DME Academy hires Craig Lenniger to lead Beach Volleyball Program
Daytona Beach, Florida: DME Academy announced the hiring of Craig Lenniger as the Director of Beach Volleyball. Craig will supervise the day-to-day operations of DME Academy’s beach volleyball programs, as well as host all DME Academy Beach Tournaments. Craig joins DME Academy from the Flagler County Parks & Recreation Department, where he serves as the Special Event Coordinator and has managed sports and recreation programs for the past 6 years.
Craig’s 25 years of sports and recreation programming experience will have a great impact on DME Academy. Some of his career highlights include:
“We are thrilled to hire Craig to direct our beach program at DME,” says Laura Stegall, Athletic Director at DME Academy. “He has a wealth of experience in the Director role, as well as extensive coaching experience. We are super excited to see where the beach program goes under his leadership.”
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take the reins of the DME Academy Beach Volleyball program,” said Craig. “I am hopeful that I can utilize my years of directing experience to expand this program for DME Academy but more importantly positively enhance the game for those engaged in the program. I am extremely grateful to be selected by DME Academy to lead this program, and am excited to initiate new beach programs and training opportunities.”
About DME Academy: DME Academy is an elite, multi-sport training and educational institution designed for student-athletes who are looking to reach their ultimate potential, harness their strengths and achieve their goals. Located in Daytona Beach, Florida, our academy offers a wide variety of programming, servicing 6th-12th grade students. DME is a co-ed boarding school that offers post-graduate programs, year-round camps, tournaments, team events, including collegiate and professional training. To learn more about Volleyball at DME Academy, learn more here!
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DME Academy kicked off its competitive soccer program in fashion over the weekend. Three teams (2010 boys, 2010 girls & 2012 girls) competed in various Memorial Day Tournaments & Showcases throughout Florida.
Young athletes represented DME with pride, showing class, poise, and effort under extreme heat and humidity. For weeks, these 9-12-year-old athletes trained hard and prepared to play up a level in the events. The 2012 girls moved up to 9×9 and were playing girls two years older, in some cases. The 2010s moved to 11v11 and did the same.
“It’s always nice to win hardware but development is the real prize. The kids will get so much more from this experience and benefit in the long run”, says Scott Morgenroth, coach and former IMG Academy Staffer.
The 2012 girls competed in the first-ever game for DME Soccer, winning 2-1 over a 2011 Chargers Soccer Club team that went on to win the division. This win marks the first in DME history and to beat an older and very physical group of young ladies with great passing and team play speaks volumes.
“We wanted to be the first team to get a win at DME and beating older girls is always fun.,” said Cecilia Antista, Co-Captain of the 2012 team.
The 2010 girls faced international competition and held their own throughout their tourney run, with many opposing teams complementing their passing and teamwork, unfortunately, they didn’t advance out of group play.
The 2010 boys on the other hand were top class all weekend long, going undefeated in group play. With their backs up against the wall, losing one player to illness and another to injury, the bench was light all weekend. With temperatures in the high 90 and on a larger field, they gutted out three impressive results in the older age division, 2-0-1. The finals would be a rematch with a 2009 Treasure Coast team, whom they previously tied, and it wasn’t a game at all. DME jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead on the back of Forward Samuel Colina. With a strong defense, skilled midfield, and speed up front, this group got the lead early and held it until the final whistle – bringing home the first tournament trophy for DME Academy.
“It’s all about experiences here at DME. I was checking in with our staff all weekend long and was very proud to see the positive results trickling in. We’re just getting started, but with top coaches and dedicated athletes, we’ll be a force within the next few years.”, says Dan Pannagio, CEO & Founder of DME Academy.
Next up, the kids will get right back to work. Preparation starts for their next tournament experience this summer, which will see the 2012 girls head to Maine on Fathers’ Day Weekend. With training happening locally in Sarasota via our Florida Southwest Program and elite camp experiences on our main campus in Daytona, the soccer program at DME is off to the races.
Join our soccer family, improve your game and see why DME is an academy on the rise.
DME Academy is thrilled to offer English as a Second Language (ESL) courses as a camp add-on this summer. ESL courses are designed to improve academic and professional communication skills for non native English speakers. Our international-students go through an assessment with our Head of School, Anna Gonzalez, prior to their arrival in order to be placed in the correct level. “At DME we don’t only care about creating a great well rounded student-athlete, but also a better person for tomorrow,” Anna says. Anna has been with DME for the last 3 years and holds a PhD in economics and business.
