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.
During the 2005-2006 season, Douglas ultimately began his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks and proceeded to play over 500 games over the next decade with the Sharks, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Montreal Canadiens.
Douglas also represented Sweden at the 2008 World Championships and at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
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.
In Boys' Lacrosse, Curt compiled a record of 210 wins and 129 losses and finished with more than a dozen NYMLA or tournament titles. In addition, he was a two-time NYMLA and US Lacrosse Coach of the Year and was selected to coach the 1998 North/South National US Lacrosse Senior All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio.
In Boys' Soccer, Curt compiled a record of 223 wins, 127 losses, and 27 ties while being named IPPSAL Coach of the Year four times. He led the team to its only undefeated season in 1996 and was a five-time League Champion, including three in a row from 1996 to 1998.
In Girls' Basketball, Curt compiled a record of 288 wins and 168 losses, bringing the program to new heights. While competing in both the GISAL and the IPPSAL programs, he captured multiple Division and League championships as well as multiple tournament championships. The program advanced to the NYSAISAA State quarterfinals five times under Curt’s tutelage. He was IPPSAL Coach of the Year for a remarkable six consecutive years and was awarded the Basketball Coaches Association of New York Award for Coaching Dedication Award in 2001.
Curt positively affected the lives of hundreds of student-athletes and will forever be remembered as a Portledge icon.
1999 Boys’ Lacrosse
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.