WINTER-SPRING 2026
Athletics Season in Review
IMAGE: Menlo School boys’ tennis team celebrates its state championship victory 5-2 against Harvard-Westlake in Fresno
ATHLETICS REVIEW
A relentless postseason push highlighted the 2025-26 winter and spring athletic campaigns, a stretch defined by school records, memorable moments of team unity, milestones, and ultimate championship runs that rewrote program history.
The schedules extended well into June as the boys’ tennis team won Menlo Tennis’ first state championship, track & field sent its largest contingent of athletes to the state finals, and baseball won its third section title in a row before rolling into the NorCal finals.
In the winter and spring seasons, 69 student-athletes were named to all-league teams, and Bianca Putanec ’26 was voted back-to-back Girls’ Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year. The boys’ lacrosse team was named Central Coast Section Scholastic Champion after earning the highest collective grade-point average among teams in the section.
Boys’ Basketball
The Knights put together a solid late-season run in February, highlighted by strong wins over International, Eastside College Prep, and Crystal. Menlo entered the Central Coast Section Div. IV Championships with the third seed and won an impressive matchup against Carmel before falling to a tough Half Moon Bay squad in the semifinals. Guard Ethan Zhao reached 1,000 career points this season to close out a four-year career for the Knights.
Girls’ Basketball
The Knights’ early season success set the tone as they went 10-2 to open the season before navigating an incredibly tough West Bay Athletic League (WBAL)-Foothill Division. Menlo (15-10) entered the CCS Div. IV playoffs as the No. 4 seed and defeated The King’s Academy 59-50 in a hard-fought home game before falling in the semifinals.
Boys’ Soccer
Menlo (14-4-4) took second in league and finished the season with another strong postseason run. The Knights used a tie against San Luis Obispo at Cal Poly’s Spanos Stadium to launch their league play and went on a tear, winning 11 of their final 14 regular-season games. Gritty defensive performances, including a 1-0 clean sheet over Harker and a 0-0 draw against rival Sacred Heart Prep, closed out the regular season. In CCS, Menlo won an opener in overtime to advance to the semifinals.
Girls’ Soccer
It was a banner season as the Knights earned back-to-back section titles with a thrilling 1-0 win over league rival Crystal. After winning a CCS crown, the Knights advanced to the NorCal Div. IV regionals and defeated Terra Linda-San Rafael in the opener and then ultimately fell in a heartbreaking penalty shootout in the semifinal. It was the 10th section title for Menlo girls’ soccer and the fifth under the tenure of coach Ross Ireland.
Boys’ Tennis
Wins State Title
Completing a perfect 29-0 season, the Menlo boys’ tennis team captured its first state championship with a 5-2 win over Harvard-Westlake at Fresno State. The historic victory marks the first time any Menlo School sports program has won a state title at the highest competitive level. The state crown cements an extraordinary year for the Knights, who also won the prestigious unofficial national championship—the High School All-American Invitational, the NorCal tournament, the CCS Championship, and the season-opening Bay Area Classic—and claimed a 27th straight league title.
For the four-year varsity seniors, it was the best finish to their prep careers. “The second I set foot on the Menlo varsity team, all I can say is it was life-changing,” Arki Temsamani said. “I love this sport. I love the brotherhood and everyone looking out for each other. Everyone has to do their part to make it count.”
Baseball
Menlo baseball continued building on its success in the last two seasons, capturing a third consecutive CCS Championship, this time in Div. III with a win over perennial power Wilcox. The Knights won the CCS Div. VI title in 2024 and the Div. V title last season and ascended two divisions to secure this season’s title. Taking the season journey to its final stop at the CIF-NorCal Div. III Championships, the Knights fell 4-2 in a tightly contested game with host Roseville. Menlo closed the season with a 22-11 overall record.
Boys’ Golf
The Knights qualified for the CCS Team Championships for the first time in six seasons, earning an at-large bid. They closed the regular season with a 7-5 record for third in the West Bay Athletic League round-robin play and third in the League Tournament. The team graduated two senior captains but featured a lineup including three underclassmen.
