Wildcats celebrate NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athletes, US Army Academic All-Americans, and OCIAA Student Athletes of the Year

On Tuesday morning, Warwick Valley Central School District honored over 300 Wildcat athletes who earned 2026-27 Scholar-Athlete status from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). Students qualify by maintaining a GPA of 90% or higher throughout their varsity season. 

These individual achievements also added up to equally impressive team achievements, as 30 Wildcat teams qualified for 2026-27 NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Team status. 

Sixty Wildcats were also named US Army Academic All-Americans, which, as Athletic Director Gregory Sirico noted, requires maintaining an average of 102 during competitions. 

Two more Wildcats were recognized as Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) 2026 Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Reagan Smith and Hank Wendell.

Warwick Valley High School Principal Dr. Georgianna Diopoulos spoke about the joy of witnessing both students’ growth since elementary school and highlighted their achievements as multi-sport athletes, scholars, and student board representatives.

“It is such an honor to introduce these two students,” Dr. Diopoulos said. “They have excelled in athletics, in academics, and as leaders within our school community. Watching them grow into the remarkable young people they are today has truly been a privilege.”

Reagan stands out as an empathetic and inclusive leader. As vice president of her class and a student liaison to the Board of Education, she ensures student voices are heard. She coordinates tutoring for Mu Alpha Theta, is a track team captain, sings in chorus, plays volleyball, and participates in clubs. Her leadership centers on kindness, listening, and creating meaningful experiences for classmates. Reagan has received multiple awards and has played a key role in planning school events and student senate initiatives.

Hank is also a distinguished student leader and student liaison to the Board of Education. He serves as president of the National Honor Society. He runs cross-country and track, plays tenor saxophone in the wind ensemble, and leads the debate club. He has successfully balanced AP courses and advanced science labs with extracurriculars and leadership responsibilities. Hank has received the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award and served as sergeant-at-arms at American Legion Boys’ State. He participated in West Point’s Summer Leadership Program last summer. He will be attending West Point in the fall.

Warwick Valley Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Leach praised all the student-athletes being honored on Tuesday. He said they embody Warwick Valley Athletics’ core values of Pride, Accountability, Commitment, and Trust—their PACT. He noted how these qualities are demonstrated both in the classroom and on the field. Dr. Leach emphasized that the challenges faced through athletics complement academic achievements.

“As I reflect on the journey of our student-athletes, I see the beauty of scholastic sports—where hard work in the classroom is complemented by lessons learned through competition and teamwork,” said Dr. Leach. “Congratulations to all our Wildcats. We are extremely proud of the way you represent our district, embodying the very best of what it means to be both scholars and athletes.”

Board of Education member and former teacher and coach John Garcia addressed the scholar-athletes. He highlighted the importance of tradition and the impact of Warwick’s scholar-athletes, stressing that their legacy goes well beyond public awards.

“You are the kind of people that make the person sitting next to you better,” Mr. Garcia said. “It’s not just about winning championships or being at the top academically. It’s about lifting up your teammates, lifting up your classmates, supporting people who need it, and showing true character when things are tough.”

This year’s keynote address was delivered by CBS Sports Radio and SiriusXM broadcaster Damon Amendolara, a proud member of the WVHS Class of 1997. Amendolara reflected on the unique sense of community and tradition that Warwick offers. He explained how those experiences shaped both his life and career. He referenced the Warwick Sports Hall of Fame and the all-new documentary about the 1984 Wildcats football team. Amendolara noted that the bonds athletes form in high school can last for decades, even a lifetime.

“There is something that you now have that you don't even realize—and you won't realize for many, many years,” Amendolara said. “It's an amazing thing to see the bond that exists here, and you have it embedded in you.”

Amendolara discussed lessons learned from balancing athletics and academics, noting how each shapes character. 

“Sports will teach you how people work. Education teaches you how the world works. Use both,” he advised, encouraging students to draw on the strengths they have gained in every arena. He urged scholar-athletes to recognize their strengths and pursue their dreams with purpose.

“You can accomplish anything. You have the diligence from sports and the intellect from academics. Dream big and plan; planners succeed more often in making dreams real.”

Two Wildcats also addressed the audience to share the scholar-athletes' collective gratitude toward all of the supporters who helped them get to where they are. First, Wildcats unified basketball player Joey Gonzalez shared his appreciation for everyone in the Warwick Valley community who has supported him and his fellow athletes.

“I want to talk about everyone I know,” Joey opened. “That’s Coach Sirico, his son Coach Sirico Jr., all of the coaches, all of my teachers, my friends… everybody. And I want to say that I love my family.”

Giacomo Abbate spoke about community and the lasting impact of encouragement received along the way.

