look forward to every meet,” said Goodhart, “Once I got there, I was immediately blown away by the amount of people…. My nerves were through the roof, but as the race got closer and closer, there was no time to be nervous.” Spory added, “We all felt excited to run in such a big meet and to have the opportunity to run as a team on such a big stage.” The teams were satisfied with their performances. “We all did a great job; that was the first time that the four of us ran a 4x400m together, and overall, we were really happy with the result. It was pretty tough running with 18 other teams in our heat,” said Watkins, “At the beginning, all teams slowed down a lot since it was so crowded. Coach Walker also mentioned that our team this year is the youngest team she'd ever brought from Mercersburg to [the competition].” Henley said, “While I was moving onto the track to run the last leg of the race when I saw Erika came around the curve moving towards me, I knew in my head we were doing a great job and had a chance to place and run one of our fastest times as a team together.” She added, “Once I saw my team, they were so excited, clapping and cheering. That made me feel really accomplished and proud. Given everyone’s health status, we performed well and were running as a more cohesive team than ever.” The strategic order of the runners also contributed to the successful results. Watkins explained, “I ran first, then Arnav, then Konrad, and Iman last. The idea was to have our most experienced runners go first and second to get out of the mess of people, and that way, Konrad and Iman had more space to focus on running.” Regarding the order for the girls, Henley said, “Sehon knew the gist of the waterfall start. She knew how to be physical when she ran to make it to the front. Next was Maddie Goodhart because she was a very strong runner and could extend our lead, which she did, moving us up four places. The third leg was Erika because she is a powerful runner, and we knew she could maintain our work and place. And I ran the anchor leg to finish the race, and the strategy there was to be a complete competitor—to compete as hard as I could to get us to that finish line.” The Blue Storm relay teams agreed that the Penn Relays was a memorable few days. Walker said, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I appreciate being at an institution with a history as rich as ours in these relays.” Previous Next

Elise Gao ‘26 < Back Freshmen earn All-American Elise Gao ‘26 Apr 19, 2024 Last weekend, three Blue Storm wrestlers, Gavin Boyd ‘27, Ethan Shirk ‘27, and Brayden Pearson ‘27, participated in the High School Nationals, a prestigious invitational tournament comprised of top wrestlers from all over the United States. Despite being freshmen, Mercersburg’s trio ended with two sixth-place finishes and took home two All-American titles—the most in the school’s history. About the tournament, head wrestling coach Matt Shirk explained, “This was the largest tournament in the nation; it is also the biggest tournament in the nation [for] the year. This is the premiere tournament, and it’s also [classified by] age group. Shirk was around 128 [pounds]. Boyd had fifty guys in his weight class, and Ethan had a hundred and twenty.” Pearson added, “This is my first time going to this tournament, and I knew that it was going to be a tough tournament, so I went in there, thinking, ‘Hey, it might not go the way we want, but just keep pushing.’” Preparing for the tournament was a challenge since the tournament itself took place weeks after the high school wrestling season had ended. Coach Shirk commented, “We get some of our athletes for two seasons, and we have access to them kinda during that. But during that third season, it gets kinda tricky, like practices and squeezing in [training sessions] after lifting. Gavin [Boyd] is in Strength and Conditioning, and BB [Pearson] is in lacrosse. So when Boyd finishes his gym session, he waits until BB and Ethan [Shirk] get off their respective practices. It’s like getting them where we can fit them, putting the training in after their obligations.” Boyd stated, “In-season, everyone’s doing that one-a-day practice at school, but preparing and knowing before [the] season ends that you’re going to have to stay after a little bit, and you’re going to have to do some extra work. Because those two, three, or four weeks before that tournament and after normal practice has ended, it’s not really preparing during them; the season really begins during the winter and continues later in the year even when the [normal] season ends.” Pearson quipped, “I just found myself doing a lot of meditation–that’s something that’s really helped me out this year.” He went on to say, “It was a fun experience, especially with