Where the Gators play like the Green Machine
Notre Dame Academy's athletic program owns a rich history of success on both the local and national stage. From the earliest of days of "The General Athletic Association" in the 1940s, to "The Green Machine" era of the 70s & 80s, to the current Gators, NDA has established itself as one of New York City's most historic and successful female athletic programs.
Vision of the Program
Notre Dame Academy is committed to providing a positive, challenging, competitive, and fair athletic experience that emphasizes the principles of our mission statement, personal integrity, sportsmanship, wellness, and fulfillment of the scholar athlete’s potential. We strive to make athletic participation an environment that sparks a lifelong appreciation for competition, exercise, discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and the pursuit of victory with honor. The educational side of athletics is to help students benefit from the life lessons learned through athletic participation. If our athletes, coaches, and staff give their all in preparation as well as competition, the final score, no matter the outcome, could ever diminish these efforts. Our goal is to Create Excellence and Expect the Best. By doing so, we will be consistent contenders on the field and in the classroom.
Sports Offerings
Archery (Club) - Basketball (JV & Varsity) - Bowling - Cheerleading (Game Day & Traditional) - Golf - Flag Football (JV & Varsity) - Soccer (JV & Varsity) Softball (JV & Varsity) - Swimming - Tennis - Track & Field (Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor) - Volleyball (JV & Varsity)
Champions in the classroom
Staten Island Varsity Club
Established in 1932, the Staten Island Varsity Club annually honors the Island's top male & female student athletes on the basis of Athletic Achievement, Academic Merit, and Service to their community. Since the inception of the Dorothy Best Scholarship Award for the top female in 1984, Notre Dame Academy is home to an Island best 11 award winners - more than any other high school, public or private!
Madison Romeo (2023 - honoree)
Cassandra Weir (2022 - honoree)
Giavanna Comerford (2021 - honoree)
Sierra Dinneen (2020 - honoree)
Jacqueline Thompson (2018)
Susanna Weir (2017)
Olivia Jaenicke (2016)
Ashley Bohnenberger (2011)
Christine Wittich (2006)
Liz Gruber (2005)
Caitlin Tormey (2001)
Brianne Sullivan (1998)
Alexis Albano (1992)
Monthakan Ratnarathorn (1989)
Patricia Carbone (1984)
Champions on the field
ARCHERY
Coaches - Laura Bauer '95 & Kevin Fitzpatrick
NASP Tournament Appearances
NASP Nationals - Louisville, KY
Bayside Battle - Chesapeake City, MD
NYS Championship - Syracuse, NY
BASKETBALL
Coaches - Bobby DellaValle, Steve Benigno, Andrew Kartalis, Kevin Swanberg, Kayla Ferris '17, Briana Van Cleaf '18
NYS CHSAA Tournament
2017 "A" Representative
Tournament Appearances
Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational - Tampa, FL
BOWLING
Coaches - Terri Hart & Dennis Costantino
NYS CHSAA Qualifier
Lindsey Souffrin '24 '25
SI CHSAA Girls' Champions
2013, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19
SI CHSAA CoEd "A" Champions
2020
SI CHSAA CoEd "B" Champions
2021
CHEERLEADING
Coaches - Andrea Vindigni '09, Danielle Vindigni '03, Kim Fitzgerald '03
NY State CHSAA Champions - Traditional
- Small Varsity: '20
- Medium Varsity: '24, '25
- Large Varsity: '18, '19
NY State CHSAA Champions - Game Day
- Large Game Day: '24, '25
UCA NHSCC Top Finishes - Traditional
- '25 Medium Varsity DII #5
- '19 Super Varsity DII #6
- '24 Medium Varsity DII #10
UCA NHSCC Top Finishes - Game Day
- '24 Large Varsity DII #6
- '25 Super Varsity DII #13
Flag Football
Coaches - Mike Pares, Anthony Dellecave, Steve Caruso, Tom Benedetto
GOLF
Coaches - Ed Gardner & Mary Gardner
NYC CHSAA Champions
2009, '10, '11, '12, 14, '16, '18, '19, '22, '24
SOCCER
Coaches - Nick Senise & Caitlin Costigliola '18
Staten Island Champions
2012, '14, '15, '17, '19
NY Archdiocesan Champions
2012, '15, '17, '19
NYC CHSAA Champions
2012, '17
NYS CHSAA Finalist
2012
Tournament Championships
2024 NYS Girls' Soccer HOF - Niskayuna, NY
2019 Smoky Mountain Cup - Gatlinburg, TN
2014 Mesquite Cup - Mesquite, NV
Tournament Appearances
Thoroughbred Cup - Louisville, KY
SOFTBALL
Coaches - Neil Reynolds, Jerry Lavelle, Stephanie Rybkiewicz, Julia Maida '20
Tournament Appearances
Ripken Experience - Gatlinburg, TN
Space Coast - Cocoa Beach, FL
KSA Spring Training - Orlando, FL
