Delco standouts lead Inter-Ac awards list
Thirteen senior athletes were recipients of the InterAc League’s Athletics Director Award last week.
The award is presented to male and female athletes who have excelled in multiple varsity sports and exemplify dedication to their team and school. The honorees are considered to be outstanding representatives of the InterAc League in sportsmanship and leadership.
The award began as the Aime Willard Award in 1997. named for the outstanding Academy of Notre Dame and George Mason University multi-sport athlete who was the victim of a fatal violent crime in 1996.
From 1997-2010 the award recognized three-sport female athletes. It was renamed the AD’s Award in 2013 and male athletes were first recognized in 2019.
The 2020 recipients are: RILEY GILLAN, NOTRE DAME » Gillan was a captain on the basketball team and also played field hockey and lacrosse. She will continue her lacrosse career at Delaware.
“I think that competition in sports teaches you so many important lessons that you can’t really get anywhere else, and by playing three sports I got to experience new things in different environments with three completely different and incredible teams,” Gillan said. “I think it’s important not to limit yourself to trying one sport because all sports are intertwined in different ways, and I’ve found that practicing one sport helps me improve in some aspects of another.”
NATALIE PANSINI, AGNES IRWIN » Pansini earned AllDelco honors in lacrosse and soccer, while also participating in squash. She capped her soccer career by scoring the only goal in the Owls’ rivalry game against Episcopal Academy. Pansini is off to Princeton to play lacrosse. ALEXANDRA LOOMS, BALDWIN » Loomis was a captain on the soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams and is graduating with 12 varsity letters. She will continue her education at Penn State. CAROLINE BURT, EPISCOPAL >> A team captain in tennis, squash and lacrosse, Burt tallied more than 100 points and earned All-Delco secondteam lacrosse honors in 2019. Burt will play lacrosse at Yale. MAURCUS MCDANIEL, EPISCOPAL » McDaniel, the starting quarterback, guided the Churchmen to the Inter-Ac football championship in 2019 and was named the league’s MVP, in addition to earning All-Delco recognition. He also played basketball. McDaniel will play football at Penn.
“I have really enjoyed working hard toward our team goals and developing strong relationships with my teammates and coaches,” McDaniel said. “I am grateful to my coaches and teammates for pushing me and encouraging my development as an athlete and as a person”. MADDIE BURNS, GERMANTOWN ACADEMY » Burns was a standout player and team captain in both soccer and lacrosse. She is going to Michigan to continue her lacrosse career.
MATTHEW SANDIFER, GERMANTOWN ACADEMY » Sandifer was an excellent competitor and captain on the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams. He will compete in cross country and track at Johns Hopkins.
BOBBY BLEWETT, HAVERFORD SCHOOL » Blewett overcame a devastating injury in the sixth grade that forced him to relearn how to walk. At Haverford, he excelled in swimming, water polo and lacrosse. He will continue his education at Wagner College.
“Competing for the Haverford School has taught me life lessons and given me memories with my close friends that will last a lifetime; for those I will be forever grateful,” Blewett said. “I am honored to be recognized as a multi-sport athlete and to be the recipient of the Athletics Director Award on behalf of The Haverford School.” KEITH CARRA, MALVERN PREP » Carra personified leadership and sportsmanship as a member of the basketball and lacrosse teams. He will play lacrosse at Villanova. ABBIE RORKE, SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL » Rorke was captain of the soccer, squash and lacrosse teams. She will continue her education and squash career at Penn. JARED SPRAGUE-LOTT,
SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL » Sprague-Lott was a consummate team captain in basketball and baseball. He will play baseball at Richmond.
SALLY FOLEY, PENN CHARTER » Foley was a championship swimmer and a top performer on the water polo club. She join the swimming team at Duke.
AKEEL BLAKE, PENN CHARTER » Blake was an outstanding athlete on the indoor and outdoor track and field teams, as well as an excellent football player. He’ll join the track and field team at Wilmington College.