the group we had. But, at the tournament, I think we got a little bit better as a team.” Boyd added, “Well, I’ve known everyone, pretty much the top eight wrestlers in [my] bracket for years now, and I really think all eight of us could have been interchangeable at times. Whereas in the consolation semi[finals], where I ended up losing 7-6 to the kid who ended up being third, it really is interchangeable. The placements: they’re okay. I mean, being All-American is okay, but I think it really comes down to, at the end of the day, just putting in that extra effort and putting in that extra time.” Shirk ended by saying, “These are the top kids in the nation. As Gavin and I were just talking, we’re putting plans together and getting the takeaways from the tournament. We’re going to build on it along with the other strategies and practice routine and what we need to work on and just continue to grind. Just work on it to get better. You know, just to be the better version of yourself. That’s always the goal.” Previous Next

Lisa Wei '26 < Back Able to do it all Lisa Wei '26 Feb 3, 2023 Grace Abel, Mercersburg’s Chinese teacher of eleven years, smiled as she recounted the path that led her to Mercersburg Academy. She came to the United States from Taiwan with her husband, Andy Abel, after his acceptance into a Doctoral program in Amherst, Massachusetts. “There wasn’t a big difference between living in Taiwan and in America because, in both places, we lived in rural locations with diverse communities,” Abel said. She moved to Mercersburg in 2012 after receiving the opportunity to teach Chinese and enroll her son in Mercersburg Academy. In Taiwan, Abel taught Chinese to university students. After she earned her education degree, she prioritized teaching in secondary school education. She was influenced by her advisor in graduate school, who thought that middle school and high school education was a more formative time in a person’s life than the university years. She taught Chinese at several schools in Taiwan and the US before coming to Mercersburg Academy. “I was a teacher in Nebraska, Massachusetts, and other states,” Abel said. “However, I found out that the public school system in America where I lived was very unorganized. There were specific systems that I needed to use to teach, which I didn’t like because I wanted to apply my ideas and knowledge from graduate school into my teaching.” Abel’s desire for more freedom in her classroom led her to teach at an independent high school in Seattle, Lakeside School. Eventually, she and her family moved back to Massachusetts because they wanted to live closer to her husband’s parents. There, they taught at Northfield Mount Hermon School. The couple spent time in central America where Andy Abel held a teaching position at a college. Abel said, “We wanted to move back to New England, so we searched for schools in the area. Originally, we didn’t even consider coming to Pennsylvania; however, there was an opportunity to teach Chinese here, so we came over.” Abel and her husband planned to stay at Mercersburg Academy until their son graduated from high school. “We thought that we would only stay for a while, but almost eleven years have passed,” she said. Abel’s favorite Mercersburg memories surround its many traditions. “In other schools where I taught, sports day was only one or two days. Here, at Mercersburg, Irving and Marshall Week is a whole week of activities, which gives students a break from school work and brings our community closer together. I like all school activities, which is why Step Songs is another tradition that stood out to me. I really love how the community gathers together to celebrate and cheer each other on, ” she said. Previous Previous Next Next

Derrick Park ‘25 < Back Swimmer? I hardly know ‘er! Derrick Park ‘25 Jan 26, 2024 This past weekend, Blue Storm’s boys and girls swimming teams traveled to Malvern Prep to compete in a dual meet. Girls swimming defeated Notre Dame 112-73 and boys swimming defeated Malvern Prep 100-86. To prepare for the meet, the teams didn’t do anything special or unusual. They were confident with their usual practice routines and continued to implement them. Rhiannon Myhre ’25 said, “Training styles have remained consistent, focusing on hard, varied practices tailored to each swimmer’s specialty. We are all individually putting in an insane amount of effort so that we can get the best results both individually and collectively as a team. So, we don’t really do anything [different] to specifically focus on dual meets except for working on my relay starts and turns.” Compared to last year, the teams are younger with fewer upperclassmen and PGs. Myhre said, “There is definitely a different vibe than last year but I feel like that