Spring Sports Off to a Strong Start for Severn

As the season was getting underway, we asked the Head Coaches to weigh in on what they think lies ahead for their varsity teams. Here’s what they had to say:

Head Coach: Zak Starr

2024 Season Outlook: This year's team has the potential to be very successful. The improvement will come through development of returning players and the arrival of new players. Our first goal is to build on our culture of previous years and have a competitive, cohesive team. Second, we are aiming for the MIAA B conference championship. This team has been putting the work in through the offseason, and our two goals will go hand in hand.

Players to Watch: Seniors Ben Campion ‘24 and Sean Ward ‘24 will provide leadership this year in their fourth years as starters. Campion (P/OF) led the team in ERA last year, and is poised for a big year at the plate. Ward (IF) brings power, speed, and versatility to the team. Both have great plate discipline and will set the tone for a team that will have a long, well-rounded lineup. Caden Blanck ‘25 (P/OF) is coming off a season when he led the conference in strikeouts (77 in 39 innings) and was named All-Conference. Fellow junior Matt Fisher ‘25 (P/1B) was the team's leading hitter, and sophomore Fletcher Warner ‘26 (CF/P) paced the offense from the leadoff spot as a freshman. The returning players will be complemented by newcomers Aiden Szydlik ’25 (IF), Brendan Szydlik ‘26 (C), and Andy Blanck ‘27 (IF). Returning starters Lawrence Jacobs ‘25 (IF) and David Livingston ‘25 (IF/OF) will be additional threats to the lineup as they return from offseason injuries.

Final Thoughts: The program is growing in numbers, rising from 19 last year to 27 this year, with only one senior graduating. We will miss the leadership of our only senior, Paul Summers ‘23 and are fortunate that many of our rising leaders have been impacted by his leadership. On the field, the team last year played clean games and beat the teams at the bottom of the conference consistently. However, we could not hold on to wins against the top half of the conference, despite playing many close games. This year we are challenging ourselves to come out victorious against the traditional conference powers and learn how to win the close games that we did not last year.

Head Coach: Matthew Reichwein

2024 Season Outlook: With six of our 12 players from last year's team having graduated, we have a lot of new faces on this year's golf team. That said, we have had a lot of talented kids trying out, so we are looking to have more of a "reboot" year than a "rebuild" year. We earned the #1 seed in the B Conference and lost to Boys' Latin in the championship last year.  We are looking to remain highly competitive in the B Conference.

Final Thoughts: I'm extremely grateful to have the opportunity to coach Severn golf for the second year now. We had a lot more players try out this year, and everyone has been attentive, dedicated, and hardworking throughout the tryouts process. The interest and energy surrounding the program are growing, and I look forward to a great year ahead.

Head Coach: Joe Christie

2024 Season Outlook: The 2024 Severn Lacrosse team is a balanced group with key varsity returners at every position and athletic depth. We are looking forward to being able to play fast paced, transition lacrosse.

Players to Watch: One is returning 4-year varsity starter Reid Gills ‘24 (Penn State) at FoGo. Also look for our top midfield line of Andrew Beard ‘24 (Penn State), Chase Hallam ‘24 (Hobart), and Tanner Huber ‘25 (Richmond) to present opposing defenses with a host of problems due to each player’s ability to dodge and score from multiple positions on the field.

Final Thoughts: The 2023 team had 21 seniors and it is the first year without four-year varsity starter Jacob Todd ‘23 (Princeton) in the lineup. Replacing the QB of the attack who tallied 84 points last year will be no easy task. However, Jake's younger brother, Nick Todd ’27, earned a spot on the Varsity team and it will be fun to watch his development this spring.

Head Coach: Kathy Rudkin

2024 Season Outlook: Our coaching staff is super excited about the group we have this season. Our goal is to continue to transform our culture so we can make waves in arguably the most competitive conference in the country (IAAM A Conference). We have some awesome and experienced returners - I believe it will be a strong blend of experience and young up-and-coming talent!

Players to Watch: The 2024 Severn Lacrosse team is a balanced group with key varsity returners at every position and athletic depth. We are looking forward to being able to play fast paced, transition lacrosse. Experienced senior leadership includes:

Final Thoughts: Competing in our conference is one of the hardest things to do in this sport at this level! Our 2023 record was 6-11 with many of our losses close ones to some of the best teams in the country - we are right there! Every single game is a battle - our goal is to compete at the highest level possible without compromising our team character and commitment to values and solid sportsmanship at all times. We are really excited for the 2024 season.

In the last two seasons combined, we have defeated 8 of the 14 teams in our conference with extremely close losses to the others. Onward and upward!

Head Coach: Tom Sitzmann

In 2023, Severn’s Sailing Team became the National Team Racing Champions after going undefeated at the National Championship Regatta in May. The team qualified for the championship event after going undefeated and winning gold at the MASSA District Team Racing Championship event.

One of Severn’s most successful athletic programs, the sailing team will look to continue its success in the conference, regionally and nationally during the 2024 competition season. The squad is off to a good start with many experienced sailors leading the way. This fall, they were named National Invitational Champions, with Annie Sitzmann ‘26, Helena English ’24, Ava Cornell ’24 and Scarlett Harris ’24 competing to earn the win for Severn.

Head Coach: Bill Gilroy

2024 Season Outlook: We have five returning lettermen from last year's team after graduating just one senior last year. Our team Captain this year, Daniel McNair ‘24, has earned All-Conference and All-County honors during his first three years on the Varsity. We look to him for leadership and project him to be our #1 singles player, as he was last year.  We have two other seniors returning who bring experience to the team, and we look for them to have a great season in 2024.  Fortunately the future looks promising with one junior and one jophomore along with nine greshmen trying out for the team.  For the first time in several years, there will be a Junior Varsity team, which makes the future for Severn Tennis a lot brighter as our younger, less experienced players will have the opportunity to compete in the MIAA A Conference at that level and develop experience and skills for the future.

Players to Watch: McNair has been on Varsity since his Freshman year.  He has played #2 singles and #1 singles and has been recognized as an All-Conference and All-County player.  He will be our leader, and someone the other players will do well to learn from.  Charlie Friedrich ‘24 and Jagan Som ’24 are also returning lettermen. Charlie is an experienced singles player, while Jagan plays doubles.  Jackson Burke ‘25 and Connor Griffith ‘26 lettered last year too, and, although they both played doubles last year, they will be competing for singles positions this year.

Final Thoughts: The team is young and inexperienced. But we are hopeful some new and promising talent will be arriving from among the eleven underclassmen who tried out for the team.  We are also excited to have a Junior Varsity team this year so that those who didn’t make the Varsity this Spring will be better prepared to do so next year.

Head Coach: Andrew Otero

2024 Season Outlook: This season is filled with many new student-athletes with a nice combination of returning juniors and seniors. With the start of the season underway, the team is showing promise through their hard work, dedication, and discipline.

Athletes to Watch: The boys 4x100 and 4x200 will be a crew to watch out for this season! With a strong relay, they are destined to beat the school record. The crew consists of Captain Trent Griger ‘24, Jules Floyd ‘26, Daniel Growney ‘25, and Jayden Thomas ‘26. Jayden Thomas will also be a key player to watch in High Jump!

On the girls side, Captain Parker Collins ‘24 looks to improve her school record in Triple Jump and High Jump. Over the past three years, Anna Clark ’25 has dominated in the 100m Hurdles. Her improved speed and acceleration will make her a strong contender in the league.