Emily Mara, Tam Gavenas, Molly Boyle (pictured above, L-R), and eighteen other graduating seniors selected as this year's Globe Foundation/Richard J. Phelps Scholar-Athletes and Athletes of the Year assembled for an awards ceremony at Fenway Park yesterday. The scholarship-award recipients are selected based on excellence in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities. Mara received the special designation of "NEPSAC Athlete of the Year".
The Boston Globe expanded the field for Athletes of the Year in 2000 to include two honorees from NEPSAC schools. Before Emily Mara's win this year, previous Athlete of the Year winners from Phillips Academy were Myra Bhathena '22, Louisa Butler '02, and Meredith Hudson '01.
2020 was also the first year that the NEPSAC received its own league category for the Phelps Scholar-Athlete award, with prep school athletes from Eastern Massachusetts joining seven MIAA districts and the city of Boston. Andover's own, Alex Fleury '20, was the male NEPSAC recipient that year, Lillie Cooper '21 won in 2021, and Joseph Cararra '24 received the honor last year.
Dick Phelps '46 (front row, center) with the 21 Globe Foundation/Richard J. Phelps Scholar-Athletes and Athletes of the Year honorees yesterday at Fenway Park
From the Boston Globe:
"The Globe launched the scholar-athlete program in 1987. Phelps, a Watertown native, Phillips Andover graduate (class of ‘45)* and longtime businessman and philanthropist, has supported the program since 1991.
Speaking to the honorees and their families, Phelps, 96, emphasized the dedication and sacrifice required of both the athletes and their support system to reach the pinnacle of athletics and academics."
*Dick Phelps ’46, P’73, GP'14
Among their many accolades at Phillips Academy, Mara, Gavenas, and Boyle were named All-Americans and received Senior Athletic Awards.