is to be expected. Last year we had a lot more seniors and post-graduates than this year. So that alone sort of shifts our dynamic a bit. However, our seniors and post-graduates are doing an amazing job with leading our team and empowering us to be the best that we can.” Head coach Glenn Neufeld elaborated, “Last year, we had a large senior class. But this year, we have a smaller senior class with more new players. There is definitely a shift in the team’s dynamic.” This meant that the teams welcomed many talented young swimmers who feature prominently in the teams’ future. Yule Kwon ’26 said, “We have a lot of potential among freshmen this year. Not only do they help the team feel lively again like it did last year, but sometimes they awe us in how fast they can go.” However, swimmers’ dedication to reaching a higher level through rigorous practices has a downside. Many swimmers are physically and mentally exhausted due to the high demands. Sisi Guo ’25 said, “A lot of swimmers are mentally tired because of hard training every day. Some swimmers go to morning sessions to train, which can be overwhelming. This time of the season is especially tiring for us because of the cold weather.” Despite physical and mental fatigue, the swimmers are committed to achieving their season’s ultimate goal—winning the Eastern Interscholastic Swimmin and Divign Championships. This ambition had been a driving force from the first day of practice and will continue to be until the last day of the season. Xiomara Del Rosario ’26 said, “As swimmers, we strive to prepare well for our biggest swim meet, Easterns, which includes things like good hydration, diet, and sleep which can be hard for a lot of us. We know that if we keep motivating each other in and outside of the water, we will become a well-fortified team.” Neufeld added, “The team’s goal is to rank high in the Easterns—hopefully coming out in the top three. This goal has always resonated with the swimmers since the beginning of the season.” As the teams taper their training for upcoming meets, the sense of unity and purpose is stronger than ever. The teams, with its blend of strong leadership and youthful energy, are looking forward to making this season a successful one—as it always is. Previous Next

Simon Brennan '26 < Back New squash courts in play Simon Brennan '26 Sep 12, 2025 Mercersburg Academy has completed a major renovation of its squash facilities, investing close to $600K in upgrades that administrators say will transform the program's training and match days. The 20-year-old courts were in need of some updates, prompting the school's advancement office to seek donor support for the project. Chief Advancement Officer John Richardson explained: “Once a facility is identified as a priority, we identify the donors, the alumni, the parents, the friends of the school who might be interested in supporting the project." The fundraising effort proved remarkably successful, thanks to the generosity of one family. “They were excited to take this on,” Richardson explained. “For this particular project it was completely covered by their support, and they wanted to make sure our students had the best possible facility.” The upgrades go far beyond design improvements. “The renovations don't change how I coach; they simply elevate practice quality,” coach Dom Benacquista said. “The work eliminated annoying front-wall dead spots and gaps, producing a truer bounce and more consistent rhythm, especially on the courts that were previously most affected." Perhaps the biggest improvement is the installation of new flooring. "The sprung flooring is more supportive on the joints, especially knees, ankles, and hips," Benacquista noted. “Large sections of front walls were completely rebuilt and side walls reset to proper positions, creating improvements across all ten courts.” Students are already anticipating the benefits. Senior captain Sidharth Shah '26, who has received two college offers during his time in the program, sees the renovations as transformative for future players. "The generous gift for the new courts will allow my peers to surpass me in terms of squash success, truly helping them change their lives by giving them a strong foundation college-wise and as a person," Shah said. Fellow captain Dior Mitchell '26 added, "I play smoother on the courts. I hit cleaner shots because the corners are fixed. It will make us wanna practice and boost the team spirit." Mitchell also pointed to how the new facilities lift the squad’s confidence. "When you walk into a space that looks and feels this good, it makes you believe you’re part of something serious. It motivates us to hold ourselves to a higher standard." Coach Benacquista believes the investment positions Mercersburg for elite