Hackley’s winter sports teams have begun their 2025-2026 season. The winter season will be filled with high hopes, excitement, and community for each team.
Girls Squash:
Girls Varsity Squash is starting the season with high hopes and excitement. Sophomore Zoe Sellon has been on the team since eighth grade and says she loves the sport and the team as a whole.
“I love playing for something bigger than myself,” Zoe also noted she enjoyed the sense of purpose that comes with the team, “I love the people. Everyone’s in good spirits with each other.”
The team is especially looking forward to nationals, which will take place in Philadelphia towards the end of the season. The girls will face a variety of teams from all over the country. This gives them plenty of opportunities to test their skills against competitors they wouldn’t normally see during the regular season.
This year, the squash program has a new coach for the boys team, and because both teams share practice, the girls have been able to get new insight into their playing. Zoe has appreciated the chance to look for new ways to improve her playing. With a lot of big goals in mind, the team is ready to make this season a memorable one.
Boys Squash
Boys Varsity Squash is starting the season with energy and excitement. Sophomore Saifian Mir shared that he is looking forward to the season, especially because squash is something he does outside of school as well.
“I love it and can’t wait to play with my friends,” he says.
The team also has a strong sense of community and camaraderie.
“My favorite part about being a part of this team is the friendships I’ve made on it,” Saifan said, showing the close-knit bond the group shares.
This year, the team is especially looking forward to High School Nationals, where they face other teams across the country.
“It’s just such a cool experience playing other schools and getting to spend a weekend with your teammates and really strengthen your relationships,” Saifan said.
After graduating multiple seniors last season, the team is excited about some new players who bring enthusiasm and commitment, along with a new coach. Coming off a strong Division 2 competition and 2nd NYSAIS finish, the team is looking forward to the season ahead.
Girls Basketball
Girls Varsity Basketball heads into the winter season, and sophomore Julia Puthiyamadan described a strong sense of growth and excitement throughout the team. Julia shared that the team is undergoing some changes this year, which has made starting the season motivating.
Julia noted that big league matchups against Poly, Fieldston, and Dalton are always highly anticipated games of the season.
“The way we prepare becomes more intense so when it comes to game days, everyone becomes very serious about executing the plan the coaches had set,” Julia said.
These high-level teams push the team to play with great focus. The program has seen major changes this year, including several new players and a new coaching staff. The team’s roster has now grown to 16 athletes. Although preparing for the winter season can be challenging during the fall sports, captains organized practices throughout the fall to help teammates prepare for the season ahead. After graduating many seniors last season, the team is eager to rebuild and grow.
Wrestling
The season brings a mix of nerves and excitement for wrestlers, especially new wrestlers. New wrestler Marco Arencibia noted he felt nervous at the beginning because it was his first season, and competing against wrestlers who had been wrestling for multiple seasons was nerve-racking. Despite the initial nervousness, the feeling did not last long,
“I’m feeling more confident now, and I’m really excited about the matches,” he said.
A large contribution to that confidence is the team’s supportive environment. Marco shared that the wrestling team has a strong sense of unity, even though the sport is individualized.
“There is some sort of unity on the team, the meets are always fun, everyone is excited and energetic,” Marco said.
The positive energy was especially evident during the Sting match, which was a lot of wrestlers’ favorites.
“They’re really excited, everyone gets really hyped and excited to do well in their matches,” Marco said.
While wrestling is a mostly individual sport, the sense of community is still strong. So far, the season has been filled with excitement and growth.
Boys Basketball
Boys Varsity Basketball is starting with confidence and a strong sense of leadership. Senior captain Will Linnett noted that playing with friends has helped him step into a leadership role. The team also prides itself on its strong connection and bond.
“We’re a really tight-knit group; we go to the Eldorado diner after every Saturday practice for lunch together,” he said.
The strong sense of camaraderie between teammates is crucial to the team’s success. With key scorers like Jelani Middleton and Jack Perlman no longer on the roster, the team has had to adjust.
“We need to have a new identity, and I think we’ve done a good job of stepping into that role,” Will said.
The team was excited about the always highly anticipated Sting game against Riverdale, which was a critical matchup this year. Reflecting on last season, Will noted that the team faced a tough loss last year in NYSAIS but is confident in their ability to bounce back this year.
Swimming
Hackley Varsity Swimming is excited and confident heading into the winter season. The team had a strong performance last year, winning Ivy’s and coming in second place at NYSAIS. The team feels very optimistic about this year’s season. One of the team’s biggest assets is its positive and supportive culture.
“The team is so warm and welcoming; it’s such a nice environment,” said Sophomore Elizabeth Spencer.
The supportive atmosphere helped bring the team together.
“We are very close as a team in general, and I really like that,” Elizabeth said.
The swimmers are especially excited about the Ivy and NYSAIS meets, which are historically the team’s biggest meets.
“They’re really exciting, everyone gets really hyped and excited to do well in their races,” Elizabeth said.
Some changes from last season is the graduation of two seniors. However, the team has talented new freshmen and eighth graders who are making an impact.
Indoor track
As the winter track season begins, the team is preparing for a season of success, competition, and growth. With athletes of all grades coming together, winter track is a welcoming and supportive environment for both experienced runners and those new to the sport. For many underclassmen, the season provides a chance to try something new while contributing to a team culture as a whole. Freshman Norah Mott shared that while starting track for the first time is nerve-racking, her experience has been positive.
“I really like the people on the team; everyone is really supportive, whatever grade you’re in doesn’t matter,” said Norah.
This sense of togetherness created an environment where athletes feel supported. Winter track might also serve as preparation for athletes involved in other sports. Some see it as a way to build endurance that will carry into future seasons. Looking ahead, the team is really excited for meets like NYSAIS, which have strong competition and a thrilling atmosphere.
Fencing
The fencing team has entered the new season with newfound energy and competitiveness, thanks partially to the changes in leadership and team culture. Due to the change in leadership, sophomore fencer Hilah Shklarski noted that initially she wasn’t sure what to expect. However, she shared that the transition has been a positive and helpful one.
“Going into the new season, I was excited, but I didn’t know what to expect from the new coaches. However, the season is currently going very well, and the new coaches are great,” Hilah said.
A strength of the fencing program is the supportive and encouraging atmosphere. Hilah said that the team’s sense of community is very important to her.
“Everyone is very kind, and it isn’t cut-throat. We are all just there to fence and have fun,” she said.
This balance of support and competitiveness helped the team grow as a whole. The firmer coaching style has made a noticeable difference. Practices are now more structured and intense than in previous years. This has resulted in stronger performances at competitions. Looking forward, Hilah noted she is most excited about the individual tournaments, an all-day event where fencers have the opportunity to fence and connect with other teams.
