Hall of Fame

Justin Ort ‘90

Keith Merkler ’89

A standout defenseman over his four-year varsity career at Portledge, Keith made history as the first Portledge player ever to be drafted to a professional team. Keith's strong play, especially on the defensive side of the rink, led to him being named captain of Portledge’s Boys' Hockey team in both his junior and senior years while also winning multiple team and league awards, including Most Valuable Player and All-League. He went on to play Division 1 for the Princeton Tigers, where he played fifty-eight games and registered goals and assists in each season from the blue line. In the 1989 NHL draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Keith in the seventh round, making him the one hundred and twenty-ninth overall pick. That same year, he went on to win the Midget "B" National Championship with the Nassau County Lions. To this day, Keith continues to demonstrate his passion for sports, actively participating in hockey. His commitment to his community and his love for sports truly set him apart as an all-around exemplary figure.

Alexandra Siwiec ’09

A three-sport athlete at Portledge, playing basketball, soccer, and lacrosse over her varsity career, Alexandra truly shined on the soccer field. Alexandra was a five-year varsity player, beginning as a starter on the 2004 Girls Varsity Soccer team as an 8th grader, which is a rare feat for any athlete. That year, Alexandra scored a tie-breaking goal that led the team to the playoffs for the first time in program history, a mere two years after Portledge started offering girls varsity soccer as an interscholastic sport, and led to a Cinderella run to the league championship game. Alexandra continued to be one of the most talented players on the team and grew into a leader. In her senior year, she captained the team to its first-ever appearance in the state tournament. The current success of the girls' varsity soccer program is in large part thanks to how quickly the program grew under Alexandra’s leadership and skill. Alexandra was also a four-year starter on the girls' varsity lacrosse team, competing at states multiple times during her tenure, and a two-year starter on the girls' varsity basketball team.

Douglas Murray ’99

As dominant of a hockey player as Portledge has ever had, Douglas went on to excel at hockey in the collegiate, professional, and international stages. Douglas was drafted with the 241st pick in the 8th round of the 1999 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Douglas put his NHL dreams on hold to attend Cornell, where he was a four-year player for the Cornell hockey team, serving as team captain in his senior year. During his four years at Cornell, he played in 127 games and scored 84 points while anchoring a strong defense. Douglas received numerous accolades, including being named to an ECAC First team, a Tournament team, and a two-time All-American. He was also nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the best player in collegiate hockey. 

Curt Sawyer

You cannot talk about Portledge athletics without mentioning the name Curt Sawyer. During his over twenty-year tenure at Portledge, Curt served as Athletic Director and coached three varsity sports. Additionally, Curt oversaw the Girls' Basketball, Boys Lacrosse, and Boys Soccer programs - collecting over two hundred wins with each program.The 1999 Lacrosse team was perhaps the greatest in the history of the program. The team was fiercely led on the field by captains Will Bodine, Marc Perry, C.J. Huber, and Phil Schlanger and guided from the sidelines by Coach Curt Sawyer and Coach Phil Hills. These leaders were supported by talented sophomore and junior players who combined to form a team with a strong and deep roster and significant contributions across the board – and, notably, nine players totaling double-digit points for the season. The team stood victorious, facing a highly competitive schedule compared to some of the top programs from the Catholic, Public, and Private school leagues. The team finished the spring season with a 17-0 record and, along the way, captured their first-ever Championship in the Portledge Invitational tournament as well as the NYMLA league championship. The team concluded the season with a thrilling last-second victory over a very strong Fordham Prep team to further capture the NYMLA Regional championship. Postseason accolades included Coach Sawyer being named Coach of the Year and both Marc Perry and Will Bodine receiving All-American honors.

Christopher Cranis '93

Chris Cranis was a three-sport athlete during his time at Portledge excelling in ice hockey, lacrosse, and soccer. Chris was a great addition to all three programs and a superior teammate and leader during his career. His excellence in Portledge athletics began in 8th grade where he was awarded lacrosse MVP and set a record for goals scored with 40. He went on to be a three-year varsity member in soccer and ice hockey and a four-year varsity member in lacrosse. Chris had excellent careers in soccer, where he was named to the 1992 Long Island Exceptional Senior team, and ice hockey, but it was on the lacrosse field where he really excelled. Chris was outstanding from his freshman year setting a record for goals for a freshman in 1990 before becoming All-League, All-Tournament, and All-Divison in his sophomore and junior seasons. During his senior season, he added Team MVP and All-American to his honor roll and he finished his career with an outstanding 185 career points. His character and effort along with his superior level of skill across all three sports are a true testament to his Hall of Fame career.