SWIMMING
Coaches - Dawn Christie '87 & Doug Tiburzi
Staten Island CHSAA Champions
2019, '20, '21, '22, '23, '24
NYC CHSAA "A" Champions
2008, '20
TENNIS
Coaches - Barbara O'Neill '80 & Rosemary O'Neill '20
NY Archdiocesan Champions
2015, '17, '18
Track
Cross Country -- Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field
Coach - James Walker, Pete Whitehouse, Jen Marano, George Lamana, Mike Batten
SIHST&FA Champions
- Cross Country: 2011, '13, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19, '21, '23, '24
- Indoor Track & Field: 2016, '17, '18, '19, '20, '22
- Outdoor Track & Field: 2016, '17, '18, '19
NY Archdiocesan Sectional Champions
- Cross Country: 2013, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19
- Indoor Track & Field: 2014, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19, '20
- Outdoor Track & Field:
NYC CHSAA Champions
- Cross Country: 2014, '15, '16, '17, 18, '19, '20 '24
- Indoor Track & Field: 2020
- Outdoor Track & Field: 2016, '17, '18, '21
NYS Intersectional CHSAA Champions
- Cross Country: 2014, '15, '16, '17, '19
Meet Appearances
Brown Invitational - Providence, RI
Penn Relays - Philadelphia, PA
Arcadia Invitational - Arcadia, CA
Nike Nationals - Eugene, OR
New Balance Nationals - Boston, MA
Volleyball
Coaches - Steve Caruso, Julia Roloph '21, Donna Bellocchio
NYC CHSAA "A" Champions
2018
Tournament Appearances
Endless Summer - Virginia Beach, VA
Gianna Samuels '20
NDA's 12th Career 1,000 Point Scorer
The Widener University bound Senior poured in a career high 37 points in her final CHSAA contest to eclipse the 1,000 point mark and etched her name in the NDA history books with 1,023 points!
The Next level
There are currently 51 Gator alumnae from the classes of 2019-'24 representing their respective Colleges & Universities in NCAA competition.
These former Gators are making an impact at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels in sports ranging from Basketball, Bowling, and Cheerleading to Soccer, Swimming, and Track & Field.
All of Notre Dame Academy's academic course offerings meet and exceed the requirements of the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Commitments 2021 - 2025
Grace Adams - UNC Asheville, Swimming • Giavanna Comerford - Wager College, Track • Alyssa Hughes - Post University, Softball • Amanda Zuntag - SUNY Ontonta, Basketball & Softball • Madison Petricevic - Keiser University, Swimming • Casey Love - Mount St. Mary, Basketball • Aileen Hoban - Wagner College, Track & Field • Caitlin Mulvey - Drew University, Soccer
Alyssia Brown - Washington University, Track • Saranda Capani - Wagner College, Track • Victoria Caruso - Monmouth University, Cheerleading • Sophia DiDonna - College of Staten Island, Softball • Meghan Leonard - Loyola University, Track • Brooke Manning - College of Staten Island, Swimming • Gianna Pica - Drew University, Basketball • Lia Samuels - University of Delaware, Basketball • Gianna Pica - Drew University, Basketball • Cassandra Weir - Scranton University, Golf • Annabella Zito - Thomas Jefferson University, Softball
Katherine Anticev - College of the Holy Cross, Swimming • Lola Dinneen - George Washington University, Track • Isabella Garcia - Coastal Carolina University, Cheerleading • Chelsea Perez - Sacred Heart University, Bowling
Hailey Barr - University of Delaware, Cheerleading • Ella Cipriani - Miscericordia University, Soccer • Alexa D'Agosta - Lafayette College, Track • Samantha DiDonna - Caldwell University, Softball • Ryan Ford - Manhattanville College, Basketball • Sabrina Kraker - Scranton University, Basketball • Olivia Pagano - Morgan State University, Softball • Lily Plaia - SUNY Oneonta, Track • Caitlin Sweeney - Miscericordia University, Basketball • Ava Tornello - St. Joseph's University, Golf
Bianca Birstler - University of Rhode Island, Cheerleading • Giuliana Dito - College of Staten Island, Basketball • Ryann Ellefsen - LeMoyne College, Swimming • Katherine Gaglione - University of Rhode Island, Cheerleading • Emily Reilly - College of Staten Island, Softball • Anna Tutrone - Wagner College, Soccer • Hope Uzzle - Howard University, Softball • Jody Winters - Sacred Heart University, Cheerleading
Official Program Partners
school spirit
The sidelines of our sporting events are full of current students, alumnae, faculty, family, and friends. Collectively they make up the Gator Fam! Our fans embody the meaning behind our Bleed Green motto as they exude Gator Pride!