Campers will have a daily two hour ESL course with weekly themes. Our teachers focus on communication skills, grammar, vocabulary development, conversation, and test preparation. This program is strongly recommended for international campers that desire to improve their language skills while taking their athleticism to the next level.
"Summer Prep is an exceptional opportunity for athletes to fine-tune their game and get a jump on the competition. Summer and the off-season are where champions are made. This program provides athletes with structure, skill training, and competition within a busy schedule that allows our international athletes to succeed in all aspects on and off the court." - Laura Stegall, DME Athletic Director.
Students who come to DME and take the ESL courses have a leg up on the competition. Each ESL class is personalized to each individual pupil's learning style to maximize their benefit from the program.
To find an academic program at DME that works for you, Click HERE
Sports camps at DME Academy are no run of the mill summer camp. These week-long training sessions were purposely built for athletes who want to get the most out of their off season. Athletes that attend DME Academy sports camps are focused on pushing their limits, honing their craft, and becoming the best athlete that they can be.
Does that sound like you? If so, keep reading to find the 5 reasons sports camps at DME Academy are the best way to take your game to the next level.
Coaching
The coaches at DME Academy sports camps are second to none. Our coaching roster is loaded with former NCAA talent, professional athletes, and program directors who each have enough accolades to fill their own trophy case. The best part? They’re all members of our DME family, which means that this summer is the perfect chance to introduce yourself if you want to play for DME Academy in the future.
Personalized Development
Our coaches know better than anyone that there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to coaching, which is why DME sports camps offer an individualized approach to help campers level up their game. We focus on maximizing each athlete’s potential through sport specific instruction and one-on-one attention.
Facilities
Athletes at DME Academy sports camps have full access to our state of the art facilities. The 47,00 square foot field house boasts 2 full NBA courts, 5 youth courts, 7 regulation volleyball courts, a performance center, athletic training rooms, and a spa. Not to mention our 4 beach volleyball courts, 60x40 turf field, and outdoor basketball court, which are perfect for training under that Florida sun.
Competitive Environment
Athletes travel to DME academy to level up their game and become the best they can be. The competitive environment extends from the court and the field, to the dining hall and the dorm room. Our brand new 18,000 square foot dormitory sleeps 80 campers, plus it features two fully loaded student lounges and a learning center so campers can remain focused on one thing: stepping up their game.
Location, location, location
Turn your trip to camp into a vacation for the whole family! Our facilities are located just 10 minutes away from some of the most famous beaches in America. Daytona Beach has hard packed sand famous for being able to drive on, a boardwalk filled with fun games and rides, concert venues, and Daytona Lagoon waterpark.
Are you ready to make the most out of your summer? Click here to learn more about sports camps at DME Academy.
Led by 3 athletes on ESPN’s Top 100 chart, the DME Academy Girls Basketball team was primed to have a trend setting season; and while it wasn’t the fairy tale ending they had hoped for, there is still plenty for the program to be proud of.
They ended their season ranked #6 in the country with a record of 25-4, plus they added an SIAA State Championship title to the trophy case. In addition to dominating throughout the state of Florida, the program also made its first ever GEICO National Championship tournament berth. Their 25 win season included marquee victories over Monteverde in January, Lake Highland and Central Pointe to win the SIAA and clinch the spot in the GEICO National Tournament.
“This year’s team redefined our metrics for success,” Says Michael Panaggio, Director of Girls Basketball at DME. “We accomplished so much this season, and we really set the bar for what this program is capable of. I want to give a big ‘thank you’ to all of our seniors who have left this program in an even better position than it was in when they found it.”
The squad’s ‘big 3’ proved to be the real deal this season. Even in their semi-final loss, Sydney Shaw (ranked #49) and Amiya Evans (ranked #65) combined for 23 points, while junior Chloe Kitts (ranked #16) put up a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds.
“Kitts, currently No. 16 in the 2023 class, is a highly sought-after wing prospect,” says ESPN’s Shane Laflin. “She holds offers from every major conference in the country. She is very effective in the mid-range and around the paint in face-up opportunities. As she expands the consistency of her range, her stock will rise even more. She averages 18.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game to lead DME.”
Kitts is set to return for the 2023 season, alongside Michelle Ugwah, Asiana Britt, Janiya Johnson, and Zeryhia Aokuso. A roster bolstered with young talent and compounding years of team chemistry puts another run at a GEICO National Championship in reach.
All eyes are on Daytona Beach for the 2022-23 season. Are you ready to play on the national stage? Click here to get in contact with our team so you can learn more about what it takes to play at DME Academy.
FT. MYERS, FL. (April 1, 2022) – The DME Girls Basketball dream season came to an end Friday as they lost 67-54 to Montverde in the Geico Nationals semifinals.
