Inside: It’s the Economy, Smarty!

Viking defenders swarming an opponent

League individual medalist 

Matt Coffin ’09

Division II girls state runner-up 

Morgan Ransom ’12

Fall 2008

34

Sports View

A c a d e m y M a g a z i n e

Anzalone.

Anzalone was named Team MVP while Prudhomme

earned Most Improved.

Benji Hoagland ’13 and Zach Austin ’13 captained the Mid-

dle School golf team to a 6-14 record. Most of the wins came later

in the season as the young team developed. The squad should ben-

efit from a solid core of seventh graders who will return next year.

B

OYS

S

OCCER

–

Wins League and District Titles

Led by a strong core of senior players, Columbus Acad-

emy won its first-ever MSL-Ohio boys soccer title in 2008 as well

as its third district crown in five years. For the second straight

season, however, the Vikings fell to Worthington Christian in the re-

gional semifinals and ended their year with a 14-3-2 record.

For the second year in a row, David Gantos was named

first team all-state while fellow senior Peter Paras made the second

team. Both were also first team all-district with junior Gebby Keny

on the second team. All three were all-league first-teamers with

Michael Brown ’09, Andrew Martin ’10 and Evan Sheets ’09 mak-

ing the second team and Andy Eldridge ’09 and Clay Hoster ’10 on

the third team. Coach Ron Leach was also recognized as Champi-

onship Coach.

Hoster claimed the team’s Most Improved award while

Martin took home the Viking Award. The team also received the

Central Ohio Boys Team Excellence in Sportsmanship Award and

earned an academic award for having an average GPA of 3.61

amongst its 20 varsity players.

The boys JV soccer team finished its season with an im-

pressive record of 10-2-5, outscoring the opposition by a margin of

43 goals to 12. The team was bolstered by a steady defense that

posted 10 shutouts, including the last seven games of the season.

At the team banquet, Tim Eldridge '12 was recognized as the team’s

MVP, Alex Farrenkopf '12 earned the Most Improved Player award,

and Austin Howard '11 won the Viking Award.

The Middle School boys exceeded expectations with a 9-2-

2 record. Daniel Aronowitz ’13 led the way with 27 goals while team

honors went to Johnston Allinder ’13 (MVP), Ezer Smith ’13 (Most Im-

proved) and Alec Wuorinen ’13 and Grant Hansell ’13 (Viking Awards).

G

IRLS

S

OCCER

–

Records First Winning Season

With an influx of talented freshmen fused with experienced

upper classmen, the Academy girls soccer team had a breakthrough

season. In addition to recording the program’s first winning season

with a final record of 8-7, the squad also hosted its first home tour-

nament game since girls soccer became a varsity sport six years ago.

The highlight of the season came in early October when, on

Senior Night, the Vikes beat West Jefferson 5-0 to secure their first-

ever winning season. When they hosted their first home playoff game

two weeks later, an early injury to freshman midfielder Logan Berlet

severely hampered their efforts in a 2-1 loss to Amanda-Clearcreek.

Freshman Erin Simmons picked up third team all-district and

first team all-league honors. Berlet earned second team all-league

and MSL-Ohio honorable mention went to senior Chelsea Dipman,

freshman Alisha Ho and sophomore Natalie Ritter. Simmons, Berlet

and freshman goalie Maggie McGuire shared Team MVP while Ho

earned Most Improved and junior Michelle Knopp took home the Viking

Award.

Despite a schedule that was depleted by a number of can-

celled games, the girls JV team finished 1-7 with many of the losses

coming against bigger schools. “Mixing experienced players with a

number of players who were new to the game, the team demon-

strated a collective commitment that made the selection of a most

valuable player virtually impossible,” said coach Susan Swinford.

“Viking Spirit award winners were sophomores Meredith Korda and

Shelby Allinder, and the Most Improved Player was freshman Emily

Robinson.”

With just 13 players, the Middle School squad finished the

season 7-7-1, making it to the second round of the division tourna-

ment and finishing third overall. Award winners included MVP Melanie

Knopp ’13, Most Improved Player Maria Mullin ’14 and Viking Award

recipient Emily Carlin ’13.

League and district boys soccer champions

Sophomore forward Natalie Ritter

Fall 2008

35

Sports View

A c a d e m y M a g a z i n e

G

IRLS

T

ENNIS

–

Achieves Perfection in 2008

One newspaper headline said it best: “Academy stands

atop Ohio’s tennis mountain.” Columbus Academy followed up its

first boys tennis state championship last spring with the Division II

girls tennis state title this fall. In addition to the team’s perfect 22-

0 record, including a 3-2 victory over eventual Division I state

champ Upper Arlington, the Vikings claimed the state doubles title

when senior Val Micek and junior Christiana Raymond cruised

through the postseason without dropping a set.