"We couldn’t have accomplished this without the support of our coaches, teachers, families, and teammates," Giacomo said. 

During the ceremony, Coach Sirico emphasized that family and friend support has been vital to individual success and the athletics program as a whole. 

“You look out into this auditorium today, and you can see why we have so much to celebrate,” he said in appreciation of the standing-room-only audience of family, faculty, and teammates. “Every seat is full, you see all the people who are standing in the aisles, standing up there in the back of the room. The support that these athletes receive from all of you—and especially you, parents—is incredible. It carries over to our entire program, and I just cannot say enough about the powerful Wildcat spirit we see at our games and events, like this one, every year.”

Join us in congratulating the following Wildcats (and teams) on their outstanding achievements this year!

NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Teams 2025-2026
Scholar-athlete team rankings are determined by the top 75% of the varsity team roster. The weighted average used is from the competition season.

• Girls Varsity Tennis: 100.95
• Girls Varsity Cross Country: 100.6
• Varsity Softball: 99.41
• Boys Varsity Cross Country: 98.92
• Varsity Volleyball: 98.48
• Girls Varsity Lacrosse: 98.38
• Girls Varsity Basketball: 98.25
• Varsity Competition Cheerleading: 98.24
• Girls Varsity Soccer: 98.22
• Girls Varsity Indoor Track: 98.19
• Girls Varsity Golf: 97.48
• Girls Varsity Crew: 97.25
• Girls Varsity Track & Field: 97.1
• Boys Varsity Ski: 97.06
• Girls Varsity Ski: 96.91
• Varsity Cheerleading: 96.86
• Boys Varsity Tennis: 96.48
• Boys Varsity Soccer: 96.27
• Boys Varsity Wrestling: 96.04
• Boys Varsity Lacrosse: 95.73
• Boys Varsity Basketball: 95.65
• Boys Varsity Swimming & Diving: 95.54
• Boys Varsity Indoor Track: 95.5
• Boys Varsity Track & Field: 95.1
• Boys Varsity Crew: 95.09
• Varsity Baseball: 94.88
• Varsity Flag Football: 94.74
• Girls Varsity Swimming: 94.34
• Boys Varsity Golf: 94.28
• Varsity Football: 94.06

