1
GRACE MAIN
HIGH SCHOOL Bloomfield Hills High School
CITY West Bloomfield
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL Alma College
SPORT Softball
ACCOLADES Alma College Presidential Scholarship with Distinction (four- year academic full tuition scholarship); All League Pitcher: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024; All District Pitcher: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024; All Region Pitcher: 2023, 2024; 2024 Bloomfield Hills Softball MVP; selected for the OAA/MAC All-Star Game 2024; 2024 OAA League Champions; 2023 and 2024 District Champions
MAJOR History and Secondary Education
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? I love softball because of the teams I have been on and the friendships I have made with my teammates. Playing a team sport has taught me how to be a leader on and off the field and has given me the teamwork skills that I will use my whole life. Being a pitcher, I love how I can have some control over the game — the speed of play, the pitch thrown and even sometimes where the ball is hit. Softball has taught me to work through adversity and come through under pressure, which are skills I can use throughout my life outside of the game.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU’VE ACHIEVED? I am proud of is receiving the Alma College Presidential Scholarship with Distinction, because it proved that my hard work through high school academically paid off, and I am proud that it reflects that I am more than just an athlete.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR? My mom is my mentor and role model, both in and out of sports. She has raised me to be studious and a good person, while also coaching me in both travel ball and school softball.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? I hope to become an archaeologist or history teacher (or both) and I want to coach as well. Whether it's through playing or coaching, I always want softball to be part of my life, so that I can help younger players find the same joy in playing as I have found.
2
JOSEPH (JOEY) OLIVER
HIGH SCHOOL Brother Rice High School
CITY Clarkston
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL University of Michigan
SPORT(S) My main sport is lacrosse, which I've played since third grade. I've also enjoyed playing basketball and golf since I was about six years old. I also played football up until my sophomore year.
I was honored to receive offers to play varsity lacrosse from Williams, Swarthmore and Vassar colleges. At U of M, I will play for the University of Michigan Men's Reserve Lacrosse Club, which is routinely competitive at a national level in the National College Lacrosse League.
ACCOLADES One State Title; one CHSL Title; three Regional titles; two state finals; three semi-finals; three final 4s; three-year varsity player; All Region and All Catholic teams. I was on the all-A honor roll all four years at Rice; a member of the National Honor Society; and Secretary of the National Spanish Honor Society; served as a Brother Rice Leadership Ambassador and mentor group leader.
HOW HAS YOUR EDUCATION SO FAR IMPACTED YOUR SUCCESS? Attending Brother Rice High School was an invaluable experience and opportunity to become part of the Brother Rice community. Among other things, being a student at Brother Rice has instilled in me the importance of leadership, integrity and giving back to our community.
MAJOR Medical science and global economics
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? I absolutely love competing, whether it’s on the lacrosse field or in the classroom. Of all the sports I play, lacrosse is what I love the most. Being a lacrosse goalie really chose me. When you’re a lacrosse player in third grade, nobody wants to be the goalie. I wanted to play attack or midi just like everyone else did. But when my goalie rotation came, I fell in love with it right away. They say goalies are a little crazy and maybe that’s true! Being a goalie is physical, but it also has a huge mental component. You’re the last line of defense for your team, which requires being both physically and mentally dialed-in the entire time you’re in net. And that’s a great lesson for everything in life — you must be physically and mentally prepared to be the most successful at whatever you do.
Playing sports has also taught me you have to trust your team, be supportive of one another and work together to achieve your goals. Nothing comes easy, and it takes years of playing and training together, including finding every opportunity for extra reps and additional practices to be the best.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU’VE ACHIEVED? My biggest accomplishment has been always pushing myself to be the best I can be and putting in the work on and off the field in whatever I do. For example, every pre-season my dad and I would practice 100 clears every single day for weeks leading up to our first game. (Clearing is a critical aspect of the game that takes practice, patience and skill.) So, whether it’s lacrosse, academics or volunteering to teach younger kids the game that I love — I always approach it through that lens.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR? First and foremost is my older brother James, a three-time brain tumor survivor who has shown me what it truly means to embrace adversity head on. He is the toughest guy I will ever know, both physically and mentally. Second, my mom and dad have been incredible role models to me and are my biggest cheerleaders. They have sacrificed so much to give my brother and me every opportunity and advantage possible to be our best and achieve our goals in life. And finally, Warriors Elite Lacrosse Coach Stephen McNulty has had a huge impact on me. He is a great role model for young lacrosse players, an all-around good person, and someone who donates his time freely for the love of the game to help young players like me achieve their dreams of one day winning a state championship.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? I’m looking forward to studying and playing competitive club lacrosse at Michigan. I can’t wait to see what new opportunities and relationships will grow out of my studies and experiences there. Wherever my future leads me, I hope to always continue volunteering in my community, including coaching young lacrosse goalies and defensive players to share my love of the game.
ADVICE FOR YOUNG STUDENT ATHLETES? Being an outstanding athlete is an incredible accomplishment, but you need to work just as hard at being an outstanding student and good person who gives back to your community. To me, that’s what real success looks like and what sets you apart in a crowd.