Both were all-state first-teamers with senior Sheena

Koushik and junior Lindsay Hughes making the second team. Ray-

mond was named MSL-Ohio/Cardinal Player of the Year and was

joined on the all-league first team by Micek and Koushik. Sectional

singles champion Nisha Nataraj ’10 made the second team along

with Hughes, Sri Kundur ’10 and Neha Patel ’11, while Jeff

Warstler earned Championship Coach. Team awards went to Ray-

mond (MVP) and Kundur (Most Improved).

At the OTCA team state finals, CA avenged last year’s fi-

nals loss by blanking Lexington 3-0 in the semifinals before over-

powering Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy 3-1 in the

championship. After splitting the doubles matches and winning at

No. 3 singles (Nataraj by a 6-1, 6-4 score), it came down to CA’s

top two singles players. With Raymond leading her match in the

third set, senior captain Koushik secured the victory with a 3-6, 6-

3, 6-4 win, marking Academy’s 24th team state title in 10 differ-

ent sports.

The JV girls tennis squad ended up with an 11-2 record.

Parul Reddy ’11, Julia Souba ’11 and Mallika Marar ’10 played sin-

gles with Parul going undefeated. Michelle Lai ’10 and Esther Jung

’11 played first doubles while Sarah Cohen ’11 and Keerthi Haris-

hankar ’11 played second doubles and Yiping Xing ’11 played exhi-

bition.

The MS girls tennis team posted a perfect 14-0 season.

Returning eighth graders Meera Gopinath, Annie Lavin, Deepa

Manda and Neela Nataraj were joined by classmates Becca Landon

and Sahana Sundaram and seventh graders Lillian McIntosh, Priyal

Reddy and Meghana Vallabhaneni.

V

OLLEYBALL

–

Continues to Improve

Coming off a 7-17 season a year removed from winning the

2006 district title, Academy’s volleyball team knew it was still in a re-

building mode heading into this fall.

The Vikings got off to a 2-0 start before hitting league play

against mostly bigger schools in higher divisions. The squad finished

1-12 in the MSL-Ohio with an 8-14 overall record, marking a one-win

improvement over the prior campaign.

The heartbreaker came in the postseason when 10th-

seeded Academy led fourth-seeded Millersport 13-7 in the fifth and

deciding set of their second round contest in the Division IV district

tournament. Needing only two more points to advance with the

upset, their momentum stalled and the Vikes fell by a 25-15, 17-

25, 25-11, 20-25, 15-13 score.

The team loses seniors Chyna Johnson and Melissa Voren-

berg but has a strong nucleus of players expected to return next sea-

son. The squad will undoubtedly be led by junior Molly Belcher, who

earned first team all-league and all-district honors for the second

straight year. Fellow junior Megan Aselton, meanwhile, picked up all-

league and all-district honorable mention recognition. Team awards

were handed out to Belcher (MVP), Aselton (Coach’s Award), John-

son (Viking Award) and Vorenberg (Most Improved).

The Vikes’ JV volleyball squad was winless in 15 matches

but improved on individual and team skills throughout the course of

the season. Kelsey Davis ’11 won the team MVP award while Mal-

lory Grayson ’12 claimed the Viking Award and Becca Beitzinger ’12

earned Most Improved Player.

The eighth grade volleyball team also finished without a win

while the seventh-grade team managed two victories. “We didn’t

give out team awards, but everybody really worked hard the whole

season,” said Middle School coach Heather Gepper. “Lauren Vodnick

was a great seventh grade player who came in with some experience

and played very well for us. In the eighth grade, Sydney Frazier also

brought some experience and some height to the team.”

Division II girls tennis state champs

Wearing pink on Volley for the Cure Night

C

ONSIDERING A

G

IFT TO THE

A

CADEMY

?

THE EMERGENCY ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT OF 2008

HAS EXTENDED THE IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER

THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2009.

Originally enacted in the Pension Protection Act of 2006, this legislation provided 

people aged 70½ or older with tax incentives for charitable rollovers, specifically, 

the opportunity to make a gift from an individual retirement account (IRA) 

without having to report the distribution as taxable income.

Thanks to the reinstated legislation, donors can once again fulfill their charitable plans 

without the income tax burden typically associated with IRA assets.  In addition to donors 

having to be at least 70 ½ years of age, the rollover is limited to $100,000 per year; can count 

toward the annual minimum distribution requirement from the IRA; and, can avoid estate 

and income taxes.  IRA rollovers can be made to most non-profits, including 

The Columbus Academy, but not toward donor advised funds, 

supporting organizations or private foundations.

As always, please consult with your financial advisor or attorney before 

making a gift involving your estate plans.  For more information, 

feel free to contact Erich Hunker ’81, Assistant Headmaster, 

Development/External Relations, [phone].