competition. "The Flanagan is projected to be the strongest in its history, with two top-10 national programs, led by No. 2 Hotchkiss and two additional top-20 teams," he explained. The benefits extend beyond athletics. The facilities serve the broader school community through programs like Squash 57, led by squash coach and math teacher Mike Sweeney, which Richardson describes as "a great community building space." Sunday morning sessions regularly attract 45 to 50 participants from across the school’s adult community. The investment shows a commitment to the program's future. "With that commitment comes responsibility," Benacquista explained. "Our squash program must deliver results that justify the investment and serve the broader community on and off the court." With the winter season on the horizon, the upgraded facilities have positioned Mercersburg's squash program for what many expect will be its strongest showing in years. Previous Next

The Blue Storm football team is off to a great start. So far they are 3-1 on the season, their only loss coming against Maryland School for the Deaf in an away game. Two weeks ago, during Family < Back MacInnis Haris Yahaya '24 Mar 20, 2023 The Blue Storm football team is off to a great start. So far they are 3-1 on the season, their only loss coming against Maryland School for the Deaf in an away game. Two weeks ago, during Family and Alumni Weekend, the Storm played their eight-man rival Perkiomen School, winning 38-18. A stand out from that game was senior running back Ryan Maclnnis ’23, who rushed for five touchdowns and four two-point conversions scoring a career high 36 points and setting a school record. Head Coach Andy Brown commented on Maclnnis’ game, saying, “One of the reasons someone can have such a standout or record-breaking game like Ryan is because everyone else shows up and does their job. The linemen do their job, the quarterback makes the right reads, the defense stops the other team and gets the ball back to the offense. While one may get the accolades of a touchdown and stuff, it’s definitely a team effort.” The Mercersburg News sat down with MacInnis to ask him about the team and his football career. When did you start playing football? I started playing my sixth grade year going into middle school. I started out playing the safety and running back positions. What enabled you to play so well in the game against Perk? Honestly I don’t really know. My line just played really well. I had blocks and got to see the whole field. All I had to do was run. They opened everything up for me. What was your mindset going into that game? Honestly I was thinking about all the time I missed last year due to injury. I felt like I had a little bit of something to prove, and I felt like I kinda knew the team needed me to play my role to the best of my ability. So I came in with a lot of confidence, so honestly while playing the game, I wasn’t really thinking; I was just having fun. What's your favorite part of football? I think the bus rides back from a win, as well as the bus rides to a game, are so much fun. Everyone kinda just messing around, loud music, especially on the long road trips when it’s dark and everyone’s awake. Just good energy. Where does your passion for the game come from? I always grew up loving sports, always watched football and baseball with my dad, and as I got older, my love only grew. The teammates and coaches I've met have helped me to keep pushing that passion, kept inspiring me and motivating me to keep playing and always do better. Who is your role model? I would say my dad. Me and him are very alike. He kinda tries to push me to do the right thing and tries to make me think things through before I do them. He inspires me to be more like him, and not be as stubborn and as stupid as I can be sometimes. What are some areas of your game that you can improve on? For me a big thing I need to work on is, while playing a good team, just kind of hold back and not try to take over the game and trust that everyone will do their job. I missed making some short plays by jumping the gun when trusting my blocks, that just comes with some film study. Are you looking foward to anything coming up in the season?: I enjoy every practice, I enjoy every game. Kind of don’t want the season to end but I look forward to every day, the coaches and players we have. It’s the highlight of my day every day. The Blue Storm is currently in a bye week and plays its next game away at Delaware County Christian School and ends its regular season at home against Valley Forge Military Academy. The Storm is looking to keep its momentum going into the Keystone Football League playoffs starting on November 5. Previous Next