3
BRANDON NEWLAND
HIGH SCHOOL Bloomfield Hills High School
CITY Bloomfield Hills
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL University of Michigan
SPORT Baseball
ACCOLADES All District; All Region; All State; Bloomfield Hills ERA record holder; 4.3 GPA; National Honors Society Student
MAJOR Sports Management at the School of Kinesiology
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? I love baseball, as it’s taught me how to handle adversity, how to work through failure and how to bounce back and reach for a win as well. Even in a game that is so failure-based, you can find ways to succeed and work through challenges.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU’VE ACHIEVED? I consider coming back from my injury freshman year as a major accomplishment, as it was a physical and mental battle throughout the whole way. I had to overcome the physical therapy, regain my confidence in myself on the mound and eventually come back stronger than I ever was prior.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR? My role model is my father, as he’s taught me how to overcome mental battles and maintain a positive and optimistic viewpoint as well. Life is what we make of it and we truly are only as great as we think we are. That’s what my father has taught me and told me from a young age and I’ve brought it along with me every day.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? I hope to play baseball as long as I can and one day be in the MLB. This is the game I love and with hard work and discipline I know reaching my goals can make a ‘dream’ very real.
4
NICK SHENEFELT
HIGH SCHOOL Earnest Seaholm High School
CITY Birmingham
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL Princeton University
SPORT Baseball
ACCOLADES I was a four year varsity baseball player. I was a first team, all-state baseball player my junior year and I finished all four years above a 4.0 GPA.
MAJOR Economics
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? I've been playing baseball since before I can remember. The reason I started playing was because of my dad. I love this game because of the combination of physical and mental ability — I am constantly chasing perfection, knowing it will never be achieved, but pushing myself to be the best player I can be.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU’VE ACHIEVED? What I consider a major accomplishment is something that brings you joy. Success is not about how much money you make or what job you have, but it is about how happy you are in life.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR? My two major role models are both of my parents. Their passion and love they show for life is inspirational. They continuously support me and my chasing my dreams, and I wouldn't be where I am without them. I work as hard as I do as I am constantly trying to make them proud.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? The goal I hope to accomplish is continuing to chase my dreams and passions. I want to be successful in life, but that doesn't always mean how much money I earn. I eventually want to raise a healthy and happy family and provide the same love and support to my kids as my parents have done for me.
5
RYAN SCHMELTZ
HIGH SCHOOL Frankel Jewish Academy
CITY West Bloomfield
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL University of Michigan
SPORT(S) In high school, I played soccer, basketball, and baseball. In college, I am looking to join the Hillel intramural hockey team.
ACCOLADES 2023-24 FJA Male Athlete of the Year; captain of soccer, basketball and baseball teams this season; National Honors Society; All-School Student Government Vice-President
MAJOR Economics
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? All of the sports that I play are team sports. I love the atmosphere of teammates because I feel that I have more to play for: not just for myself, but also for others. This is how I have built close connections off the playing field. Additionally, those teammates are the ones that pick me up when I make an error or mistake, not just by words but also by action. These moments have taught me to move on to the next day, even if the day before was a bit more challenging.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU’VE ACHIEVED? A major accomplishment to me is something that I feel proud to tell others. If I am afraid to tell my peers about something I did, then it must not be important enough to me to consider it a major accomplishment. In sports, this includes trophies, winning or just exceeding expectations. For example, going into my senior year, our soccer team had not won a district game in a while. This past season, we won our first round matchup 2-1 to move on in the tournament, which was a huge victory for the school. Although it was only the first round, it was still a major achievement for me, the team and the school.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR I look up to Sidney Crosby, a forward on the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. I admire his ability to take younger players under his wing and transform them into high-level players. He is a great team-first player and always strives to get better for himself and what he can bring to the team.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? I hope to graduate college and find a job where I am able to apply my skills and somewhere that I am happy.
6
ABIGAIL GELFAND
HIGH SCHOOL Frankel Jewish Academy
CITY West Bloomfield
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL University of Michigan
SPORT Tennis
ACCOLADES I will likely be playing on the club/recreational team at the university. I was 1 singles on the tennis team my freshman, junior and senior year on the tennis team; 2 singles my sophomore year; coaches’ award and 2 MVP awards for the varsity tennis team over the course of four years in high school; outside of tennis, I have received multiple academic awards as well as multiple leadership awards from my high school Jewish youth group, BBYO.
