MMI Preparatory School recently held an Athletic Awards Banquet to honor all winter season athletes and their achievements during the 2023-2024 school year.

MMI Athletic Director Joe Flanagan was the emcee. Coaches provided remarks on the season and announced the award winners. During the ceremony, athletes received awards in the MVP, Most Improved, and Coaches’ Award categories, and varsity letter recipients were recognized. MMI kitchen staff prepared a buffet style meal of turkey, pasta primavera, salad, rolls, and cheesecake.

Flanagan said,

“It has been a great season for a number of our athletes,” Flanagan said. “Our varsity boys’ basketball team was once again named District II Class A Champions and made it to the elite eight in the state tournament, something we have not seen in 50 years! Our varsity swimmers earned medals at the state level with Woobie Kupsky taking home gold and silver in his events, and his sister, Mary Katherine making it to the podium in each of hers. Our girls’ varsity basketball team broke their losing streak this season with high scorer, Bria Kringe ’24 setting records for most points in a game and a season mark for made free throw shots. Our middle school teams saw epic success with the girls making it to the Anthracite League playoffs and the boys pulling out some tough wins. The spirit of athletics is alive and well and continuing to make history at MMI!”

The upper school Most Valuable Players, Most Improved Players, and Coaches’ Award recipients are as follows:

Boys Varsity Basketball: MVPs – Brendon Brobst (Mountain Top) and Ryan Clymer-Sones (White Haven); and Coach’s Award –Edgar Lopez-Rodriguez (Hazleton).

Girls Varsity Basketball: MVP – Bria Kringe (Drums); Most Improved Players – Cassidy McDermott (White Haven) and Georgia Washko (Drums).

Swimming – MVP-Eric “Woobie” Kupsky (Bear Creek Township); Coach’s Award-Mary Katherine Kupsky (Bear Creek Township).

Varsity Cheerleading: MVP – Nora Herseim (Hazle Township); Coach’s Award – Eve Corazza (Sugarloaf) and Gracie Magula (Hazleton).

The middle school Most Valuable Players, Most Improved Players, and Coaches’ Award recipients were:

Boys Basketball: MVP – Anthony Arias-Tejeda (Hazleton); Coach’s Award – Derek Radzwich (Sugarloaf); Most Improved Player – Andrew Pedri (Drums).

Girls Basketball: MVP – Anna Drobnock (West Hazleton); Coach’s Award – Olivia Moore (Hazleton); and Most Improved Player-Yaslin Tejeda Navir (Hazleton).

Cheerleading: MVP – Emma Casey (Freeland); Coach’s Award- Lissa Garcia (Hazleton); and Most Improved – Stella Horvath (Conyngham).