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St. Luke’s School Celebrates an Extraordinary Year for College-Bound Athletes
At St. Luke’s School, we pride ourselves on fostering not only academic excellence but also a spirit of passion, resilience, and commitment—and nowhere was that more evident than at this year’s Division 2 and Division 3 Signing Day celebrations.
On January 7, we proudly honored Chefren Spodnik, who signed his National Letter of Intent to play football at Southern Connecticut State University, kicking off a historic year for our senior class.
Then on April 25, we gathered once again, this time to celebrate 10 more outstanding student-athletes who committed to play Division 3 sports at some of the nation’s top academic and athletic institutions:
- Georgia Bennett – Bowdoin College, Lacrosse
- Todd Cannaliato – Washington and Lee University, Tennis
- David Gjergji – Muhlenberg College, Football
- Kate Hammer – Washington and Lee University, Riding
- Ingrid Kerr – Trinity College, Lacrosse
- Matteo Lombardo – Franklin & Marshall College, Football
- Javier Minuesa – Swarthmore College, Soccer
- Lena Olbrys – Johns Hopkins University, Soccer
- Enzo Pansini – Allegheny College, Football
- Emma Sherter – Haverford College, Soccer
- Luca Vega – Dickinson College, Soccer
The signing ceremonies were a true reflection of what makes St. Luke’s special: a close-knit, supportive community that rallies behind its students and celebrates their dreams. Classmates, teachers, coaches, and families packed the Athletic Center, filling the room with cheers, applause, and even a few proud tears.
Sixteen members of the Class of 2025—an astounding 16 percent of the senior class—have officially committed to compete at the collegiate level across Divisions 1, 2, and 3. For a school of our size, this is an incredible achievement and a testament to the strength of our athletic program, the work ethic of our students, and the unwavering support of our community.
“We often talk about the journey being just as important as the destination,” said athletic director, Anna Knechtel. “Today, we celebrate not only where these athletes are going but everything they have overcome, sacrificed, and accomplished to get here. They are a source of pride for all of us, and they inspire the next generation of Storm athletes to dream big.”
St. Luke’s Head of School Dr. Mary Carter, echoed the sentiment, highlighting that these students embody the very heart of the Storm spirit:
“These students embody SLS values in their commitment to our teams and to athletics off campus. They model a commitment to personal excellence, competitiveness, and hard work for our younger students and bring honor to SLS. I hope each one is proud of the grit and accomplishment that have led to these opportunities to play at the college and university level.”
As these remarkable athletes move on to write their next chapters at colleges and universities across the country, they take with them the lessons, friendships, and spirit that St. Luke’s has instilled in them—and they leave behind a legacy that will inspire future Storm athletes for years to come.
Congratulations to all of our committed athletes—you make us immensely proud, and we can't wait to cheer you on in this next exciting chapter!
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Leading with Humanity curriculum builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