Peter Greenfield '93 

Peter Greenfield was a three-sport athlete during his time at Portledge, competing as a member of the varsity hockey, soccer, and lacrosse teams.  While Peter enjoyed success on the ice, it was on the field with both the lacrosse and soccer programs where he, along with his classmate and teammate Chris Cranis truly shined.  Peter’s excellence on the lacrosse field was evident in his All-Division award in his junior year and recognition with an All-League award in his senior year.  In addition to these acknowledgments of his athletic successes recognized by the division, league, and broader athletic community, Peter was recognized multiple times by the Portledge coaching and athletic staff, who selected him for receipt of multiple awards over his years at the school in soccer and lacrosse, including multiple teams Most Valuable Player award and awards of distinction.  Peter continued his athletic career at Roger Williams University where he was a member of the soccer program during his freshman year. Peter is recognized for not only his tremendous success as a three-sport athlete during his time at Portledge but also his role as a dependable teammate and leader, who constantly acted to improve his skills, his teammates, and his overall team.

Kristie Kelly '13

Kristie Kelly was a three-sport athlete during her time at Portledge, excelling as a member of the varsity teams in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. Kristie was a Varsity Club Member and received numerous awards across all three sports. Her sophomore season on the lacrosse field culminated with her being awarded Most Improved Player. On the soccer field, she was a star midfielder and forward and was the team's most valuable player in her sophomore year, All-League her junior and senior year while serving as assistant captain junior year, and captain during her senior year. On the basketball court as starting point guard, she was awarded Offensive Player of the Year and MVP of the Martin Luther tournament as a sophomore and Coach's Award as a junior. Kristie continued her athletic career at St. Lawrence University where she played soccer as well as beginning her prolific career in Ultimate Frisbee. After transferring to Dartmouth College, she was an integral part of the Division I team which came in 5th in the USA College National Championship and won the Championship in 2018. After graduating from Dartmouth Kristie continued her Ultimate Frisbee career playing both domestically and internationally with the NY Bent Elite Club as well as the NY Gridlock and DC Grit. Kristie has continued her athletic resume while playing Women's Professional Tackle football with the DC Divas. In addition to her team accomplishments, Kristie is an avid snowboarder and has maintained her AASI Level I Certified Snowboard Instructor.

Marissa Stanco '18

Marissa Stanco was a four-year member of the Varsity girls' soccer team and wore number 21 throughout her career. During her senior year, she was selected as the recipient of the Senior Athletic Award. Her soccer career was unprecedented as she led the team to four consecutive PSAA championships and was awarded four PSAA regular season Most Valuable Players and three PSAA playoff Most Valuable Player Awards. Marissa was selected by Newsday as a Top 50 on Long Island in 2017 and finished her Portledge career with an outstanding 121 career points including 89 goals and 32 assists. Upon her graduation, Marissa's #21 jersey was retired and hangs in the rafters of Wellington Gymnasium. In addition to her outstanding Portledge career, Marissa had outstanding success with her club team, The Albertson Fury, who competed in the ECNL league where she was named Attacking Player of the Year in 2017. Marissa went on to continue her soccer career at Division I Fordham University of the Atlantic 10 conference where she saw action in close to 50 games in her four years.

Tom Decker ‘87

The consummate team player, Tom Decker ‘87 was a four-year starter in three sports during his time at Portledge. In addition to being a valuable member of the soccer team, he was a two-time captain and team MVP of the basketball team. Yet, it was on the lacrosse field that Tom really shined. As a senior, he led the varsity team as team captain and was named the season’s most valuable player, and received the additional honor of being named Honorable Mention All-American. Tom went on to play Lacrosse for R.I.T. and was a valued member of a team that rose to #3 in the country and played in the NCAA Division III National Semifinals. We are thrilled to honor Tom for his amazing career and welcome him to the Hall of Fame, Class of 2022. (Nominated by Maurice Freedman ‘87)