Ellie Yang ‘27 < Back UPenn fellowship Ellie Yang ‘27 Sep 20, 2024 Mercersburg Academy recently announced a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education Independent School Teaching Residency (ISTR) master’s program. Under the Penn program, fellows engage in a two-year residency here at Mercersburg, working closely with mentors as part of their degree requirements. This opportunity, previously available to a select group of other schools, marks a notable expansion of Mercersburg’s commitment to faculty development. Julia Maurer ‘90, Associate Head of School for School Life said, “We are thrilled to be part of the UPenn ISTR program. Admission to this program has been closed since its inception and we were honored to be the only boarding school invited to join the program this year after a thorough application process. It is a very big deal to be chosen by UPenn to join this program as they have exceptionally high standards for admission. The program is incredibly well orchestrated.” This opportunity brings considerable benefits to the school, allowing the fellows to bring new pedagogical approaches to campus. Maurer said, “I am thirty years out of my undergraduate time but our fellows are very close to their college experience. They are a great resource for us because of their proximity to the college years. They can speak to what is currently happening on college campuses.” Dan Walker, history teacher and mentor of history fellow Yonatan Weldeberuk said, “What I’m learning with Mr. Weldeberuk is that as an educator you never stop learning. I’m learning as much from him and did as much from Mr. [Will] Slater as I hope they learn from me. They bring new fresh teaching styles to the classroom and in education.” "The fellows are eager to connect with our faculty members and learn from them and that promotes good collaboration between our faculty members," Maurer added, noting also their acting involvement in the dorms and PGAs. Being part of the Penn fellows program connects Mercersburg to a community of institutions across the nation including, of course, Penn itself. Jennifer Smith ‘97, Dean of Academics and coordinator of the Mercersburg fellows program, said, “We get to talk to a lot of people from a lot of different schools. One of the things we’re able to look at is: What are all these different schools doing for class observation? It’s part of a feedback system that is aimed at continued improvement of student experience so we now have this more accessibly network of peer schools to compare, contrast, and continue to push ourselves to always be improving." “We were able to link with the University of Pennsylvania to be more informed and more educated on how to potentially do it better and to have UPenn provide support for the fellows, mentors, and project leaders,” added Walker. The fellows program is meaningful training in preparation for a career in education. Tara Collier, fellow in mathematics, said, “I’ve learned to trust myself since initially I was feeling very new and overwhelmed like I didn’t really know what I was doing but ever since classes have started I’ve gained more confidence in my abilities.” “The purpose of having fellows in general, regardless of Penn, is to encourage new young teachers to join the teaching profession and to provide on-the-job training and preparation to become excellent independent school educators,” added Smith. The partnership between Mercersburg Academy and the University of Pennsylvania represents a significant advancement in both institutions’ commitment to educational excellence. The program will draw future educators to Mercersburg and prepare fellows to contribute to the ongoing work of their departments. Previous Previous Next Next

Simon Brennan '26 < Back Legacy lives on at Penn Relays Simon Brennan '26 May 9, 2025 Mercersburg Academy’s boys and girls track teams competed in the Penn Relays at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field last week on Thursday and Saturday. Both teams sent their 4x400 relay teams to the prestigious event, which attracts about 15,000 participants and thousands of fans annually. The boys team, consisting of Ryan Du Plessis ‘25, Iman Zhakan ‘26, Arnav Rao ‘26, and Gustavo Lisboa Ferreira Santana ‘26, approached the race on Thursday strategically. “We had Ryan lead off because he's the most explosive and could give us a strong start,” Rao said. The strategy proved effective, with Du Plessis finishing his leg in first place. Zhakan echoed the sentiment,“It played out as well as we hoped.” Despite the high level of competition, the team navigated challenges well. “During my leg, I was cut off and hit a few times, which slowed me down, but I still managed to get the baton to my person at the same time as our competition,” Du Plessis explained. “The handoffs were always a