More than 350 guests gathered at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Little Rock on Monday, May 13, to honor and celebrate Mount St. Mary Academy’s 196 student-athletes during the school’s annual Athletic Banquet.
Coaches introduced their respective teams during the event and presented the traditional awards for each player based on her years of participation. First-year players received a certificate and keepsake with their graduation year, second-year players were given a MSM letter and symbol of the sports in which they played, third-year players received the coveted white sweatshirt with their name and sports monogrammed on the sleeves, and fourth-year players were gifted a wooden memento box engraved with their athletic accomplishments.
A handful of special awards were presented during the banquet, as well:
- Sr. Phillipa Athletic Award: Ava Fischer ’19
- Sr. Phillipa Parent Award: Michelle Kaelin
- Sr. Phillipa Memorial Scholarship: Karina Brockwell ’19 and Yesica Reyes Vasquez ’19
- Mary Drake Award: Ashley Suffridge ’19
- Purple Heart Award: Anya Ranaraja ’19
- Manager of the Year: Caroline Martine ’19 and Alicia Sustaita ’19
- Passionate Athlete Award in Honor of Marilyn Lenggenhager: Catherine Althoff ’20 and Catalina Williams ’21
- Vassar-West Scholarship: Katie Kaelin ’21
- Most Valuable Freshman Award: Millie Allgood ’22
- Most Valuable Belle: Anya Ranaraja ’19
Twenty-seven student-athletes were recognized as Four-Year Scholars, having participated in athletics for all four years of high school and graduating with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Annie Quo, Madi Perreault and Ashley Suffridge were awarded the Top Scholar Athlete Award for maintaining the highest academic average while also participating in the athletic program at Mount.
MSM Athletic Director Marilyn Lenggenhager honored the coaching staff at the event, as well, and paid special tribute to five coaches who are retiring from their coaching duties this year: Marissa Blair, Brendan Britt, Lindann Blair Day, Jennifer Herzog and Lane West.
Congratulations to all of this year’s hard-working and dedicated student-athletes and their coaches. We are proud of you and all you do for Mount St. Mary and its athletic program.
Mount St. Mary Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, develops young women with a moral and intellectual foundation rooted in Catholic tradition. Mercy-minded and college-prepared, our students meet the future with wisdom, compassion and integrity.