Harry Taylor ‘92

Praised by his teammates for his leadership and character, Harry Taylor ‘92 was a four-year starter on the lacrosse team and a captain his senior year. In addition to his time on the lacrosse field, Harry was also a four-year letter winner in soccer and a three-year award winner in basketball. As a defenseman, Harry did not rack up the stats that others had but his contributions were key to preventing the other teams' attack and he was the natural choice for guarding the opposition’s top player. His solid defensive play and all-around game were recognized on both the team and league level, as he was awarded team MVP and All-League in his junior and senior seasons. In addition, he was selected to play in the North-South game his senior year and honored as an All-American. Harry was a leader on the 1991 NYMLA Championship team and went on to have a successful collegiate career at Hamilton College. For his work on the field and his work off the field as a leader and exceptional teammate, we are pleased to induct Harry Taylor ‘92 into the Portledge Athletics Hall of Fame. (Nominated by Christopher Masotto ‘94)

1996-1997 Soccer Team

The 1996-1997 varsity soccer team will go down as one of the greatest teams to play in any sport in the history of Portledge Athletics. The 1996-1997 varsity soccer team played fiercely in the regular season and playoffs, finishing with an unblemished record of seventeen wins and zero losses to claim the IPPSAL Championship. The team averaged over five goals a game and had a margin of victory of over four goals a game. The 1996-1997 varsity soccer team was coached by Curt Sawyer and Seth Gottesman and captained by Phil Han, Greg Brayman, and Andrew Getting. The team developed multiple players who went on to play at the collegiate level, including Jordan Cila, who went on to play collegiately at Duke as well as in Major League Soccer and with the United States National team. The 1996-1997 varsity soccer team set the benchmark for success and we are honored to have them as part of the 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. (Nominated by Phillip Han ‘98)

Nick Lobley ‘12

Throughout his athletic career at Portledge, Nick Lobley lettered in an impressive three sports: soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. In his year on the varsity soccer team, Nick was a formidable competitor and team player. He was a four-year athlete in basketball and was recognized as a two-time all-IPPSAL player as well as a two-time league champion. Adding to accolades as a five-year varsity lacrosse star at Portledge, Nick was a major focus of the Oberlin College offense during his four years there. He was a four-year starter, and led the team in assists his freshman year and in goals in both his junior and senior seasons. He completed his career third in all-time career goals and total points and sixth in all-time career assists in Oberlin lacrosse history. In 2016, Nick was selected to the Second Team All-NCAC. Nick and his family are active members of the Portledge community and we are excited to welcome Nick to the Portledge Hall of Fame. (Nominated by Zac Pilson ‘12)

John Gregory '86

Back in the 80s Portledge was a little-known and small school with aspirations to compete at higher athletic levels. Every victory was hard-fought and every loss was a learning experience that helped contribute to the foundation of what is now a very successful athletic program. Invitations to tournaments outside the greater New York area began, and the winning of the Princeton Day School ice hockey tournament in 1986 was a significant moment for the entire athletic program. We had arrived and had the attention of the community and the support of the students and alumni. John was a three-sport athlete who captained the soccer, ice hockey, and lacrosse teams. He was surrounded by talented teammates who made him a better player. One such teammate is a fellow Hall of Famer, the late Paul Sclafani ’86, who was on John’s side for many years. Almost every goal or assist in John’s ice hockey and lacrosse career had a connection to Sclafani, who will never be forgotten. There are other components that contributed to John’s successful athletic career at Portledge. The coaching staff of Curt Sawyer and Toby Harwood, the teammates, and the sideline support of students and parents (special thanks to his mother, Mimi) were instrumental throughout his time on the fields and at the rink. John focused his talent on ice hockey and represented Nassau County in the 1985-86 season and continued his ice hockey career at Lawrenceville as a Postgraduate. He then went on to play for four years at Trinity College winning 2 ECAC Div III North/South Championships. In his senior year at Trinity, he was elected captain and ended his career with an OT victory in one of the championship years. He still continues to play ice hockey in Sydney and has many great memories of his time representing Portledge. Portledge is truly proud of all of John’s accomplishments, both on the field and off, and we are proud to welcome him to the 2021 Portledge Hall of Fame

Jessica Lee '01

Throughout her time at Portledge, Jessica played field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. Field hockey was the sport she excelled in the most and although she was recruited by various D1 schools to continue in that sport, she chose to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which did not have a team. Still wanting to stay involved in athletics, Jessica was able to walk onto the women's lightweight rowing team. She started as a rower for the team but also competed as a coxswain while being injured during her junior and senior years. In addition, she was also part of the lightweight national championship team her senior year at Wisconsin. After graduating, her love of sports continued and she worked with College Sports Television (now CBS Sports Network) managing feature, studio, and game productions, and MSG Network's "Blueshirts Inside Out." Today, Jessica works with the NFL, as the Senior Director of Studio Operations and Production Management where she oversees all production logistics and budgets for all of NFL Media. Portledge thanks Jessica for all she has done for female sports at Portledge and welcomes her to the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Adam Lanza '06

