DME Academy’s Girls’ High School National and Boys’ High School Gold Teams Win Sunshine Independent Athletic Association State Championships
DME Academy, a prominent athletic institution located in Daytona Beach, Florida, recently made headlines for its outstanding performance in the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA) state championships. Two of DME’s basketball teams, the Boys’ High School Gold, and Girls’ High School National emerged victorious and claimed championship titles in their respective divisions.
The boys’ basketball team, led by head coach Hocine Gaham, had a remarkable season. They dominated their opponents throughout the year, showcasing their superior skills and teamwork. The team worked well together and it was apparent they had been training all season for a championship battle against Montverde Academy. The final score was a close 50-49, with Traye Sturm leading the way with 19 points. DME Academy’s victory allowed them to claim the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association’s trophy for the 2022-2023 season.
Similarly, the Girls’ High School National team, coached by Michael Panaggio, put up a stellar performance in the championship game against Central Pointe. The team was led to victory by Olivia Schmitt who had 15 points in the 52-42 victory. Schmitt was also declared the SIAA league, tournament, and game MVP. The win crowned DME Academy as the SIAA state champions for the second year in a row.
“Watching our girls’ basketball team win the state championship was one of the proudest moments of my coaching career. Winning two years in a row is something to be proud of,” said Panaggio. “Their dedication, hard work, and perseverance throughout the season paid off, and they proved that anything is possible with determination and teamwork.”
The victories of both teams are a testament to the hard work and dedication put in by the coaches and players. Both coaches had carefully crafted game plans, and the players executed them with precision and focus. The academy’s emphasis on rigorous training and development of their athletic skills has undoubtedly paid off, and the teams’ success is a source of pride for DME Academy.
It is a significant achievement that will be remembered for years to come. Congratulations to the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams for their exceptional performance and for bringing home the SIAA state championship hardware!
Interested in learning more about DME Academy’s proven basketball programs? Check them out here!
Check out the highlights from the Girls’ National win over Central Pointe here!
Olivia Schmitt has been nominated to win the 2023 Florida Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year Award!
Olivia Schmitt has been nominated to win the 2023 Florida Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year Award! A talented player, Olivia has been a standout throughout her high school career with DME, whose hard work and dedication have earned her numerous accolades. Earlier this year, she was named MVP at the Mecca Showcase in New York City.
Schmitt is a member of the High School National girl’s team at DME Academy. She has been having an amazing season on and off the court. She averages 14 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.1 steals per game, while also shooting 38% from the 3-point line. Schmitt’s season-high point total was 26 against Rutherford in a 69-45 win on November 23rd, 2022.
Olivia’s consistency on the court has led her team to numerous victories and helped establish new records. Her determination and passion for the game are inspiring, and her talent has not gone unnoticed by coaches, fans, and players alike. So please join me in supporting Olivia Schmitt by casting your vote for her to win Florida’s Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year. Let’s recognize her hard work and exceptional talent by giving her the recognition she deserves.
Dominika Paurova Made Her Senior National Team Debut At 18 Years Old Playing For the Czech Republic Against Ireland.
Dominika Paurova is a talented basketball player from the Czech Republic who is currently attending DME Academy. She has been honing her skills on the court for years and has become one of the most promising young players in the country. Currently, she plays for DME’s High School Girls’ National team. Last weekend, Dominika had the opportunity to bring her talents to the global stage and represent her home country as a member of the Czech Republic basketball team.
Playing for the Czech Republic team is a dream come true for Dominika. She is thrilled to have the chance to compete on an international stage and represent her country at the highest level of basketball. Dominika’s hard work and dedication to her sport paid off, as she played an important role in helping the Czech Republic team succeed. She had 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists! Her outstanding performance on the court was a testament to her talent and her passion for the game.
Paurova is also taking her talents to the next level here in the United States next year. She recently committed to the University of Minnesota to play for the Golden Gophers Womens Basketball program!
Want to see how DME’s basketball program can help you play at the highest levels like Paurova? Check it out here!
The All-Area Volleyball team has been released for local high school players and we are proud to announce that 12 DME Academy athletes have been named to the list. We are happy to celebrate these accomplished athletes.
Out of these 12 accomplished athletes, there are also 3 individuals who have also made 1st team which automatically enters them into the drawing for player of the year, which will be decided this coming May. Taylor Timko, Sydney Moses, and Alyssa Kornegay have proven to be the best out of the best. Alyssa Kornegay has also earned the title of 6A Player of the Year.
