Rivers Athletics Celebrates a Momentous Season with Winter Varsity Awards

This winter, Rivers was one of just three schools in New England to qualify both boys’ and girls’ hockey and basketball teams for the NEPSAC postseason. Moreover, Rivers was the only school in New England to advance all four varsity teams to the semifinals in the winter season. This extraordinary accomplishment is a testament to the dedication, effort, and teamwork displayed across the athletics program.

Beyond the varsity teams, also of note was the success of Middle School teams this winter, which included three basketball teams, cross-country skiing, and a coed hockey team. These student-athletes worked together in teams and showed hard work and improvement over the course of the season. The athletics program touches all Middle School students and is a big part of the Middle School experience. Rivers coaches stress the importance of being good teammates, sportsmanship, and working together to improve.

The coaches and players worked hard throughout this long season to produce so many winning teams,” said Susanna Donahue, interim director of athletics. “ I am proud of these athletes who range from MS to varsity teams for putting in the effort to win, to be good teammates, and to represent the Rivers name well.”

Friday’s varsity awards recognized both individual athletes for their contributions, as well as significant team successes. The girls’ varsity basketball team, NEPSAC Class B Champions, was recognized, as was the ISL Eberhart Champion Boys’ Varsity Hockey team.

The following awards were presented to players on each varsity team:

Chase Anderson ’25: All-NEPSAC Class B, ISL All-League, NEPSGBA All-Star

Natalia Hall-Rosa ’25: All-NEPSAC Class B, ISL All-League, NEPSGBA All-Star

Grace O’Sullivan’25: NEPSAC Class B Tournament MVP, ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC Class B, NEPSAC All-Star

Joy Robinson’28: ISL All-League Honorable Mention, All-NEPSAC Class B Honorable Mention

Rissi Smith ’25: ISL All-League Honorable Mention, All-NEPSAC Class B Honorable Mention

Coach Kenny Small:  NEPSGBA Class B Coach of the Year

Ryan Altman ’25: ISL Most Valuable Player, ISL Defensive Player of the Year, ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC Class B, Boston Herald All-Scholastic, Boston Globe All-Scholastic, Ernest Lamb, Jr. Award

Andrew Alekseyenko ’25: ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC Class B, F. Ervin Prince Award

Pat Costello ’28: All-NEPSAC Class B Honorable Mention

Robby Fiore ’25: ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC Class B

Jordy Schwartz ’25: All-NEPSAC Class B Honorable Mention, F. Ervin Prince Award

Justin Graf ’26: ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention

Evan Handler ’26: ISL All-League Honorable Mention

Will Hatten ’25: ISL All-League, Flood Shield Award Winner, Paul Licht Award

Derrick Huang ’26: ISL All-League Honorable Mention

Will Irving ’26: Peter Brock Award

Darren Iversen ’25: ISL All-League

Carter Meyer ’28: ISL Eberhart Most Valuable Player, ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC, Boston Herald All-Scholastic, Boston Globe All-Scholastic

Freddy Meyer V ’27: ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention

Sam Pandolfo ’28: ISL All-League Honorable Mention

Finn Sears ’28: ISL All-League, All-NEPSAC

Fina Applegate ’25: Coaches Award

Brooke Bartlett ’27: ISL All-League Honorable Mention

Simone Burns ’28: All-NEPSAC Small School, ISL All-League Honorable Mention

Mia MacDonald ’28: All-NEPSAC Small School, ISL All-League

Lindsay Morin 25: ISL All-League, Team MVP Award

Kyleigh Rabazzi ’26: All-NEPSAC Small School Honorable Mention

Nora Swaim ’28: All-NEPSAC Small School Honorable Mention

Chase Holzman ’25: Alpine Skiing Team Award

Liam Keane ’26: All-NEPSAC Class A, ISL All-League, Most Valuable Skier

Justin Lin ’28: Most Improved Skier

Felix Martin ’29: ISL All-League

Liv Martin ’26: All-NEPSAC Class A, ISL All-League, Most Valuable Skier

Hannah Piché ’26: All-NEPSAC Class A Honorable Mention, ISL All-League

Tyler Piché ’29: ISL All-League Honorable Mention

Lizzy Stuart ’26: All-NEPSAC Class A Honorable Mention, ISL All-League

Ulrika Karlsson ’27: Spirit Award

Alex Young ’25: All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention, Coaches Award

Flood Shield ISL League Award: "The player whose enthusiasm for hockey and true devotion to the game is marked by his playing ability and physical toughness and yet whose competitive spirit is balanced by emotional control and a real desire to play within the rules of the game."

F. Ervin Prince Award: Presented annually to that member of the boys’ varsity basketball team who has striven hardest to improve himself academically and athletically at The Rivers School.

Ernest Lamb, Jr. Award: Presented annually by the Alumni Association to that member of the boys’ varsity basketball team who, through his ability, character, sportsmanship and dedication to the game of basketball, follows in the footsteps of Ernest Lamb, Jr., member of the class of 1953 and friend of The Rivers School.

Paul Licht Hockey Award: Presented annually by the Alumni Association to that member of the boys’ varsity ice hockey team who best combines a high standard of play with sportsmanship and dedication.

The Peter Brock Hockey Award: Presented by Mr. Leslie B. Lewis to commemorate Rivers’ first-in-the-nation high school hockey exchange to Japan in March of 1983. This award is given annually to that boys’ varsity ice hockey player who not only has shown the most improvement during the current hockey season, but has also played above and beyond the expectations of his coaches and teammates.