MAJOR Political Science with a double minor in Psychology and Judaic Studies, taking a pre-Criminal Law/Intelligence path.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? I have been playing tennis since I was 6 years and have loved it ever since I can remember. I became very committed to the sport when the Covid-19 pandemic began, as it was one of the only activities that you could do while both staying active and social distancing. In 2020, I had been playing six days a week, multiple hours a day. It was truly my escape from the chaos of the pandemic. As I continued my tennis career, I realized that it was more than a sport, but a lesson. Everyone says tennis is the most difficult sport, and I can confirm this to be 100-percent true. While yes, tennis does involve immense physical strength and ability, it is also an incredibly challenging mental game. Tennis taught me how to remain patient, how to deal with pressure and control my emotions, how to have responsibility for an outcome, and most of all, tennis taught me to never give up.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU’VE ACHIEVED? I consider a major accomplishment any sort of progress. I believe that if there is something you are working towards, that journey to that outcome in itself is an accomplishment to me, on and off the court. For example, when I became 1 singles my freshman year, I definitely considered that an accomplishment; however, I believe that the work and dedication that I put towards that outcome was also an accomplishment because I was determined and committed to reach that goal, which is not something that always comes easy.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR? I have multiple role models in life and in sports, but the main mentors that I look up to are all of the tennis coaches that I've had over the years, both at my club and my school, who have believed in me since the beginning. Without their constant guidance and encouragement, I would not have remained motivated and my love for tennis would not be as strong as it is. Additionally, my parents play a huge role in my life, in tennis and out. They have constantly provided me with new opportunities and have pushed me to be the best I can be, and I am immensely grateful for their support.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? In the future, I hope to continue being as determined, passionate and hard-working as I am now. Over the last few years, there have been times where I have struggled to remain positive and optimistic, whether it's in tennis or in my daily life off the court, but I believe that overcoming my sometimes negative attitude is what got me to where I am today, and I can't wait to continue pushing myself to my greatest potential in college and beyond.
7
OWEN TURNER
HIGH SCHOOL Brother Rice High School
CITY Oxford
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL Yale University, playing baseball under Coach Brian Hamm
SPORT Baseball
ACCOLADES I was a four-year varsity baseball player, as the catcher. I finished this season with a .470 batting average; the team finished with a 42-2 record, only losing in the state finals at East Lansing on June 15; two-time All-Catholic, two-time All-State (First Team); selected for the All-Star Team playing at Comerica for Division 1 at the conclusion of senior season, and selected for Dream Team 2024, awarded by the coaches of Michigan; awarded the Scholar Athlete Award by Brother Rice Alumnae for 2024 (awarded to one student each year). I graduated with Honors, 4.3 GPA.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? I love the sport of baseball because it is a team effort, and although you can have individual accomplishments, the wins and losses are earned by the team and coaches. Every game is a new chance for a win or a new personal best. The game of baseball teaches discipline and toughness. In high school, it gave me the chance to build a really strong bond with my teammates and coaches. Baseball can be symbolic of life; sometimes you are hitting a home run, sometimes you barely make it to first, and sometimes you strike out. But there is always another at-bat to try again. I am extremely proud of the hard work I put in to baseball and school, and I think it paid off.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR I’ve been lucky to have more than one. Of course I look up to my coaches. They have taught me a lot, and that goes much further than baseball. At Brother Rice, I was fortunate at times to have a coach as my teacher for a semester or two, and my head coach, Bob Riker, was also my summer coach. He led us to a National Championship last summer in Atlanta, and to the state semifinals this season in East Lansing. For my senior year, Coach Tom Henig also joined our coaching staff, after being our summer coach for four years. I had six teammates that I got to play with year-round, on my summer team and high school team. These are my real role models. We grew up together, we leaned on each other, we encouraged each other. We truly wanted the best for each other. I can’t think of one time that I didn’t want to see them succeed as much as I did. Their parents were my parents at times. We were adults by the end of our four year run together. All six of them are headed to further their baseball careers in college, and I am excited to follow along with their experiences. I know that we will stay in touch and cheer each other on for the rest of our lives.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? At Yale, I hope to try to find the same chemistry I had with my high school and summer team. I hope to continue to excel in baseball and I am looking forward to new coaching and new chances to get even better. I am looking forward to a challenging four years of higher education, and the prestige and honor that a Yale degree will offer. I think that between my Brother Rice education and a Yale degree, I will have many doors open for me to succeed in my next stage of life.
8
ANGUS MACDONALD
HIGH SCHOOL Wylie E. Groves High School
CITY Beverly Hills
COLLEGE ATTENDING IN FALL University of Notre Dame
SPORT Swimming; will continue at Notre Dame
ACCOLADES Five-time Michigan D2 state champion; 2024 Michigan D2 swimmer of the year; nine-time NISCA all-American; three-time scholastic all-American; nominee for 2024 Detroit Athletic Club’s High School Athlete of the year; 2024 Detroit High School Sports Awards men’s swimming and diving winner; 2024 Olympic trials qualifier
MAJOR Marketing
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE SPORT YOU PLAY? It’s something that my parents did and I grew up doing and it just stuck with me. Getting a best time or winning a big race is an incredibly rewarding feeling and one of the main reasons I love the sport so much.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU’VE ACHIEVED? A major accomplishment is something that you are proud of. Not what other people think but what you think is a defining achievement in your life.
DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL/MENTOR? My biggest mentor in the sport has been my coaches and my parents. They have both encouraged me to keep going with the sport while pushing me to do my best day in and day out.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? One accomplishment I want in this sport and one I have been dreaming of ever since I was a little kid is to make the United States Olympic team.