The Sidwell Friends Class of 2024 features 12 students who will be participating in athletics at the collegiate level. These student-athletes are headed to various Division I and Division III schools, including University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), William & Mary, Georgetown University, Trinity College, Kenyon College, University of Pennsylvania, Boston University, Harvard University, Wesleyan University and University of Chicago.
Three Girls Varsity Basketball players will continue their playing careers at the next level. Kendall Dudley and Zania Socka-Nguemen will compete for UCLA, and Marley Long will join the William & Mary program.
As this is Dudley’s fifth year at Sidwell, she is specifically excited about “spreading her wings” in a new school environment. Her favorite part of playing at Sidwell has been the support from kids at the Lower School. She remarks, “I love seeing their faces in the stands knowing we made a lasting impression on them.”
The main value I plan to implement in my college athletic experience is community. — Alex Castel '24
Dudley also believes that she learned “how to be a positive role model and leader,” especially because of her time at the Sidwell Leadership Academy Program. She plans on applying the important lessons she has learned from her time at Sidwell next fall at UCLA.
Molly Evans is committed to play tennis for the Georgetown University Hoyas. Evans shared her excitement to be a part of Georgetown’s tennis team and to create connections with her teammates. She said, “Despite tennis being an individual sport, it was enriching to be part of a collective effort,” on the Sidwell Friends Women’s Varsity Tennis team. The Sidwell’s girls tennis program had a very successful 2023-2024 season, where they went undefeated and earned a ranking. Evans cannot wait to be a part of a bigger team in college because of how much she has enjoyed the team dynamic at Sidwell.
Her highlights of Sidwell athletics “were the bus rides and team spirit we shared,” which allowed her to bond with her teammates through “humorous and fun moments.” Playing for Sidwell, Evans “rediscovered the joy in playing sports,” as she felt the “supportive presence of a team on the sideline.” All in all, taking part in the Sidwell team taught her “the importance of enjoying the game.”
A prominent player on the Boys Varsity Basketball team, which recently won the Washington state championship, Caleb Williams will also attend Georgetown and play for the Hoyas in 2024.
Two captains of the Varsity Baseball Team, William Friedman and Mikey Levy, will also be continuing their athletic careers as they enter college. Friedman committed to Trinity College and Levy to Kenyon College.
Mila Maltby, a captain of the Girls Varsity Soccer Team, will play at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dylan Williams, who played a large role in the Boys Varsity Soccer Team’s success this season, will continue to play soccer at Boston University in the fall. He is most excited for the more competitive environment he will experience as he transitions from high school to Division I.
Williams’ favorite part of being on the Sidwell team was “being able to play my favorite sport with my closest friends.” He also mentioned that “my teammates are the same guys that I take classes with;” something that he cherishes as he heads to college because of how much it strengthened his relationships.
The biggest thing that he learned from playing for Sidwell is to “trust the process.” He mentioned that early on in his high school career, the team was still young and learning how to play in a cohesive and effective way, but, “by [his] senior year, the team was in full form, and lucky enough to have the talent to win the MAC.”
Additionally, another senior is committed to play men’s soccer. Alexander Castel will play at Harvard University. Castel is most excited to “form a new brotherhood with [his] future teammates” upon his arrival at Harvard. He shared additional excitement to “explore and discover the foreign environment” that he will be joining.
Castel highlighted learning about the importance of specific goal setting and “pushing [himself] above and beyond to achieve those goals” throughout his time at Sidwell. His ability to adapt, even when his path of accomplishment was not linear, made his commitment “even more satisfactory.” Castel added that, “the main value I plan to implement in my college athletic experience is community.”
In a team setting, Castel feels that it is necessary to have “unity” before positive results are shown to the team. Specifically, he reflects that a “common goal” is helpful within a team or community for us to be able to “offer help to one another.”
Easy Weissman and Clara Zou committed more recently; Weissman will run Cross Country and Track and Field at Wesleyan University, and Zou will play for the University of Chicago Women’s Tennis Team. Both have been great assets to their teams throughout their athletic careers at Sidwell.