These twelve players were not only vital to each of their DME team’s success but also to their respective high school squads. They all set great examples of work ethic, sportsmanship, and leadership. We are proud of all their accomplishments and grateful for the contributions they made to DME. Their talent and dedication will be greatly missed, but we are excited to see what they will accomplish in the future.
Congratulations to Taylor Timko, Sydney Moses, Alyssa Kornegay, Gabby Conway, Mollie Martin, Caroline Myers, Ivy Westfall, Emma Van Duesen, Emma Dhainaut, Hannah Zona, Andie Litz, and Isabel Castillon.
Alvaro Sanchez, Director of DME Academy’s volleyball program, was recently honored with the Coach of the Year as well as 6A High School Coach of the Year. He also led his high school team to an outstanding season with the Florida 6A State Championship. Under Sanchez’s guidance, his team developed a strong sense of teamwork and discipline, which helped them achieve success. Coach Sanchez’s players have also seen significant improvement in their skills and game strategies, thanks to his dedication and expertise. The community is proud of Coach Sanchez’s accomplishments and grateful for his contributions to the school and the sport of volleyball.
Learn more about DME Academy’s volleyball program here!
Laura Stegall, DME Academy’s Athletic Director, and Volleyball coach earns Purdue University’s Title IX Distinguished Service Award
Laura Stegall, DME Academy’s Athletic Director, and volleyball coach has been selected as one of the recipients of Purdue University’s Title IX Distinguished Service Award. Title IX was first enacted in 1972 and the award from Purdue is being presented to Stegall in honor of its 50th anniversary. Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives funding from the Federal Government.
Stegall and fifteen other individuals are receiving this reward to highlight their significant contributions to the advancement of gender equality in higher education and intercollegiate athletic programs.
Stegall graduated from Purdue University in Fort Wayne in the spring of 2002. Since graduating, she has gone on to earn countless accolades in the volleyball world. She is a true professional when it comes to launching volleyball programs and helping them blossom.
It all started in 2004 when Stegall spearheaded Indiana Tech’s program and led them to four consecutive winning seasons. She then went on to become the assistant coach of Embry-Riddle University. During her tenure there, the Eagles broke onto the scene with their first NAIA National ranking and made their first-ever national appearance at the National Tournament.
After her stay at Embry-Riddle, she went on to become the head coach of Daytona State College’s volleyball team.
Laura Stegall is being honored by Purdue Academy at the same time as her former coach, Kelley Hartley Hutton, who is also receiving the same award for her role as director of athletics at PFW. Which includes 15 seasons as head coach of the women’s volleyball program and 13 years as senior woman administrator, and chairperson of the Summit League Women’s Basketball Committee.
“Being put on this list with all of these amazing people is an honor in itself”. Says Stegall, “But earning Purdue’s Distinguished Service Award at the same time as my former coach, Kelley Hutton, is an even bigger personal achievement.”
In addition to her commitment to collegiate volleyball, Stegall has devoted her free time to enhance the development of young volleyball players in the Volusia County area. She is also the co-founder of If I Can I Will – Win The Day Foundation and author of the book “Diary of a No Name Girl” in which she coined the phrase “survive, thrive, live, repeat.”
Stegall is a true class act and DME Academy is incredibly lucky to have such a stand-up person as athletic director.
If you are interested in joining Laura and playing for DME Academy’s volleyball program, check it out here!
Congrats to New Smyrna Beach on winning the volleyball State Championship!
It started with a serve, followed by a few hundred passes, sets, and spikes. And it ended with a block, leaving the New Smyrna Beach High School Barracudas as volleyball state champions.
Located about 20 miles south of DME Academy, the Barracudas’ indoor volleyball team is led by head coach Alvaro Sanchez, who is also DME Volleyball’s Master and Academy Coach. Their assistant coach is Jill Kornegay, who also acts as DME Club Volleyball’s Assistant Club Director.
Many members of the New Smyrna Beach Indoor Volleyball team are also athletes on the DME Club Volleyball team. These nine players include Teagan Lux, Ivy Westfall, Lily Schlageter, Quinn Kraljic, Libby Nickels, Gracie Newell, Chloe Gibson, Hannah Zona, and Alyssa Kornegay.
Leading up to the state championship match, the Barracudas boasted an impressive record of 24-2 including a win at the state’s inaugural beach volleyball championship last spring.
