Seahawks salute female student-athletes for excellence
National Girls & Women in Sports Day was observed Feb. 5, but Sussex Academy couldn’t wait to celebrate how awesome its girls are and did so Feb. 4.
“We are proud to celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day, a moment to recognize and honor the dedication, talent and achievements of our incredible female student-athletes,” said Seahawks Athletic Director R.J. Dina. “These young women are not only competing, they are also excelling, setting new standards of excellence and leading the way for future Seahawks.”
Speaking to the middle school and high school girls, Dina highlighted their swim team’s current 52-match win streak. This past fall, the field hockey team, led by coach Caitlyn Hardy, was one goal away from a berth in the state championship, while the cross country team continued its 38-meet win streak. Dina coached the girls’ soccer team to the quarterfinals, coach Taylor Gibbs led the girls’ lacrosse team to the semifinals, the girls on the tennis team only lost to Caesar Rodney in conference play, and the softball squad made the state tournament with an all-freshman infield in spring 2024.
“What makes our female athletes truly special is their year-round commitment to success: The same athletes who dominate in the fall are the ones making headlines in the winter and spring, consistently raising the bar across multiple sports,” Dina said. “Time and time again, our girls' teams are among the most successful in our school, proving that hard work, resilience and teamwork lead to greatness.”
“Our teams are just really interconnected, and I see it more as a family than just a team,” said junior Katya Geyer.
Geyer won the Division II high jump at the DIAA State Championships last spring and finished fourth in the Meet of Champions, though the Seahawks make no excuse for being a smaller school.
“Our school is on the smaller side, but I think that we have an awesome experience in that we get to have a similar group of girls in some of our season's sports, and a competitive nature within all of our sports and seasons,” said senior Shelby Manlove. “I think that just keeps us motivated, empowers us and just forces us to strive toward greatness.”
Manlove will be playing lacrosse at the University of Richmond next spring, but she isn’t the only Division I-bound player on the lacrosse and field hockey teams. Senior Rilyn Lehman will suit up for Michigan State’s field hockey team this fall.
“We're all so connected; we'll go out to each other's games and support each other,” Lehman said. “We're all underdogs throughout all of our sports, so I think just learning support throughout each season is the best.”
“We celebrated their impact, their leadership and their ability to inspire,” Dina said. “Their success is not just about wins and championships – though there have been plenty – but about the way they represent Sussex Academy with integrity, passion and determination.”
“Leadership is super important here at Sussex Academy, and being able to do it in the classroom and on the field,” Manlove said. “I've had the privilege of playing on varsity as an eighth-grader and then becoming a captain my junior and senior years. To be able to see from an early age the leadership and what those upperclassmen embody on the teams is super important.”
For some of the girls, it’s a badge of honor to not have the same facilities as their competition.
“It's fun to beat a lot of the schools in the conference knowing that we don't have the best training facilities,” Geyer said. “It's coming from pure grit and determination.”
“To all our female student-athletes, past and present, thank you for your commitment to your sport, your school and each other,” Dina said. “Your legacy is one of strength, and we are proud to stand beside you in celebrating this day.”
