Winter 2022

ACADEMICS

Cum Laude Inducts 20 2

ARTS

MUS Welcomes Artist in Residence 14

ATHLETICS

Wrestling Produces a Champ 24

MEMPHIS DAY 11

A day celebrating our city finishes at FedExForum

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Mr. Lee Loden's Physics II: Robotics class ended its ARMageddon unit. The boys built robotic arms to accomplish challenges. Seniors Will Jenks and Scott Ledbetter look on as classmate Baron Scifres grabs a thimblesized item and deposits it into a tiny PVC pipe.

THE MUS MISSION: Memphis University School is a college-preparatory school dedicated to academic excellence, cultivation of service and leadership, and the development of wellrounded young men of strong moral character, consistent with the school’s Christian tradition.

ARTS

17 Seniors Print "Corpse" Owls

18 28 Musicians Reach All-West

19 Bands and Ensembles Shine in Winter Concerts

SPORTS

20 Owls Hoop on the Court

22 Bowlers Roll Through Successful Season

23 Swimmers Win County Championship

24 McGehee Takes Wrestling State Championship

25 Senior Athletes Commit to College

Cum Laude Inducts 20 Owls

The Memphis University School chapter of the Cum Laude Society inducted 20 new members from the Classes of 2022 and 2023 during a ceremony February 25.

Seniors J.D. Clorina, Noah Emmert, Edward Grinder, Dex Jack, Vincent Ores, Talal Siddiq, Coleman Whitehead, Christopher Yarbro, and Jacob Zamore, representing the top 20% of their class, joined the society.

Juniors Jack Blackwell, Abdullah Elahi, Charlie Gamble, Frederick Huang, Andrew Jones, Varun Krishnamurthi, Jeffrey Liu, Kevin Ma, Max Mascolino, Jack Zaptin, and Lou Zhou, representing the top 10% of their class, also gained membership.

These honorees joined seniors inducted last year: Simeon Betapudi, Collin Craft, Mark Hieatt, Jordan Infeld, Evan Jones, Forest Rudd, Witt Smith, Garner Uhlhorn, and Kerry Zhao

Membership in the Cum Laude Society is the highest academic honor students in a secondary school can receive. Modeled on Phi Beta Kappa, the society encourages scholarship under the motto, “Excellence, Justice, Honor.” The MUS chapter was chartered on December 14, 1967.

Instructor in Religion Elliot Dent spoke after an introduction from Headmaster Pete Sanders. Dent’s speech focused on a story from a Western civilization class he took his sophomore

year in high school. The teacher presented a bowl to students and told them they had five minutes to write about it. Puzzled, the young Dent struggled to find anything noteworthy about the bowl, and time was up before he knew it.

At the end of the exercise, the teacher revealed to the students that there was a chip on the bowl, that there was a handwritten note inside the bowl, that there was a caution sign on the back of the bowl, and that there was a $100 bill taped to the bottom of the bowl, available to anyone who had just gotten up to investigate it closer.

The lesson? “When you’re reading about history, you’re only going to be reading from one perspective, and you might need to read it from all the perspectives,” Dent said. “For me, at the end of the day, the bowl is more than just how to approach history, but how to approach education. It was a lesson to be learned that education is more than just a means to an end.”

Sue Hightower Hyde Chair of English Lin Askew then welcomed the crowd and gave a brief background of the Cum Laude Society before Academic Dean Flip Eikner ’77 announced the new members, and English Department Chair Elizabeth Crosby handed them their booklets.

Sanders, as president of the MUS chapter, charged the inductees before dismissing for a reception in the Dining Hall. Congratulations to these young men!

Front, Jack Blackwell, Andrew Jones, Charlie Gamble, Varun Krishnamurthi, Jeffrey Liu, Jack Zaptin, Coleman Whitehead; middle, Frederick Huang, Lou Zhou, Kevin Ma, Abdullah Elahi, Max Mascolino, Jacob Zamore; back, Noah Emmert, J.D. Clorina, Dex Jack, Talal Siddiq, Vincent Ores, Edward Grinder, Christopher Yarbro

In the grand finale of the 2021 Terry N. Shelton Spelling Bee December 3, the final five participants –eighth graders Wilson Pace, Sohum Valaulikar, and seventh graders Luke Henry, Kaanit Valiani, and William Warmath –battled it out in Dunavant Lecture Hall.

