W+H seniors Sevastian Castillo ’26, Taylor Green ’26 and Charlotte Szczubelek ’26 were joined by parents and family members, faculty, coaches and friends at a signing ceremony for college bound athletes in the Oakwood Room on April 30.
Sevastian will continue his soccer career at Oxford College of Emory University in Atlanta, Taylor will play soccer at Brown University in Providence, and Charlotte will run cross country and track at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.
Rudy Brandl ’83, Director of Communications and Publications, welcomed the guests to the event, which served as a press conference to honor and celebrate the W+H athletes. Mr. Brandl conducted brief interviews of the athletes, who shared their excitement for continuing to participate in athletics at the college level, goals for the future, favorite W+H moments and shout outs with appreciation for those who have supported their journeys.
Dr. Corinna Crafton, Head of School, and Mr. Mike Romeo, Athletic Director, also offered congratulations and remarks to honor the athletes. W+H coaches Jason Montesinos (boys’ soccer), John Gardner (girls’ soccer) and Rick Riepl (cross country) also spoke on behalf of their athletes.
Below are some reflections from the honored athletes and their W+H coaches:
Sevastian – “Going into the college process, my one goal was to play soccer as well as go to a prestigious university. I’m very fortunate that Oxford gave me that opportunity.”
Coach Montesinos – “He’s the ultimate team player, a great teammate and can play any position. I’m so thankful and grateful that I was able to work with him. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he’s going to do in the future.”
Taylor – “I’m super excited to go to Brown and grateful that I’m able to play soccer at a very high level. Their academics are also at a very high level.”
Coach Gardner – “She played the game with an absolutely indomitable spirit. She’s going to be missed, but we know she’ll continue to make her mark at Brown. I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to coach her.”
Charlotte – “Running in college has always been one of my biggest dreams and being able to do that at the collegiate level is one of my greatest accomplishments so far.”
Coach Riepl – “Charlotte has a lot of records, but the biggest moment I remember was when she told me she was making the full commitment to running. She was going to become a serious runner, on weekends, holidays and during the summer. When she told me that, I knew she was going to be the real thing. She’s the girls’ Upper School GOAT and it was an honor to coach her for eight years.”
Mr. Romeo added remarks on behalf of the Rams who are taking their talents to the next level. A former coach at Rutgers University, Mr. Romeo fully understands the level of commitment needed by college athletes.
“This is an outcome that many dream of when they are younger, but only few achieve,” Mr. Romeo said. “This is a special group. They’re moving onto the next level doing the sport they love. They put the work in. They made sacrifices and did everything they could to make this happen. We’re very proud to have them move on to the next level.”
Athletes gathered with families and friends for photos at the conclusion of the ceremony. Congratulations to all of our Rams!