Pride was in the air at Ellenville's Athletic Awards! On June 16, after a banquet, student-athletes and their families gathered in the auditorium for a ceremony honoring achievements from the Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons.
Athletic Director Matt Salamone opened the evening by thanking administrators, including Superintendent Lisa Wiles, and giving a special shout-out to coaches—"the energy behind our program"—before expressing gratitude to the student-athletes and parents who make countless sacrifices.
Coaches then took the stage to offer heartfelt, personal tributes to the athletes on their teams, celebrating their hard work, persistence, teamwork, and leadership. These awards honor not just the best scores or highest points earned, but also sportsmanship and the drive to push oneself to new heights.
The ceremony was also a special moment to introduce the newly formed Student Athlete Advisory Committee. This student-led initiative has three key purposes: to help build stronger connections across all sports, to ensure that all student-athlete voices are heard, and to raise awareness and excitement about Ellenville’s athletic programs with younger students throughout the District.
Student-athletes from each season's teams were recognized, highlighting the impressive balance our Blue Devils maintain between sports and academics. The evening concluded with Varsity 8 and Lamps of Knowledge awardees taking the stage—our accomplished multi-sport athletes and academic achievers.
Congratulations to all our athletes—every single one of you are stars in our eyes! We appreciate the heart, energy, and determination you contribute to the Ellenville community, both on the field and off.
Here's the list of winners:
Athletic Awards Winners 2024-2025
Fall Sports Awards
Awards to be added
Winter Sports Awards
Wrestling
Patrick Nolan - Pin Machine
Austin Sahlstrom - Bleed Blue
Boys Basketball
Alen Ibric - Most Valuable Player
Kwaku Boahen - Most Improved Player
Greg Chavez - Player of the Year
Girls Basketball
Julia Deyo - Coaches Award
Nashaly Vera - MVP
Boys Indoor Track
Crystian Zelinsky - Field MVP
Marcus Lewis-Rivera - Track MVP
Anthony Murdoc - Blue Devil Strength
Girls Indoor Track
Charlotte Zelinsky - Rookie of the Year
Aliyana Castano - Blue Devil Award
Spring Sports Awards
Baseball
Cody Randazzo - 2025 Ellenville Hitter of the Year
Joseph Valenti - 2025 Ellenville Pitcher of the Year
Softball
Victoria Bonitz - MVP
Julia Deyo - Player of the Year
Veda Stewart - Most Improved Player
Boys Spring Track
Anthony Murdoc - Hard Work and Dedication Award
Crystian Zelinsky - Jump Man Award
Nate Valdez - Coaches Award
Caleb Norat Roldan - Most Improved
Girls Spring Track
Sienna Thomas - MVP
Luciana Fernandez - Rookie of the Year
Sophiana Jacobs - Blue Devil Award
Girls Golf
Hadley Walsh - Lowest Season Average
Makayla Rowe - Sportsmanship Award
Boys Tennis
Nate Valdez - MVP
Caleb Coles - Heart of Steel
Varsity 8 Recipients
Students earning 8 or more varsity letters across multiple sports
Nathanial Valdez - Grade 12
Soccer (4 years), Cross Country (2 years), Indoor Track (4 years), Spring Track (4 years), Tennis (2 years)
Victoria Bonitz - Grade 12
Soccer (4 years), Indoor Track (4 years), Softball (5 years), Spring Track (1 year)
Alen Ibric - Grade 11
Soccer (3 years), Golf (1 year), Basketball (3 years), Spring Track (2 years)
Anthony Murdoc - Grade 9
Cross Country (1 year), Indoor Track (4 years), Spring Track (4 years), Tennis (2 years)
Kwaku Boahen - Grade 10
Football (2 years), Soccer (2 years), Basketball (2 years), Spring Track (4 years)
Marcus Lewis-Rivera - Grade 10
Soccer (3 years), Indoor Track (2 years), Spring Track (4 years), Football (1 year)
Pedro Bonachea - Grade 10
Football (2 years), Wrestling (1 year), Indoor Track (3 years), Spring Track (4 years)
Jonathan Torres - Grade 10
Golf (3 years), Indoor Track (2 years), Baseball (4 years), Soccer (1 year)
Riley Dechon - Grade 11
Field Hockey (3 years), Indoor Track (4 years), Spring Track (4 years)
Sienna Thomas - Grade 8
Soccer (3 years), Basketball (1 year), Indoor Track (1 year), Spring Track (3 years)
Lamps of Knowledge
Recognizing academic excellence alongside athletic achievement
Veda Stewart
Riley Dechon
Marcus Lewis-Rivera