Alumni News

Tiffany Blood '00 Award Honors Life of Alumna

In 1998, Cushing Academy won its first and only Field Hockey championship, in part, because of the dedication and passion of the team’s goalie, Tiffany Blood ’00. When Tiffany passed away last winter due to complications from Crohn’s Disease, her teammate and friend Brittney Carr ’00 wanted to honor her life and contributions to Cushing and to the sport field hockey with an award at the Academy. So she called Cushing Athletic Director Bill Troy and together, they made it happen.

During an assembly in November, Tiffany’s family and some of her teammates gathered on Cushing’s campus to witness the presentation of the first annual Tiffany Blood Field Hockey Award. In talking about Tiffany, Trustee Melissa Irving Christensen ’00, who was one of Tiffany’s teammates on that championship team, described Tiffany as an intense competitor, a devoted teammate, a passionate player, and a loyal friend. Tiffany was an inspiration to her teammates, Christensen said. She was the first one at practice and the last one to leave. She was a leader on and off the field and she embodied the Penguin spirit.

The award will be given each year to the field hockey player who embodies those qualities. This year, the award was presented by Tiffany’s sister to Emma Tufts ’15. Emma will go on to play field hockey at Syracuse University next year.

During the presentation, Bill Troy encouraged each of Cushing’s athletes to play with the same drive and passion that Tiffany did. “Playing sports is about more than winning. It’s about the competition. It’s about time spent with your teammates and coaches. Play hard this weekend and honor Tiffany by celebrating both the wins and the losses.”

Wayne Sanborn Honored

A few years ago, Cushing Academy Athletic Director Bill Troy and alumnus Brett Torrey ’85 nominated Wayne Sanborn— former Cushing Academy coach, Athletic Director, and longtime administrator/faculty member of 37 years—to have one of the NEPSAC bowl games named in his honor and also for a distinguished service award. This year, that became a reality. On Saturday, Nov. 15, Brunswick took on Governor’s Academy at Avon Old Farms in the Wayne Sanborn Bowl. Brunswick defeated Governor’s Academy, 46–20, to win the championship. What a wonderful honor for a quintessential Cushing Penguin!

Traveling South for the Winter

During spring break in March, Headmaster Torino, Caitlin O’Brien, and Cushing’s new Director of Advancement, Bill O’Hearn, traveled to Florida to meet alumni, parents, and friends of the Academy. Jay Massirman ’76 and Samuel Getz ’75 hosted an event in Miami Beach. Chris Watkins ’56 hosted an event in Palm Beach. The weather was warm and so was the company! Florida wasn’t the only place our Cushing folks traveled this spring. The Academy held events in Colorado, Illinois, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania as well.

Dennis Driscoll ’61