Boys’ Lacrosse
After starting the season with eight consecutive victories, the Knights headed to Utah and picked up a win and a loss against two area teams. Back at home, Menlo drew Serra, against whom they lost in overtime, and then came back a week later and played to a decisive 11-6 victory in the WCAL Tournament quarterfinals. In the CCS Div. I quarterfinals, the Knights dropped a 13-12 decision to Bellarmine. Menlo closed the season fourth in the tough West Catholic Athletic League, finished with a 13-7 overall record, and was named a CCS Scholastic Champion. It was the debut season under Coach Will Mark, who was named USA Lacrosse-Silicon Valley Chapter High School Coach of the Year.
Girls’ Lacrosse
The Knights girls’ lacrosse team advanced to the CCS Div. I semifinals and finished the season with a 13-6 overall record under Blake Kim, a longtime boys’ program director who took the reins of the girls’ program this season. Menlo took third in West Bay Athletic League play after embarking on a six-game win streak midseason, including wins over Carondelet and St. Francis. The Knights were prolific with points, outscoring their opponents 291-173. Four-year varsity player Elia Choe ’26 wrapped up her career with more than 1,000 points.
Swimming & Diving
The Menlo swimming and diving teams had a successful season, with both individual and relay achievements—including early postseason qualifications—and a strong showing at the Central Coast Section (CCS) Championships.
Eden Chuang ’25 qualified for CCS in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke, and the 200 free relay of Eden Chuang, Zoe Chuang ’28, Sofia Flierl ’25, and Leila Kao ’28 reached the CCS consolation final. The boys’ 400 free relay of Kai Chung ’27, Eitan Litsur ’27, Lincoln Bott ’28, and Calvin Barad ’26 blew away their league time, swimming a 3:21.81 at CCS for 20th place out of 46. Chung was the WBAL champion in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly and also qualified for CCS in the 200 medley relay. Eden Chuang was league champion in the 200 individual medley.
In his high school diving debut, freshman Nate Lee placed ninth for a podium finish at the CIF State Diving Championships after winning silver at the CCS finals. Ella Litsur ’25 capped her high school career with a 22nd-place finish at the CCS Championships.
Track & Field
From the start of the season to the finish at state, Menlo School had a powerful showing. At the CIF State Championships, a senior trio took huge strides: Landon Pretre won silver in the boys’ 3,200-meter race, Will Hauser was 12th in the 1,600 meters, and Veronica Taira placed 19th in the girls’ 3,200 meters.
Track & Field cont.
Pretre’s 3,200 time at CCS (8:48.57) was first in state and 14th in the nation, and he also ranked second in California in the mile and sixth in the 1,600. Taira and Pretre became CCS 3,200-meter champions after Menlo School sent six athletes in seven events to the finals: seniors Taira (1,600, 3,200), Will Hauser (1,600, 3,200), Pretre (3,200), and Sofia Faris (long jump), junior Braden Rock (high jump), and freshman Tres Onyejekwe (300 hurdles). Taira, Pretre, Rock, sophomore Henry Hauser (800), and the boys’ 4 x 100 and 4 x 800 relays were league champions. The Knights featured a strong team with competitors in all disciplines.
Class of 2026 student-athletes committed to play at the collegiate level
College Athlete Commitments
Eighteen Menlo School graduates are taking their talents to the national stage. Spanning the country from California to Chicago to New Hampshire, these elite student-athletes will represent 16 colleges and universities across 12 sports at the NCAA level.
They leave behind a legacy defined by excellence, resilience, and unity. This group caps off a historic run that includes state championships, national tournament titles, and a haul of section and league crowns, as well as excellence in the classroom.
2026 Student-Athlete College Commitments
Hannah Bernthal, Dartmouth lacrosse
Connor Burks, Harvey Mudd water polo
Elise Chen, Chicago tennis
Elia Choe, Amherst lacrosse
Jack Freehill, Columbia baseball
Maxwell Johnson, Occidental track & field
Yuanye Ma, Washington University-St. Louis tennis
Maren Mulloy, Stanford lacrosse
Richa Patnam, Georgetown squash
Bianca Putanec, Brown soccer
Cameron Rafati, Tufts soccer
Palmer Riley, Vanderbilt football
Arki Temsamani, Babson tennis
Trevor van der Pyl, Pomona football
Ava Wang, Columbia volleyball
Chuck Wynn, Chapman football & baseball
Marin Yamada, Smith lacrosse
Ethan Zhao, Pomona basketball
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