Hanna S. '24 and Katie P. '24 concluded their unbeaten season with an IAAM Championship title on Friday. The doubles duo bested a pair of St. Paul's Gators in the final round of the tournament, held at Roland Park Country School, to earn their victory.

About the win, Varsity Coach Crystal Lee Alston '96 said, "It was an absolute joy to watch Hanna and Katie play this season. They went undefeated in the regular season and never let up during the tournament to win the championship. They take the game seriously, but always made sure to have lots of fun.”

Hanna, named to the IAAM All-Conference team for her play this season, comes to Garrison Forest from Germany where most of her family enjoys the game of badminton. While boarding at GFS this year, she played field hockey in the fall but couldn't wait for the spring.

Friends on and off the court, Katie and Hanna said the title felt almost surreal. Katie described the moment she realized they had won, "We won on the other team’s out, so it felt like the whole world slowed down while I was watching the birdie. When the birdie landed, it was the biggest relief. The first thing I did was hug Hanna before I even comprehended that we had won."

Congratulations to our Grizzlies!