DME trailed by 13 at the half and used a strong shooting performance in the next 12 minutes to get back into the game, cutting the lead to 4 with 4:18 to play at 58-54. Montverde upped their defensive pressure from that point and held DME scoreless the remainder of the contest to register the win.
DME made only one of its last 11 field goal attempts and finished the game shooting 39% for the contest. DME negated much of the height advantage Montverde entered the game with, as they won the rebound battle 36-32. However, Montverde did outscore DME 32-24 on points in the paint.
Junior Chole Kitts led DME with a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds. Sydney Shaw added 12 points and Amiya Evans scored 9 of her 11 points in the second half to help DME get back in the game.
Kitts made 10-16 from the field and was 5-7 at the foul line as she played all 32 minutes. Shaw also played the entire game and led the team with 4 assists and made 2-5 3-point attempts.
Mjarcle Sheppard led Montverde with 18 points as they never trailed in the game.
Turnovers played a part in the game as DME had as many of those in the first half - 9 - as they had field goals. Taking care of the ball better in the second half allowed them to cut into the Montverde lead and they committed just 4 in the final 16 minutes.
Montverde jumped out to a quick start, leading by as much as 11 in the first quarter, shooting 53 percent from the field. Kitts scored 10 of her 25 points in the first 8 minutes.
DME finishes the season with a record of 25-4.
Learn more about our DME Academy Basketball programs here.
This year's GEICO Nationals high school basketball tournament will have a slightly different format, with the field being made up of independent schools and also adding a fifth team and a play-in game on the girls' side.
Read the full story HERE!
1. Rigorous Curriculum
Xceed DME offers a full suite of Honors, Advanced, and A.P. classes. DME’s diverse course offerings are imperative to make sure each student is successful in the classroom as well as on the field or court.All of the programs at DME are accepted by Florida’s graduation requirements for college enrollment. We offer over 120 courses and 41 electives so we have something for every student!
2. Individualized Instruction
At DME, our Xceed program has Personalized Learning Programs (PLP) for each individual student. These are heavily thought out with each student in mind to meet their individual goals. Our top priority is making sure every student is learning in a way that works best for them. Our accomplished educators provide one-to-one and small group instruction that helps capitalize on each students’ unique learning styles and strengths.
3. Flexible Schedule
At DME, we focus on athletics and academics in the same capacity. We are able to provide students a balanced schedule that includes their academics and their sports. We build out their schedules with training, classes and practices in mind so it all works seamlessly together.
4. International Community
Our students come from all over the world. We host students from more than 25 countries so there is a very strong international community on our campus. In fact, DME’s population is 70% international. This sets the stage for advanced collaboration and gives each student an opportunity to participate in shared learning from people from all walks of life.
5. Community Service
At Xceed DME, our graduation requirements include 40 hours of community service. We offer a wide variety of service opportunities, including tutoring and coaching younger kids, participating in beach cleanups and food and clothing drives, and volunteering at our local animal shelter.
6. Immersion Programs
DME Summer Immersion Programs help our international student-athletes get up to speed in the classroom and the community, preparing them for our rigorous academic curriculum and acclimating them to the DME culture.
Are you ready to reimagine your student-athlete experience?
Connect with one of our recruitment specialists to learn more.
March 31-April 2, 2022, the top thirteen teams from around the country will compete at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Florida at the 14th Annual GEICO High School National Championship and DME Girls Basketball is one of them! This will be their first appearance at the GEICO High School National Championship with ESPNW Ranked Players Sydney Shaw, Amiya Evans, and Chloe Kitts leading the way.
This event will feature 11 games and will be single-elimination, all hosted on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN+. The girls’ first round kicks off on Thursday, March 31, at 10am, followed by the semifinals on Friday at 10:30am and wraps up on April 2 for the championship game at 10am.
“Our girls have worked hard this year.” Says Michael Panaggio, Director of Girls Basketball at DME. “Between early morning practices and late night games, they’ve put in the time and effort to make this season so successful. I’m incredibly proud of our girls and are excited to coach them at this next level."
The countdown to the showdown between top, nationally ranked talent in the country is on. The competition featured in this year’s tournament is among the best we’ve ever seen and the talent of each athlete is unmatched. We know where we’ll be March 31-April 2, 2022. Will you be there to celebrate with us?
“We know the level of talent we’ll be competing against, but we’re confident in what we bring to the table. It’s going to be a fight all the way to the finish!”
Stay up to date on when the DME Girls Basketball team will be competing for the National Championship and learn more information about how to attend.
To learn more about our girls basketball program click here.