Although they entered the final match of the championship with confidence, they were no strangers to their opponent, the Viera High School Hawks. These two teams had faced off last fall when the Hawks defeated the Barracudas in the playoffs in the regional finals.
Determined to come out on top, the Barracudas fought hard in every single game, needing all five sets to get the win (23-25, 25-15, 25-18, 19-25, 16-14). They won the final point of the match on a block by Newell, sealing the victory and their title as state champions.
This comes as the first indoor volleyball state championship in New Smyrna Beach High School history. DME’s very own Newell led the Barracudas with four blocks throughout the match.
Not only did they come home as state champions, but these athletes also solidified their legacy at New Smyrna Beach High School.
Congratulations to the New Smyrna Beach Barracuda’s indoor volleyball team on this incredible accomplishment, and congratulations to Coach Sanchez, Coach Kornegay, and the nine members of the DME Club Volleyball team!
To learn more about our volleyball program and how you can get involved, click here.
It’s the 5 a.m. wake-ups, the lack of spring and summer break, the time spent recovering, the dedication, and hard work. That’s what separates good athletes from great athletes.
Five DME Academy basketball players put pen to paper and signed with their dream schools. This was the ultimate achievement and symbolized the payoff of the commitment and passion they have given to the sport.
Three incredible athletes from our girl’s basketball teams signed with their dream schools. Hannah Miller, a Girls High School Prep team member, signed with Pitt State. Dominika Paurová and Tessa Engelman, members of the Girls High School National team, signed with Minnesota and South Carolina State, respectively.
Two members of our boy’s basketball teams also joined their dream schools. Petras Padegimas, a member of the Boys High School National team, signed with the University of Central Florida, and Alex Doyle, a member of the Post-Grad National/Blue basketball team, signed with Stetson University.
When asked about his experience at DME, Doyle said, “DME helped provide me with the opportunity to receive multiple scholarships. I’m especially thankful to my coaches, and I am extremely excited to make an impact in college at Stetson.”
At DME Academy, we are passionate about seeing our athletes succeed in the classroom and on the court. They make sacrifices daily to be the greatest at their sport and we are grateful we get to be a small part of their journey as they take their talent to the next level.
Congratulations to these five athletes on this incredible honor. Thank you for all you have given to DME Academy. We are excited to cheer you on as you take the next step in your career.
Do you want to take your talent to the next level? Learn more about our sports programs and how you can join DME Academy here.
They say the things that are worth it, never come easy. The same could be said for DME Academy’s 14U Sanders softball team’s road to the ISA Championship in Clermont, FL.
The journey started with a shut-out win over the TNT 14U. Aiyanna Gerhardt threw a complete game, ending in a 13-0 win for DME. Five players, Nina Padgett, Ashley Hughes, Alondra Vincenty, Avery Veirs, and Faith Rudy, stepped up to the plate, driving in eight runs in the third inning.
DME entered the Championship game as the number two seed with an overall record of 5-1. The only thing standing between them and the trophy was the Brevard Heat 14U, and they weren’t going down without a fight.
DME pulled ahead in the second inning as their bats heated up, but it was short-lived as the Heat tied it up in the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth inning, with the game tied 3-3, Katlyn Schoeps shut down a scoring opportunity by the Heat and kept the score even. DME fought their way back in the fifth inning, regaining the lead when Padgett stopped a possible game-tying run with an incredible fly-out catch.
This spark ignited a fire when Keylee Gerhardt recorded an RBI, scoring Schoeps who had reached base on an error by the Heat. This was followed by power-hitting thanks to Reese Cianciarulo, Hughes, and Vincenty.
An amazing win made even more incredible by the teamwork each athlete displayed. Cianciarulo led the team from the batter’s box and the mound with 9 hits and a 3-1 record from the rubber.
Cianciarulo kept the Heat’s bats at bay while the rest of the team mounted a solid defense behind her. She allowed only three runs on seven hits, striking out five with zero walks. Cianciarulo was backed by a solid defense, led by Gerhardt who showed off impressive fielding skills.
With a final score of 6-3, DME 14U Sanders Softball team earned the trophy and the title of champion. They played hard until the very last pitch and displayed impressive skill and teamwork.
Congratulations to the DME Academy 14U Sanders Softball team on winning the ISA Championship!
Interested in DME Academy’s softball or baseball program? Check it out here!