Scholar-Athletes

• Giacomo Abbate
• Matthew Abel
• Allison Acosta
• Carla Agreda Jimenez
• Samira Ahad
• Dennis Almodovar Jr
• Victoria Alvarado
• Pace Alzamora
• Joel Andoh
• Harrison Annucci
• Laci Annunziato
• Jaela Artache
• Alyssa Ast
• Dillon Astbury
• Adriel Baez
• Kathleen Baird
• Anna Balsamo
• Owen Barrett
• Charlie Bastone
• Luke Beattie
• Samara Beauregard
• Sydney Becker
• Dylan Bess
• Dominik Bielak
• Penelope Bieling
• Brianna Bingham
• Benjamin Blandino
• Nicholas Blandino
• Mariah Boatswain
• Kyle Bolich
• Colby Bontemps
• Genevieve Boyle
• Johannah Bradley
• Lorenza Brennie
• Anika Brezina
• Greydan Bruckner
• Matthew Budnar
• Colin Burke
• Madison Burke
• Jayla Burns
• Catherine Burrows
• Eamonn Byrne
• Anthony Calandra
• Ashlee Camasca
• Ellyn Cardella
• Maiya Cardine
• Robert Carroll
• Ryan Carroll
• William Carroll
• Grace Carter
• Caralina Cassara
• Jack Castellano
• Casey Catalanotto
• Joseph Cerulli
• Lorelai Cerulli
• Joseph Cevasco-Storms
• Amiya Chatman
• Janiya Chatman
• John Chavez Carey
• Andy Chen
• Zoe Chocallo
• Nahuel Choconi
• Nina Cirillo
• Genevieve Cloutier
• Juliette Cloutier
• Cora Colin-Green
• Olivia Conklin
• Logan Conley
• Olivia Connolly
• Delaney Corbalis
• Lily Corcoran
• Holden Corday
• Grace Cornelius
• Jane Cornelius
• Jake Cosco
• Mira Costa
• Aidan Cullen
• Annabelle Cullen
• Olivia Cupo
• Ciara Currid
• Teagan Currid
• Liam Cutler
• Madison De Jesus
• John DeBuck
• Kayli Decker
• McKenzie Decker
• Eva Defreese
• Sophia DeGroat
• Lila DeGuzman
• Michael Della Vecchia
• Alex DeSimone
• Matthew Desrats
• Benjamin DiMartino
• Gabriella DiMassa
• Mila Dispenza
• Ryan Dorfman
• Rosario Dovico
• Isabella Dudhnath-Tacardon
• Molly Duffy
• Preston Dwyer
• Natalie Eger
• Raymond Eger
• James Einstman
• Douglas Evans
• Ava Fanos
• Federico Farias
• Xavier Fernandez
• Luca Ferrari
• Audrey Finn
• Matthew Finnerty
• Lea Finucane
• Joelle Fiol
• Tyler Fleury
• Nicholas Foley
• Maya Fong
• Emma Fontaine
• Ellie Ford
• Matthew Freedman
• Carly Freet
• Holden Frommeyer
• Aidan Galletta
• Andon Garner
• Abigail Gawronski
• Jude Gawronski
• Mia Georges
• Keira Ginley
• Reese Girardi
• Dylan Gjertsen
• Joseph Gonzalez
• Theodore Gower
• Lucas Greh
• Anthony Grigalunas
• Aubrey Grigalunas
• Aveline Gujar
• Zoe Harkness
• Brayden Harrison
• Aidan Harvey
• Madison Havell
• Cadence Hayeck
• Alexa Hayes
• Abigail Heim
• Lily Hennessey-Coyle
• Ethan Hogan
• Owen Hogan
• Connor Holland
• Cayden Honerkamp
• Adam Hooper
• Abigail Horowitz
• Vivian House
• Madeline Hunt
• Addison Hurd
• Sydney Introini
• Madison Jakubek
• Michael Januario
• Sienna Jarer
• Josiah Jeudy
• Leyna Jocelyn
• Lillian Jocelyn
• Dean Johnson
• Emory Johnson
• Ava Jones
• Genevieve Jordi-Knipp
• Garrett Judd
• Hudson Judd
• Joseph Kadus
• Abigail Kane
• Aleya Kathuria
• Jack Keenan
• Thomas Keenan
• Brooke Kelley
• Erin Kelly
• Joseph Kerr
• Riley Kimiecik
• Daria Kitar
• Stephan Kitar
• Kirschen Kluender
• Cameron Knox
• Alexander Kobrick
• Ryan Kobrick
• Peyton Komorsky
• Valentino Kron
• Shaun Kunisch
• Kurtis Langone
• Kelsy Larney
• Amanda Larsen
• Kasandra Lashuay
• Emily Lawler
• Keri Leahey
• Autumn Anne Levine
• Hailey Lewis
• Steven Lewis
• Sydney Lewis
• Shilah Lewis
• Isaac Liang
• Klaus Lindenau
• Nathan Link
• Benjamin Loibl
• Hudson Lopez
• Jasmine Lorentzen
• Josephine Lorentzen
• Margaret Lowry
• Alexander Lucas
• Christian Lucas
• Sean Luhavalja
• Owen Machingo
• Christopher Mangels
• Shea Marshall
• Genesis Martinez
• Victoria Martinez
• Brianna Martino
• Savannah Martino
• Landry Mask
• Madison Mattera
• Emily Maybeck
• Sophia Maybeck
• Sofia Mazza
• Denis McAteer
• Leila McCabe
• Ella McDermott
• John McGoldrick
• Carly McLaughlin
• Madelyn McSweeney
• Owen McSweeney
• Conor McVeigh
• Jacob Mena
• Cole Micallef
• Joshua Mighty
• Francesca Mikos
• Alexa Milazzo
• Lucas Miller
• Aamina Millette
• Jaxsen Mita
• Drew Moeller
• Aliyah Montgomery
• Ayana Montgomery
• Camryn Moore
• Taylor Moore
• Micah Morgenstern
• Ann Moroney
• William Moroney
• Rosalie Mountford
• Stella Muehlbauer
• Joseph Murtagh
• Madison Murtagh
• Liam Natale
• Adriana Natoli
• Tierney Neavin
• Olivia Nicaj
• Jaden Norris
• Juliet Novak
• Abigail O'Brien
• Joseph O'Brien
• Addison O'Donnell
• Conor O'Mahony
• Joliana O'Neill
• Madison Olszewski
• Daniel Oppmann
• Hailee Oppmann
• Noel Orthmann
• Isabella Otero
• Arianna Ovanesian
• Claire Padham
• Daniel Page
• Alex Paraschiv
• Jillian Parsons
• Catherine Paulsen
• Jake Paxhia
• Alexander Pearce
• Eva Pellino
• Brayden Perez
• Sean Perez
• Abigail Persaud
• Stephanie Pickering
• Harrison Piskadlo
• Alexa Pitiger
• Antonino Pitingaro
• Hayes Pizanie
• Tory Pizanie
• Matthew Poje
• Zachary Polsky
• Samantha Post
• Michael Praino
• Emma Predmore
• Valentina Prestigiacomo
• Vivien Prestigiacomo
• Leah Purta
• Landon Putnam
• Jaelyn Quadrino
• Evan Qualiano
• Alix Ragans
• Ava Raif
• Nicholas Ramos
• Emma Ranaudo
• Thomas Ranaudo
• Noah Randall
• Gianna Ricco
• Logan Rivelli
• Brett Roberson
• Estella Rodriguez
• Jayleen Rodriguez
• Eric Rodriguez Jr
• Kasen Roecker
• Kayan Roepe
• Gabriella Romero
• Emily Romig
• Kathryn Ronan
• Thomas Ronan
• William Roome
• Olivia Rose
• Lillian Rother
• Joseph Rourke
• Emma Rudnick
• Nicholas Ryan
• Emerson Ryle
• Lia Salmon
• Emani Sahmanovic
• Delilah Sanchez
• Joseph Sanzone
• Breeana Saritson
• Tristan Sasse
• George Savidis
• Leah Scalo
• Thomas Scarpaci
• Julia Schlesinger
• Kylie Schultz
• Wyatt Scoolidge
• Madison Scotto
• Arielle Seid
• Riley Seijas
• Devin Senior
• Jason Senior
• Ava Servedio
• Gianna Sganga
• Jillian Shaw
• Maximus Sherman
• Leo Shostal
• Casey Smith
• Reagan Smith
• Shea Smith
• Abigail Sorrell
• Salvatore Spinelli
• Jackson Spivak
• Kellen Stack
• Liam Stack
• Allison Starr
• Piper Stewen
• Aidan Stubbs
• Colin Sullivan
• Gavin Sullivan
• Liliana Surun
• Maeve Sutliff
• Shane Sutliff
• Oliver Swornik
• Zoe Swornik
• Jayden Tablante
• Jake Tannar
• Meghan Tennant
• Camryn Terry
• Emily Thorson
• Leila Thurber
• Macklin Tomlinson
• Amanda Torres
• Ezequiel Torres
• Leonard Tosh
• Mia Trinceri
• Charlotte Tuckfelt
• Matthew Tully
• Celia Tzezailidis
• Nicholas Vicciardo
• Jackson Vitkovsky
• Brielle Vivino
• Drew Voloshin
• Talia Walker
• Abigail Walsh
• Jack Walsh
• Brenna Walters
• Liam Watkins
• Nicole Weaver
• Arianna Weinberg
• Steven Weinberg
• Beatrix Wendell
• Henry Wendell
• Aislin Wendt
• Clair Wendt
• Lucas Wensley
• Lacey Wesloske
• Ashleigh White
• Jaylen White
• Mayli Winfrey
• Mark Wishnia
• Aubrey Wright
• Henry Wright
• Rory Wright
• Alexander Xin
• Courtney Ziegler
• Logan Zimmerli
• Frank Zottola