challenge because of the amount of people in the heat,” said Zhakan. “Making sure we got the baton properly was a big concern, but I think it went well.” The meet represented a milestone for the anchor Santana ‘26, who is new to track and field. “When I got the baton from Arnav, we were in second place. I tried to hold that position for the first 150 meters; it was tough, but I managed to finish with a good time.” The girls team, featuring Anne Sehon ‘25, Ella Blanco ‘26, Adrienne Howard ‘26, and Teresa Nyarko ‘28, competed on Saturday in front of a packed stadium. Sehon, who has competed at Penn Relays in all four years of her Mercersburg career, noted the special atmosphere. “The entire stadium is filled. When you run, you don't even realize you're running because the stadium is so loud.” The girls focused more on the experience than on specific performance goals. “We didn't really have a strategy, we just wanted to race as fast as we could and have fun,” Blanco ‘26 said. “Most of us did better than we had done all season.” For freshman Nyarko, the scale of the event was breath-taking. “Racing at Penn Relays opened my eyes to the bigger scheme of things. Track and field is such a big sport, and seeing so many other faces preparing to run captivated me.” The event showcased the depth and growth of Mercersburg’s track program. “We have a really deep relay squad,” Sehon explained. “We have a lot of people who’ve been running 400s. This was just our fastest four at the time, and I think that changes almost every single week.” For many athletes, competing at Penn Relays represented fulfilling a goal. “Having the opportunity to compete at Penn Relays means a lot,” Du Plessis said. “It's a legendary meet known nationwide. I think it gives Mercersburg athletes something to work towards." The experience held special significance for Sehon, whose mother also competed at Penn Relays during her high school career. “It's definitely my favorite track meet to run at. My mom ran there for all four years, as well as I, and this was her first year coming to see it. So it was really roundabout and special.” As track season continues, both relay teams will build on their Penn Relays experience as they prepare for upcoming competitions, carrying forward the momentum gained from competing on one of track and field’s biggest stages. Previous Next

Adrienne Howard '26 and Jack Pollinger '26 < Back It's almost winter? Adrienne Howard '26 and Jack Pollinger '26 Oct 18, 2024 This year, Mercersburg Academy has taken a bold step by extending some of its traditional winter sports—basketball, squash, and wrestling—into the fall term. This allows athletes to begin training before their regular season starts, giving them a competitive edge. The school’s commitment to athletic success and student development drove the decision. Head of School Quentin McDowell explained, “Continuing to recruit at such a high level but also preparing kids for the college process and getting exposure, fall seemed like a natural place to add a season of training.” He added that this move aligns with the school’s philosophy of fostering well-rounded students. “I don’t want athletes here who go to school; I want students who also participate in athletics,” McDowell said. Athletic Director Lauren Jacobs elaborated on the broader context of high school sports. “With high school athletics right now, we’re almost chasing specialization. We’re trying to chase and also maintain the landscape of athletics.” She emphasized that the decision was collaborative, adding, “I… had a big part in it, but I didn’t do it alone.” For Mercersburg's squash team, the fall training offers a chance to build early team chemistry. Dom Benacquista, the varsity head coach, described the impact of this additional preparation time. “From a team standpoint, it helps build chemistry between players,” Benacquista explained. He also detailed the team's goals for the fall: "Currently, in this training phase, the team is working on their attacking selection at the front of the court. The first phase of our training was getting control of the middle and back of the court, so now we are trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together." Players have appreciated the variety of benefits of off-season training. Ana Botello Gaytan ’25 stated, "Off-season training helps me rest and recover but also trains specific things that I lacked during the season.” Colin Jin ’25 added, "It is more individualized tournaments, which are good opportunities to practice in games before you play for Mercersburg in the winter." However, balancing academics with sports has posed challenges for some. Gaytan stated, “One of the biggest challenges is probably just keeping up with homework and tests because I have to miss