As part of the Class of '06, Lanza's athletic career at Portledge was defined by his athleticism, hard work, and passion for competing.  Lanza received varsity letters for all four years in Soccer, Tennis, Basketball, and Ice Hockey. He excelled at Soccer and Tennis, winning multiple MVP awards, all-region recognition, and helped clinched multiple league titles. In his senior year, Lanza earned the Senior Athletic Award. Lanza continued his athletic career at Trinity College, playing men's Varsity Soccer and Tennis all four years, where he co-captained the Men's Varsity Tennis team. Portledge Athletics is excited to have an athlete of Adam’s caliber in the Athletic Hall of Fame and we are proud to induct him into the Class of 2021.

Stefanie Bishop '00

Stefanie '00 was a four-sport athlete during her high school career at Portledge. She competed as a starting defender on the Varsity Boys' Soccer Team before there was a Girls' Soccer Team. Starting the fall season of her junior year, she also ran with the newly formed Varsity Cross Country Team when she was not playing in a soccer match. Homecoming was one of her favorite days; she ran the XC meet in the morning, before playing in the soccer game in the afternoon. In the winter, Stefanie competed on the Varsity Fencing Team. The spring season was her favorite of the three, and the sport in which she excelled the most, Varsity Lacrosse. In her senior year, Stefanie captained her main sports - soccer, fencing, and lacrosse. Besides many team championships and varsity letters, she earned multiple MVP and Coach's Awards, as well as the Senior Athletic Award. Stefanie's athletic career was actually only in the beginning phases at Portledge and her experiences helped influence her achievements today. She competed at a high level of triathlon after college, achieving multiple podiums, before moving on to her passion, ultra-endurance racing. Her specialty is in 24-hour to multi-day events, which include either trail running, obstacle course racing, mountain biking, or adventure racing. (Adventure Racing is a team sport of 3-4 people, where teams use a compass and map to navigate to different checkpoints either on foot, mountain bike, or paddling a canoe, kayak, or another style of boat.) In 2010, she jumped into ultras, competing in a unique event called the Spartan Death Race. It is a race of unknown length, usually lasting 1-3 days, with tasks that test the athletes physically and mentally - carrying heavy objects, chopping wood, memory tasks, puzzles, etc. Every race is starkly different and the challenges are created to "break" the athletes so they quit; there is a low number of participants finishing the race. Not only did Stefanie complete 4 of the 4 races she entered, the longest being 65 hours, but she also won 3 of them. In 2016, she won the World's Toughest Mudder, a 24-hour Tough Mudder obstacle course race, where she completed 85 official miles and over 300 obstacles. In 2018 and 2019, she raced in the Wilderness Traverse, a highly competitive 30-hour Canadian adventure race, finishing in 2nd and 1st place respectively. She is the first American to have won that race in its' 10-year existence. Stefanie continues to race and set high goals for herself in the ultra-endurance world and is training toward them daily. Stefanie always loved the beautiful grounds of Portledge, including the nature preserve, and credits much of her success to the atmosphere at Portledge that nurtured her athletic abilities. The committee is ecstatic to welcome Bishop into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class. 

William Bodine III '00

As part of the Class of ‘00, Bodine was known as a passionate leader and a true team player. Bodine received varsity letters in all four years in Soccer, Ice Hockey, and Lacrosse where he was selected as team captain multiple times. A notable example was during the 2000 League Lacrosse Championship game when after putting up 10 points, Bodine volunteered to suit up and play goal while Frank Hill had to serve out his penalty. Bodine ended that game with 7 Goals, 3 Assists and 1 save with zero goals against and another League Championship. Bodine was also recognized as the fourth/fifth player from Portledge to be named a High School All-American Lacrosse player alongside his teammate Marc Perry in 1999. Bodine had amounted scoring records as well as individual and team accolades/awards throughout his tenure at Portledge ending with earning the Senior Athletic Award. Bodine went on to play NCAA Hockey and Lacrosse at Hobart College and continued his hockey career playing professionally for six years in the ECHL and CHL. Bodine continues to this day to pass forward his love of the game through coaching and hockey development programs based here on Long Island. Thus, we are thrilled to recognize this amazing student-athlete as a member of the 2020 Portledge Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Mark Dourmashkin '10

