NEW LONDON, Conn. --

With last week's tennis 5-1 win, Coast Guard has clinched the 2025-26 Superintendent's Trophy by a score of 9-8-1, the closest score since a Merchant Marine 6-5 win in 2014. This now marks the 12th consecutive win for the Bears, and 20th overall with the Bears ahead 20-2-2 all time.

Before Ben Carlander's singles win vs KP to clinch it for Coast Guard, let's take a look back at how the Bears got here. 

Cross Country was the first to compete in the fall, with the men falling to KP by under a second while the women dominated; netting each of the top 11 spots with All-American Claire Semerod (Centenniel, CO) leading the way in first place, Annabel Molner (Bremen, Germany) and Brooke Hunter (Phillipsburg, NJ) behind her to round out the top three.

Three days later, volleyball took the court at Merchant Marine and won a dominating 3-0 match. KP was hanging in early but with the score tied at 17-17 in set one, a Courtney Shire (Cape May, NJ) kill gave the Bears the lead and all the momentum they needed to take that set and win by scores of 25-16 and 25-19 in sets two and three. 20 Ava Ahokovi (Honolulu, HI) assists, 14 Amelia Matson (Mililani, HI), and 19 Laila Baameur (Bakersfield, CA) digs led the way for CGA. 

Men's Soccer and Sailing each fell in close battles setting up a key Women's Soccer matchup in mid-September. Mia Forti (Madison, CT), Lulu Vlases (Bozeman, MT), and co. kept the pressure on the KP defense while the Bear defense held strong. Led by senior Teal Wasson (Kahuku, HI), five bear defender/midfielders played the full 90 and held strong on defense. Goalkeepers Julia Little (Pensacola, FL) and Emma Acker (Springfield, VA) combined for a shutout in a 0-0 tie, the lone tie in the season between the Bears and Mariners this year. Had that Bears defense allowed a goal, CGA wouldn't have been in the position to win the trophy.

The final fall point came in mid November with an all-time classic Secretaries' Cup at Fenway Park in which KP defeated the Bears 39-38. Harrison Hensley (Riverview, FL) gained 181 yards scored two TDs. Linebacker Ethan Cumming (Massapequa Park, NY) led the nation in tackles that week with 18 and forced a fumble.

Trailing 2-4-1 heading into the winter season, Coast Guard went 1-1 in basketball with the men coming out on top, led by 17 points, three rebounds, and two blocks from senior guard Trevor Parks (Clearwater, FL). Luke Farrell (Ortley, NJ) had a team high seven rebounds and three blocks.

After a string of tight matchups, the Coast Guard wrestling team gave the Bears a much needed comfortable win by a score of 40-3. Freshman Marvin Armistead (Reading, PA) brought the full Billard Hall crowd to their feet with a pin while Dom Moyer (Milford, PA), Nathan Fitt (Branchville, NJ), and Mason Gourley (Clarion, PA) each won by tech fall.

Much like basketball, the swim teams split, with the women coming out on top this time for CGA. Like wrestling, the women's swim team was dominant, winning all 16 events vs KP. Madelyn Paxton (Mechanicsburg, VA) won four events for the Bears, Rebecca Hurst (Guilderland, NJ) and Sam Halvorson (Chesapeake, VA) each won three.

The swim split sent the standings into the spring season with KP leading 6-5-1. Baseball took the field first and lost a heartbreaking extra inning game to the Mariners. The very next day, Women's Lacrosse got a point back with a 15-5 dominant win. On defense, Ella Campbell (Foxborough, MA) and Gabriella Kraus-Rivera (West Linn, OR) combined nine caused turnovers and six ground balls while keeper Kailee Heron (West Islip, NY) made six saves. On offense, Abby McAllister (Pleasantville, NY) and Joely Schaumloffel (Remsenberg, NY) combined for 12 points. Men's Lacrosse lost close(10-13) despite four Patrick Smith (Leesburg, VA) goals.

Trailing by two last week, Coast Guard got a huge sweep from Men's & Women's Track and Field to bring the score to 8-8-1. For the men, big days from Ian Naff (Arlington, VA), Sam Blake (Severna Park, MD), and Tytan Moore (St. Petersburg, FL) led the way in the 159-89 win. On the women's side, Alaina Stonebraker (Sandy, UT) had a huge day including setting a new program record in the 4x100m alongside Josalyn Rush (Toms River, NJ), Starr Hepburn (Stafford, VA), and Bianca McIntosh (Woodbridge, VA). Tara Jessen (Bend, OR) and Allie Wildsmith (Bainbridge Island, WA) gave record setting performances as well in the win over USMMA.

The track sweep sent the Bears and Mariners into the final meeting of the season all tied up at 8-8-1. On the tennis courts, CGA left little room for tension with a commanding 6-1 win over KP. Ben Bonetto (Bend, OR) and Konnor Eslinger (St. Louis, MO) each gave dominant performances but it was a Ben Carlander (Monument, CO) singles win that officially clinched both the tennis win and the 2025-26 Superintendent's Trophy for the Academy!

The 9-8-1 Supts Trophy win sends the Bears into the 2026-27 season as victors for the 12th consecutive year. We look forward to another exciting competition next year vs our rivals on the field, partners at sea!