2025 Spring Sports Preview
Alice Li ’27
Staff Writer

As spring begins to bloom on the Island, spring sports at Loomis Chaffee are likewise ramping up. With our eleven spring varsity teams all having strong starts to the season, it could not be more clear that this season will be one to remember, for both the players and their supporters!

Boys Lacrosse
After winning the Founder’s League Championship last spring, their first title in 15 years, the Loomis Boys Varsity Lacrosse team is set up for another successful season. They’ve already started their season off with a statement, with a huge victory over former #5 ranked team in the nation, Malvern Preparatory School, as well as another impressive win over #6 ranked Brunswick School.

When asked how the team plans to defend their title this season, Head Coach Bill Ball stated, “Playing in the strongest league in the country, there will always be challenges, but I think staying focused on playing together is what will ultimately be the barometer for where we land at the end of the season.”

Girls Lacrosse
After their spring training trip to Florida, the Loomis Girls Varsity Lacrosse team is starting their season off with a 3-0 record, with victories over Pomfret, St. Mark's School, and Kingswood Oxford. Led by Head Coach Stephanie Bissett and Assistant Coaches Emma Lange and Caroline Murphy, the team hopes to return to the Founder’s League tournament and have another shot at the title.

The thing that sets this team apart is “the great positive energy everyone brings each day to practice and games,” Captain Lexi Barry ’25 remarked. She continued, “We’re very focused on having a strong season this year!”

Baseball
Following a successful off-season of training and team bonding, the Loomis Boys Baseball team has started the spring off with two victories over Brunswick and Choate, and are excited to see what they can accomplish this season. Specifically, Head Coach Donnie McKillop and his team hope to “be the consistent, best version of [themselves] to try and establish [their] spot at the top of the league.”

The Baseball team also puts a strong emphasis on team culture, especially during their “awesome off-season of work and bonding.” Their off-season included their annual spring break trip to Florida that, according to Coach McKillop, “was electric for their program.”

Softball
The Loomis Chaffee Varsity Softball team, last year’s runner-up for the Founder’s League title, is returning to another season where they plan to have another chance at the title. Their first official matchup will be against Choate, and with strong returning players, as well as new talent added to the team, there is no doubt that it will be an exciting game to watch.

During this season, Head Coach Lindsay Beer wants the team to “work together every day and develop strong relationships so that [they] can perform on the field. [They] want to utilize all of our depth and the skill of each player to create a cohesive game plan.” She added, “We also want to beat our Founders League rivals.”

Boys Track & Field
This spring season, Boy’s Track & Field sets out to reclaim their 2024 Founders title and to continue their impressive performance at New Englands. Under the guidance of Head Coach Doug MacLeod and many experienced assistant coaches, the team is excited for the season, which begins on April 12th with a home meet against Avon Old Farms.

Part of what makes Track & Field so thrilling is the diverse number of events and athletes spectators are able to watch. Coach MacLeod remarked, “[the team] has such great energy and so many different kinds of athletes. Throwers, sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers, vaulters, and distance runners do so many different things, yet we are all on the same team.”

Girls Track & Field
Similarly to the boys team, Girls Track & Field expects to pick right back up from last year’s undefeated season and to continue to dominate both the Founders League and New Englands. Led by Head Coach Lilian Castillo de Hutchinson and multiple assistant coaches, the team is a tight-knit, supportive group that always brings the energy. As Sophomore Kelly Kassab ’27 puts it, “Although [Track & Field] is a very challenging sport, those hard moments serve as the best bonding moments for the team.”

The team will begin their season with a home meet on Wilde Track on April 12th, against Miss Porter's School.

Girls Water Polo
Last spring, the Girls Water Polo team finished third in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference, or NEPSACs, with a commendable 9-5 record. This spring, Head Coach Hannah Goodrick-Armstrong and Assistant Coach Aidan Winn lead this close-knit group, aiming not only to win, but also to have the girls form bonds that will last through the off-season.

In the words of Sophomore Chloe Porter ’27, a new addition to the team this year, “Even though our team is small, we’re mighty. The workouts are tough, but we bring a positive, hardworking attitude to both practice and games, and that energy pushes us to do our best!”

Boys Golf
The Loomis Boys Golf team is another consistent Founders League powerhouse, and as they are returning their top 3 players this spring, their season is again looking quite promising. Led by Head Coach Matthew Spindler-Virgin, who is returning for his second season, the Golf team suffered a hard-fought loss against Brunswick, but plans to bounce back with a match against Hotchkiss and Northfield Mt. Hermon on April 5th.

Coach Spindler also noted that fans should look out for the matches Phillips Academy Invitational at Newport Country Club, as well as the team’s league Championship at Watertown CC.

Girls Golf
The Girls Golf team anticipates continuing last year’s successful season, where they had a record of 16-3. Although the team graduated 6 seniors last year, they have added plenty of new talent this spring, who, according to Head Coach Maggie Kennedy, “are all eager to learn and improve their golf game.” Indeed, the Golf team has already started off their season with two wins over Kingswood-Oxford and Miss Porters, and hopes to add to that record with next week’s battle against Westminster and Ethel Walker.

Boys Tennis
After last year’s noteworthy season, which included victories over Founders League standouts Taft and Choate, Boys' Tennis expects to get back into the Class A New England Tournament, which they just narrowly missed out on last season. Under the direction of Head Coach John Megas and Captains Trey Dodd ’25 and Will Chun ’25, the tight-knit squad of just 8 players has a “team dynamic and togetherness sets [them] apart,” as Coach Megas puts it.

Girls Tennis
This year, the Girls' Tennis team is a well-balanced mix of experienced players and new talent, who hope to secure their place at the top of the Founders League this coming season. So far, Head Coach Ben Snuffer, as well as Senior Captains Izzy Heflin ’25 and Angel Neklyudova ’25, have led their team to an outstanding 8-1 win over Miss Porters.

As Sophomore Aim Wanglee ’27, who was ranked #1 on the team last year, puts it, “From the moment you step foot on the court, you can see our energy and how excited we are to play tennis!”