classes for tournaments.” On the basketball court, fall training has also been slightly different. Boys varsity head coach Sean Crocker said, “Practice is much more individually-oriented [with] a lot more focus on the individual athlete getting in better condition.” He also described one of the team's goals. “We are trying to get better and compete both against each other and against ourselves, trying to be better tomorrow than we were today.” Varsity player Josiah Wright ’25 explained how the fall practices are preparing him and his teammates for the winter season. “We’re pushing ourselves to a higher limit, so when it comes to games, we’ll be more prepared,” Wright said. He also mentioned the mental challenges of training without games. “A challenge I’ve found is patience and the mental side of it and waiting to play all together and get real games started,” he added. For the wrestling team, the fall term has allowed for a greater focus on technique rather than conditioning. Amon Yamamoto ’26 shared how the extra training has benefited him. “Since the season is for people who are dedicated to this sport, we are able to develop our skills, style, and techniques. It is a lot more personal,” Yamamoto said, “Off-season has been a great time for me to develop my skills and bring my confidence back.” Teammate Ethan Shirk ’27 agreed, stating, “There is no competition; it's more individual practice and work on us. It is all about honing our skills and preparing for the season.” Both wrestlers noted the intensity of the training, with Yamamoto stating, “The intensity of the training has been challenging but rewarding. When you train harder, you get the most out of it." Previous Next

Rhiannon Myhre '25 < Back Swimming like a pro! Rhiannon Myhre '25 May 3, 2024 Three weeks ago, swimmers Matt Beelher ’24, Ingrid Janney ’24, and Crystal Yuen ’24, accompanied by coach Glenn Neufeld traveled all the way to San Antonio, Texas to compete in the TYR Pro Series, which is a highly regarded national meet. It is no surprise to anyone in the Mercersburg Academy community that swimming is a significant part of the school's athletic identity. Swimmers are some of the most hard-working student-athletes on campus. They train endlessly, and when time comes for a major competition, anyone can see where all that hard work pays off. While the swim team has a variety of different levels, these athletes in particular went above and beyond to prove just how much time and effort they put into their sport. Neufeld said, “The TYR Pro Series is a great opportunity for athletes to swim against some of the best in the world. Swimmers making finals for the most part were college, graduate, or professional athletes, so it’s pretty impressive when we brought three 18-and-over athletes to the meet and all of them were able to get a final swim at night. It’s always challenging when you travel halfway across the country for an event and you’re competing at the highest level. Ingrid, Crystal, and Matt all did a great job, and they all deserved it.” This meet is for the best of the best, so naturally preparation was crucial. Beehler commented: “I prepared for the meet by cutting out a lot of junk food and snacks from my diet, replacing them with healthier options and more protein, drinking a lot more water to stay very hydrated, and getting a lot more sleep to help my body recover.” After such extensive preparations, the swimmers were ready to face the challenge head on. Yuen shared her goals going into the meet, “ I did not really go into the swim meet with high expectations. I was really excited to get away from campus, have some good food, and see some really fast people swim. So, I didn’t really have any goals. I just wanted to have a fun time and, usually, in my opinion, fasting is a byproduct of having fun.” Even though the purpose of their trip was competition, that doesn’t mean that the swimmers didn’t get to have a little fun. Yuen said, “I had a lot of fun with Ingrid and Matt and I am very happy that I got to spend time with them and bond with them. We did a lot of fun things like meet with [former Mercersburg] Coach Pete Williams and alumni,” adding, “We also went to a rodeo!” Yuen placed 24th in the bonus final of the 400m freestyle and achieved a lifetime PR of 57.09 in the 100m freestyle. Her outstanding time elevated her from 114th seed to 61st overall. Beehler and Janney both placed in the 200m freestyle, with Beehler finishing 23rd the with a time of 2:06.11 and Janney placing 18th place in the bonus final with a time of 2:16.69. Beehler, Janney, and Yuean are all graduating this year and are looking forward to their time in the collegiate swimming world, and their results at the TYR Pro Series suggest success at the next level. Previous Next