Mark Dourmashkin’s athletic career at Portledge was defined by his display of athleticism, tremendous work ethic, and excellent leadership skills. Mark, a well-rounded athlete, received 12 Varsity Letters (four each in soccer and basketball, and two each in baseball and lacrosse) and served as captain of the basketball team for two years as well as captain of the soccer team his senior year. Mark’s consistent play on the soccer field led the team to capture the league’s best record for three straight years while making the NYSAIS Championship Tournaments in all four seasons. On the basketball court, Mark had an innate ability to make those around him better through his playmaking abilities. He led the Panthers to win their first IPPSAL Championship in nearly twenty years and won an MVP award as well as multiple All-League selections. During Mark’s senior season on the baseball team, he was the catalyst for securing the baseball program’s first-ever championship game appearance. He was also honored as an All-League baseball player. Whether he was on the field or court, Mark was a model example of sportsmanship and always treated his teammates and coaches with respect and dignity. The committee is excited to celebrate Mark and all of his accomplishments and thanks Mark for being a role model for future Portledge student-athletes.

Nils Youngwall '84

An incredibly well-rounded athlete, Nils Youngwall, lettered in Soccer, Ice Hockey, and Lacrosse during all four years of Upper School, captained all three programs as both a Junior and Senior and was selected five times as a team MVP. Nils went on to attend Johns Hopkins University, where he played club hockey and walked on to the Varsity Men’s Lacrosse team which resulted in Nils being a member of the 1987 Blue Jays team that won the NCAA National Championship in Men’s Lacrosse. Even with all these athletic accomplishments, Nils has always been known as a quiet and humble person who leads by example and is always kind and supportive of teammates and friends. So it is with the support of those friends, as well as the support of all those who had the opportunity to watch Nils compete as a young athlete, that we recognize Nils Youngwall as a member of the Portledge Athletic Hall of Fame.

Chris Masotto '94

Blessed with significant athletic ability, a tremendous work ethic, and excellent leadership skills, Chris Masotto was the face of Boys Athletics at Portledge in the early 90s. During his Upper School years, Chris received 11 Varsity Letters (four each in ice hockey and lacrosse, and another three in soccer) and served as captain of all three sports during his senior year. Chris’ athletic talents were obvious as he was selected All-League in both soccer and lacrosse during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and was a United States Lacrosse Association All-American as a senior. Chris went on to graduate from Hamilton College where he played four years of Varsity Men’s Lacrosse, once again serving as a captain for both the ’97 & ’98 Continental squads. Chris’ athletic career was marked by a high degree of sportsmanship as he competed with a determined but calm demeanor and always treated his teammates, coaches, and opponents with great respect. Chris was recognized as the recipient of the Portledge Bowl at the 1994 graduation ceremonies and it is now fitting that he be recognized as a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Willa Sky-Bacon Freer '99

Tamara Simpson '14

While she participated off and on as a member of Coach Corby’s Varsity Girls' Tennis dynasty, Tamara Simpson’s athletic career at Portledge predominantly concerned basketball – and what a career it was. Tamara was the best player on a very good Varsity Girls' Basketball team during all three of her years at Portledge. She was team and league MVP sophomore, junior and senior seasons, a McDonald’s All-American nominee as a senior, and received the Portledge Senior Athletic Award in 2014. Tamara went on to star as an NCAA Varsity Women’s Basketball player at Yale University with a long list of school and Ivy League accomplishments including Ivy League Defensive Player of the year in 2016-17 and becoming Yale’s career leader in steals, a record she set in only her junior year. While all of these individual accolades are certainly incredible, what really defined Tamara as a player is the success she had as she led the Portledge Varsity Girls team during her years as a Lady Panther. Portledge was a three-time league champion during Tamara’s career and the squad went on to participate in the NYSAIS State Championship Tournament at the close of each of those seasons. In 2013 Portledge was seeded 2nd and reached the semi-finals – this marks the farthest Portledge Varsity Girls Basketball has progressed at the state level in the school’s history. There have been many outstanding basketball players at Portledge, as there are now, and the team is usually very competitive, but Tamara took Portledge Basketball to another level and did so with dignity, eloquence, determination, and tremendous leadership. Thus, we recognize this amazing student-athlete as a member of the Portledge Athletic Hall of Fame.

Paul Sclafani '86

Emily Edwards-Bourdrez '07

Siena Falino '09

Addie Reilly '10