Summer Standouts: Talent in Every Discipline

Exonians every year carry their knowledge to new and challenging environments. There, they push themselves to accomplish something that they have never done before. Although outsiders think of Exeter as an academic school, Exeter’s athletes excelled at both national and international competitions this summer.Azniv Nalbadanian, a senior in Hoyt Hall, has been a tri-varsity athlete playing field hockey, ice hockey and softball. While to many people, participating in three separate varsity athletics might seem extraordinary, Nalbadanian picked up a new sport this past spring. Rugby.Rugby by its very nature is extremely physically exhausting. However, coaches Jason BreMiller and Melissa Pacific believed that Nalbadanian possessed the physical and mental assets to succeed in the game of rugby.Right from the beginning, Nalbadanian stood out. "After learning about the game, I began to play rugby in April. During that time, I played on a club team and also Exeter’s Varsity Softball team. After playing for the club team, I was selected to the USA High School All American Team and from there I was selected to the USA U-20 National Team," she said.Although her career took a quick ascent, Nalbadanian mentioned that balancing workouts, homework, and practices was very stressful. "I couldn’t start work until 9 P.M. so I did my homework during free time. I ended up just creating a personal schedule to fit my needs."As a result, she spent her early mornings in the weight room while the rest of Exeter was sleeping. "I lifted four to five days a week, that often meant 6 AM workouts at the gym," Nalbandanian added.Nevertheless, she believes that there has not been a single greater accomplishment in her athletic career than making the Women’s U.S. U-20 Rugby Team. "It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve ever had. I stood, arms linked, with my teammates, as we sang the USA national anthem and I’ve never felt so proud. By representing my country, I was playing to enhance the future of USA rugby."Nalbadanian looks forward to her blooming rugby career as she prepares for the U-23 Women’s USA Rugby Challenge next summer.While Azniv was tackling and blocking her opponents to the ground, a senior rower Benjamin Cohen participated in both the Youth Olympics, a newly founded youth program circa 2010, and the World Junior Rowing Championships.Cohen began rowing his prep spring, during which he was almost cut from the team for being a slow runner. Nevertheless, his hardwork paid off and he ended his freshman season on junior varsity boat three with Mr. Spanier.This past summer Cohen attended a selection camp for the United States crew team in Pittsburgh. He believed that the training regimen was very demanding but also effective. "Thirty guys were there and people were selected from that pool. The first practice usually started at six in the morning and got back around 10:30. And we only had time to sleep and eat in between. And we had second practice at 3 which ended around 6. This was a lot more volume than I usually did at Exeter, where I had to balance academics and sports."Despite all the work, he believes that this was one of the most memorable moments of his career yet, as he faced off against top talent from all of Europe at both the World Junior Championship and Junior Olympics. "I think it was probably the best experience I’ve ever had. Just rowing against a very different competition. We raced every meter. And now I understand how close racing is and how how prepared you have to be to get better. It definitely made more more excited about training and rowing."Cohen was also very grateful for the supportive Exeter community. "I am so thankful for all the Exeter rowers and coaches. Coach Tyler Caldwell has always been helpful giving all the right technical advances and training regimens. And also I am really thankful to Sam helms. He’s the most encouraging person I know. I am so thankful to him for always pushing me to become a better rower."Cohen just like Nalbadanian, hopes to be able to represent the United States for U-23 and the Olympics.Just as Nalbadanian and Cohen played and rowed with an American flag on their suits, an Exeter alumnus Spenser Young represented the United States at Ivan Hlinka Memorial Hockey Tournament in Czech Republic.Young was introduced to hockey by watching his brother was selected as one of the players to represent the U.S. after being invited to the National Player Development Camp in New York. Young believes that Exeter inspired him become a player that he is today. "Exeter helped me get the exposure I needed to make it to the next level. Without it, I would not be where I am today."Going through a shoulder surgery, Young went through a tough recovery process at Exeter. "Along the way, some of the struggles were my shoulder surgery. I was out for six months and it took a lot to come back."Nevertheless, he believes that representing the United States and future opportunities made it all worth the struggle. "It probably the biggest stage I’ve played ever played on. There were some weaker teams like Slovakia and Russia which got us turned up, but Canada and Sweden were top of the line competition. It was tough but also a lot of fun."Next year, he plans on taking his hockey to the next level at the United States national team and further. "I hope to play hockey at Providence College (committed) and hopefully pursue it further."Just like other athletes competing at the top level, a senior runner Tommy Miller, represented Exeter Track at the annual USATF Junior Olympic National Championships.What began as an escape from diving lessons, bloomed into a promising track career for Miller. "My parents wanted me to continue [diving] in high school but I hated it, so I looked into track because I liked to run. My mom signed me up for my local track club and the experience was enjoyable so I stuck with it."Soon after the beginning of his track career, he began to impress many coaches. "My coach was impressed with me and asked me to do a coed relay with some other people at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix held at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. At the time I had no idea who the standout people were at the meet, but just the fact that the event was broadcasted on ESPN was exciting."This year was his second time running at Nationals, and he loved being given the chance to run with the fastest. "The other two great moments in my running career were my trips to the USATF National Championships in 2012 and 2014."However, with success comes struggle. "This year at Nationals, I didn't think that I would qualify for the semifinals of the 100 meter dash. After a coaches meeting discussing the proceedings of those events, the coaches were notified that certain people qualified for the semis, with me being one of those people. My coach wasn't at the event because he couldn't afford to go, so I was completely out of the loop. No one informed me that I had qualified and I didn't know until I looked at the results after my flight back," Miller added.Despite a missed opportunity to compete with the best, Miller looks forward to improving. "Now that I've set a new personal record of 11.05 I have to go even lower. I want to be sub-11 by the end of the next school year and I think that is a reachable goal. I just want to try and be better no matter what it takes. No matter where I end up."The 2014 Summer for Exeter Athletes has been one for the books.