After several grueling rounds, the last two standing were Valiani and Valaulikar. Valaulikar nailed “Albion” and “d’orsay” to cinch the competition. He represented MUS at the Shelby County Spelling Bee in the spring semester.

HOSA Members Shine in Regional Competition

Nine Owls earned top spots at the HOSA Lower West Tennessee Regional Conference. Most of the events consisted of a written test assessing the student’s knowledge on a specific topic in the medical field. Two exceptions were Prepared Speaking, in which the HOSA member develops a speech consistent with the conference’s theme of “Shatter Your Expectations”; and Forensic Science, in which a team views a “crime scene” and must write a conclusion with supporting evidence in addition to a written test.

HOSA is an international student organization for future health professionals endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. Whether students are interested in being a doctor, dentist, or medical researcher, HOSA aims to inspire them through education, collaboration, and experience. Junior Abdullah Elahi is the chapter president, and science instructors Ms. Laura Landry and Dr. Kyle Summers are the faculty advisors.

The students who placed were:

Juniors Charlie Gamble and Clyde Patton, First Place, Forensic Science

Junior Jack Zaptin, First Place, Pharmacology

Senior Samuel Lim, Third Place, Behavioral Health

Junior Alyaan Salman, Third Place, Prepared Speaking

Junior Jeffrey Liu, Fourth Place, Nutrition

Senior Talal Siddiq, Fifth Place, Pathophysiology

Junior Charles Hamlett, Fifth Place, Dental Terminology

Junior Lou Zhou, Fifth Place, Medical Math

A few of the HOSA members: front, Abdullah Elahi '23, Will Gramm '24, Jack Zaptin '23, Jeffrey Liu '23, Kevin Ma '23, Mahad Khwaja '25; back, Johnny Heinz '23, Samuel Callan '24, Max Mascolino '23, Henry Duncan '24, Charles Hamlett '23, Clyde Patton '23

Lower School Mathletes Add Up Lauds

Twelve Lower School mathletes competed in the Memphis Chapter MathCounts Competition in February under the instruction of Mr. Darin Clifft and Ms. Heather Davis, and three placed in the top 10.

Eighth graders Albert Ding, Henry Phan, Addy Ramakrishnan, Ari Thiyagarajaa, Sohum Valaulikar, Carter Wildrick, Lucas Zhang, and Andrew Zhou and seventh graders Abdullah Khawaja, Ryo Kimura, Becket Liles, and Hudson Mattern represented Memphis University School.

Out of the 94 competitors, Zhang placed fifth, Ding placed seventh, Zhou placed ninth, Kimura placed 11th, and Wildrick placed 12th. Zhang, Ding, and Zhou qualified for the state tournament held at the end of March in Nashville.

Additionally, 14 Lower School students competed for the first time in the virtual Tennessee Perennial Math Competition in March. MUS entered three teams:

Perennial Math Competition

Team 6642

Eighth graders Albert Ding, Carter Wildrick, Lucas Zhang, and Andrew Zhou, and seventh grader Ryo Kimura

Team 6643

Eighth graders Henry Phan, Addy Ramakrishnan, Ari Thiyagarajaa, Luke Tjiong, and Sohum Valaulikar

Team 6644

Seventh graders Carson Alexander, Joshua Dong, Hudson Mattern, and Abdullah Khawaja

Team 6642 finished first in the eighth-grade division, and Team 6644 finished third in the seventh-grade division, despite being a man short and having the score averaged out of five instead of four.

The competition also listed individual winners. In the eighth grade, Ding placed first, Zhou and Tjiong tied for second, and Zhang and Phan tied for third. In the seventh grade, Kimura tied for second and Khawaja tied for third.

The Perennial Math competitors outside the Lower School after their event.

Andrew Zhou, Albert Ding, and Lucas Zhang qualified for the state tournament in Nashville.

MathCounts competitors sported their red "mathlete" shirts on the day of the competition.

Mathematics Owls Qualify for AIME

Seven Owls qualified for February’s American Invitational Mathematics Examination with high scores from November’s American Mathematics Competition 10/12.

Nineteen Owls took the AMC 12, and another 28 took the AMC 10.

Two students, senior Forest Rudd and junior Jeffrey Liu, excelled on the AMC 12, an exam tailored to upperclassmen but open to lower levels as well. Sophomores Bryan Ding, Dannie Dong, Evan Wu, Jerry Xiao, and Alan Zhou all qualified on the AMC 10, which is only open to freshmen and sophomores.