US Army Academic All-Americans

• Dillon Astbury
• Penelope Bieling
• Genevieve Boyle
• Anika Brezina
• Matthew Budnar
• Ashlee Camasca
• Ellyn Cardella
• Amiya Chatman
• John Chavez Carey
• Nina Cirillo
• Jane Cornelius
• Grace Cornelius
• Mira Costa
• Lila DeGuzman
• Benjamin DiMartino
• Molly Duffy
• Natalie Eger
• Raymond Eger
• Xavier Fernandez
• Matthew Finnerty
• Tyler Fleury
• Anthony Grigalunas
• Zoe Harkness
• Aidan Harvey
• Cadence Hayeck
• Vivian House
• Lillian Jocelyn
• Garrett Judd
• Erin Kelly
• Kirschen Kluender
• Ryan Kobrick
• Alexander Kobrick
• Valentino Kron
• Amanda Larsen
• Nathan Link
• Owen Machingo
• Victoria Martinez
• Madelyn McSweeney
• Rosalie Mountford
• Stella Muehlbauer
• Madison Murtagh
• Liam Natale
• Juliet Novak
• Addison O'Donnell
• Harrison Piskadlo
• Alexa Pitiger
• Antonino Pitingaro
• Zachary Polsky
• Emily Romig
• Joseph Sanzone
• Julia Schlesinger
• Arielle Seid
• Riley Seijas
• Reagan Smith
• Casey Smith
• Meghan Tennant
• Leonard Tosh
• Charlotte Tuckfelt
• Nicholas Vicciardo
• Beatrix Wendell
• Henry Wendell
• Lucas Wensley
• Alexander Xin