MKA Inductes Two to Athletic Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Chisako Sugiyama '05 and Frank Herrmann '02 on their induction to the MKA Athletic Hall of Fame this past weekend. Prior to a formal ceremony held at the Homecoming Weekend Reunion Dinner, the two scholar-athletes were introduced at an Upper School Assembly on October 21st.

Sugiyama, MKA's first ever NJSIAA singles champion, was recruited to play Division I tennis at the University of Michigan where she was a four-year letter winner and two-time NCAA Singles Championship qualifier who was named an All-Big Ten Athlete of the week three times and a Big Ten Athlete of the Week six times, and who ended her college career as Michigan's all-time singles wins leader with a 104-45 record.  In addressing the Upper School students, Sugiyama recalled writing her Junior History Thesis en route to the Nationals in California, and noted that it was the work habits and academics taught at MKA that prepared her to suceed as a Division I athlete.

Herrmann, signed as an MLB player with the Cleveland Indians in 2006, was a three-sport standout athlete at MKA who garnered state recognition in basketball, football and baseball, where he led the 2002 team to CHC, State Prep and State Sectional Championships.  Recrutied to play at Harvard, Herrmann threw a complete shut-out game against Cornell as a junior, en route to leading the team to win the Ivy League Baseball Championship that year.  Herrmann, reflecting that his last appearance on the Weiss stage had been to lip-synch in a chorale concert, expressed gratitude to all the MKA teachers and coaches who had helped him "think big and work hard" and urged the students to do the same, reflecting that these traits, together with a positive attitude, can help realize dreams.