IS THE ACADEMY IN YOUR ESTATE PLANS?

Naming the Academy a beneficiary of an existing life insurance policy, including a bequest in your will or other

planned gifts for the benefit of the school can provide for scholarships; bolster faculty salaries and enrichment; help

with academic and capital improvements; or, be used for general operating purposes.  If you have already made pro-

visions to honor the school in this special way, please let us know!  We would welcome the opportunity to thank you

today for the support you are providing the Academy tomorrow by including you as a member in the school’s

planned giving recognition club, the Van Syckel Society (named for the school’s founding headmaster).

For further information, please call Erich Hunker ʼ81, Assistant Headmaster for Development/External 

Relations, at [phone] or contact him through e-mail at:  [e-mail].  

Or, write to Erich for more information:  Erich Hunker, c/o The Columbus Academy, 

4300 Cherry Bottom Road, Gahanna, OH 43230.

Fall 2008

37

Academy Profile

A c a d e m y   M a g a z i n e

What might surprise people to know about you?

After graduating from Bowling Green State University in

1992, I spent a year at Ole’ Miss (The University of

Mississippi) as a chapter consultant for my sorority,

Kappa Kappa Gamma.  I even picked up a little bit of a

southern accent while living there!

How many years have you been at Academy 

and what have been your duties?

I started at 

Academy in the fall of 1993, which makes this

my 16th year teaching at Academy.  During my

first year, I was an “intern teacher” in pre-

kindergarten in the morning and in the first

grades in the afternoon.   The following

year, I was a full-time PreK teacher.

I also was an assistant coach for

the Upper School swim team for

two years and have served on vari-

ous committees.

What is your educational 

background?

I graduated from 

Bowling Green State University in

May 1992 with a B.S. in Education (my

major was early childhood/elementary edu-

cation).  In May 1998, I received an M.S.

in Education (school counseling) from 

the University of Dayton.

Lisa Spolter

Why did you become a teacher?

I have very

clear memories of playing school as a child.  Of

course, I was the teacher.  So as far back as I can

remember, I always wanted to grow up and be a

teacher of young children.  During high school, I

considered being a music teacher and then a French teacher.

Before the end of my first semester in college, I changed my

major and never looked back!

How did you come to CA?

It was August of 1993, and I had been

working at the child care center for Riverside Methodist Hospital

for about four weeks when I received a call to interview for a posi-

tion at Academy.  When I was offered the job, I was very excited

but turned it down, feeling that it would be wrong of me to leave

the job at Riverside that I had only been doing for a month.  I cried

What are your fondest memories while at Academy?

I find it exciting to be a child’s first teacher at Acad-

emy.   I have the opportunity to watch the students I

have taught continue their education until they graduate.

So far, I have watched students from my first two pre-

kindergarten classes graduate from Upper School.

The most recent and best memory so far was

watching my oldest daughter Sophie start her

first day of school in PreK at Academy this

past August

What have you learned from teaching?

My experience as an educator has

taught me the importance of presenting

and providing learning experiences in a vari-

ety of ways in order to meet the diversity of

learning styles of my students.  In my class-

room, I try to provide an eclectic approach to

learning in order to meet the needs and interests

of my students.     

If I weren’t a teacher…? 

I would be lost!  

that entire weekend, completely regretting my decision to

turn down Academy’s offer.  Thankfully, Debbie Keeran

called me the following Monday to ask me to reconsider

and I immediately said, “Yes!”

Taking a closer look

Second-grader Carolyn Bowman examines her surroundings while her 

science room classmate Dalyn DeCree takes notes.

Magnify your perspective at these upcoming CA events:

Dec. 7............

Admissions Open House, 2-4 p.m.

Dec. 18..........

Alumni Holiday Luncheon, 11:30 a.m.,

Athletic Club of Columbus

Dec. 18..........

Lower School Holiday Program, 

2-3 p.m., Jones Gym

Jan. 21 .........

Strings Coffee House Concert, 

7 p.m., Theatre Lobby

Jan. 30-31......

“The Secret Garden” (MS Musical), 

7:30 p.m., Theatre

Feb. 12...........

Upper School Cabaret, 7 p.m., Dining Hall

March 3.........

US Band, Choir & Strings Concert, 7 p.m., Theatre

March 4.........

3rd Grade Wax Museum, 8-9 a.m., Dining Hall

March 12.......

4th Grade Musical, 1 and 7 p.m., Theatre

4300 Cherry Bottom Road

P.O. Box 30745

Gahanna, Ohio 43230-0745

[phone]

www.columbusacademy.org.

John M. Mackenzie, Headmaster

Non-Profit Org

U.S. Postage

PAID

COLUMBUS. OH

PERMIT NO. 142