Search
-
The following article will be published in the July edition of Saginaw Township Living magazine.Building a Championship Culture
Tessa Pinkerton, Admissions & Marketing
Photo by Rich Hamilton
While the school year ended in May at Nouvel Catholic Central, spring sports were still thriving well into June. Nouvel’s spring teams enjoyed a postseason the student-athletes and coaches have been working toward for a number of years. Girls’ tennis and soccer, co-ed track and field, and boys’ golf all enjoyed trips to states with strong performances all around. Each team included a well-rounded group of student-athletes at all grade levels, with some standout seniors preparing to compete at the collegiate level. Once again, Nouvel’s senior class has five athletes committed to competing at the collegiate level, prepared to succeed in and out of the classroom.
In the last ten years, Coaches Meghan Lawler-Aird and Kelsey Lawler-Lucas have built a tennis program that continues to grow each year. They enjoyed a second place finish at regionals this season, qualifying them for their 6th straight trip to states. At states, they finished 10th overall. Immediately following the weekend at state competition, the team hosted over 120 preschool through rising 9th grade players for a two day tennis camp. Coach Aird shared, “Our philosophy is to empower the girls, give them confidence and have fun! We tell them they can be their best if they put the work in - and they do put the work in.” She went on to share, “Growing our program and giving back to our youngest Panthers go hand in hand. The little kids look up to the team and the team does an amazing job engaging the younger students.”
The girl’s soccer team has also been working hard over the past ten years to be able to enjoy six district wins and two regional titles. This year, Coach Matt Solek knew there was potential to go further and scheduled challenging matchups to prepare the team for the road to states. The team carries a deep and talented roster, including two seniors that signed to play in college, Sydney Leslie at Madonna University and Hallie Beck at Cleary University. The squad has seven other seniors, including Kaitlyn Miros, MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Finalist. She, like her teammates, understands the hard work that goes into winning and also appreciates everyone that is a part of that success. Kaitlyn shared, “Being a student-athlete takes a lot of dedication and determination. I’m proud to be an MHSAA Scholarship finalist and to be a captain on our soccer team that just won a Regional title. I couldn’t have accomplished any of these things without help and support. I am grateful for my coach, Matt Solek; our athletic trainer, Jesse Torres; my teachers at Nouvel and my teammates who give 100% each game. I will take the lessons and skills and use them as I begin my college career..” At the time of the writing of this article, the soccer team is preparing for the state semi-final game.
Nouvel’s co-ed track and field team has increased in numbers in recent years and is now under the direction of Coach Dan Mallott. Last year, two high school Panthers qualified for states in their individual events. Brandon Murphy Jr., who placed 6th in both discus and shot put, is now competing as a Golden Grizzly at Oakland University. This year, two more student-athletes, Claire Long (sophomore) and Sean Foley (junior), both earned a trip to states. In June, Claire could proudly say that she is now a state champion in the 400m and placed 3rd in the 200m. She shared, “It means so much to me that my hard work paid off. I was able to become a state champion in the 400 meter dash and my soccer team has been able to do so well and get so far in the same season. It has been an incredible spring and I can’t wait for junior year.”
The boys’ golf team won regionals again this year, making it five in a row. The team went on to states in June to finish in 6th place overall following up another excellent 4th place finish in 2024. Senior, Alex McCarty, finished 13th overall and will be going onto play at the collegiate level at Saginaw Valley State University. Alex has also enjoyed success as a two-time state champion bowler and earned the title of 2025 Mr. Bowler.
The dedication of Nouvel’s Panthers, coaches and supporters have contributed to the long term success that all Nouvel’s teams have enjoyed. Part of the success could be attributed to the fact that 79% of Nouvel’s student-athletes play multiple sports. The drive and commitment has shaped the culture at Nouvel. It’s the championship culture that is at the heart of Nouvel’s athletic programs. It’s a legacy that the school honors and continues to build today for the next generation of Panthers.
With 22 varsity and club sports offered, Panthers have many opportunities to explore their unique gifts and talents. Panther student-athletes receive the benefit of smaller class sizes and individualized attention in the classroom, while having many incredible opportunities to shine on the field and as leaders in their community. For more information on Nouvel athletics, please visit www.NouvelCatholic.org/Explore.