All seven students took the AIME in February, attempting to qualify for the USA Mathematical Olympiad.

3-2-1 Owls Place Third in Nation

About 30 Upper School students participated in the fall 3-2-1 tournament Friday, November 19. This virtual quiz bowl offered two hours for competitors to complete 240 trivia questions. Owls earned 397 out of 480 total points, ranking them third in the nation and first overall in the state.

Mock Trial May Proceed

The Red and Blue mock trial teams competed in a series of competitions that saw the Red team finish second in Shelby County and advance to the state competition at the end of March. The competitions took place in Shelby County Courthouse and the historic courtroom at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

Red Team

Turner Bishop ’22

Evan Jones ’22

Hamza Ranjha ’22

Forest Rudd ’22

Kevlar Singh ’22

Amar Kanakamedala ’23

Parth Mishra ’23

Grayson Skipper ’24

Blue Team

Ayo Adebiyi ’22

Alex Li ’22

Christopher Yarbro ’22

Hamza Janjua ’23

Liam Shepherd ’23

Tyler Dang ’25

Sohan Ganguli ’25

In addition to the Red team’s excellent performance, many Owls were recognized for their ability in the courtroom. Senior Christopher Yarbro, junior Amar Kanakamedala, and sophomore Tyler Dang each earned the Best Attorney honor. Seniors Turner Bishop and Kevlar Singh and junior Liam Shepherd earned designation as Best Witness.

Many thanks to advisor Mrs. Rebecca Keel and coaches Mr. Erim Sarinoglu ’07 and Mr. Jason Hood for their work with the teams.

Both mock trial teams pose in a Downtown courtroom with volunteer coaches Mr. Erim Sarinoglu '07 and Mr. Jason Hood and advisor Mrs. Rebecca Keel.

Model UN Owls Make

‘Outstanding’ Effort

Upper and Lower School students participated in YMCA Model United Nations competitions in December, picking up awards and honors along the way.

In the Lower School, eighth graders Mark Billions, Thomas Donahoe, Joshua Gramm, and Trey McDonald represented Uzbekistan in the in-person conference held at First Evangelical Church. Out of 320 middle school students, McDonald won one of the few Outstanding Statesperson awards. Senior Christopher Yarbro served as an officer and committee chair.

The Upper School entered seven teams in the Tennessee Virtual General Assembly.

Afghanistan – Juniors Aaron Barawid, Hamza Janjua, Joseph Keeler, and Andrew Xu

Benin – Sophomores Lee Couloubaritsis and Tyler Dang

France – Juniors Ahad Farooq, Jeffrey Liu, Ismael Qureshi, and Mohid Saeed

Japan – Juniors Thomas Coffey, Charles Hamlett, Brown Nickey, and Barrett Summers

Macedonia – Juniors Frazier Gardner, Ben McBride, Doty Rawson, and Wesley Street

Pakistan – Juniors Aryaan Ahmed, Thomas Preston, Alyaan Salman, and Jack Zaptin

Venezuela – Sophomores Harrison Goetze and Ihsan Omer and freshman Paxton Silver

Couloubaritsis, Janjua, and Omer were each named Outstanding Delegate. Couloubaritsis and Dang, representing Benin, also earned Outstanding Resolution. Many thanks to Government Club advisor Mrs. Jenny Pratt!

Outstanding Statesperson Trey McDonald

Senior Christopher Yarbro, left, stands with Lower School Model UN members Thomas Donahoe, Mark Billions, Joshua Gramm, and Trey McDonald.

Wish Bowl

The annual Civic Service Organization Wish Bowl hit Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes in January to benefit the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. The CSO, advised by Mr. Jonathan Large, donated $1,300 collected from 18 Upper School teams, three Lower School teams, and two faculty teams. Take a look at some pictures from the event!

Seniors Caleb Skinner, Jacob Zamore, Mohammad Husein, Hamza Ranjha, and Patrick Gavin

Senior Loro Lado

Mrs. Michelle Crews, Mr. Jonathan Large, and Mr. Darin Clifft

Soil Your Undies

Mrs. Shauna Miller’s environmental science classes participated in the USDA Soil Your Undies Challenge – it’s not what you think!

Billions of microbes in the soil feed on natural matter like plant litter, apple cores, and even the cotton in your underwear. To test this concept, students buried fresh tighty-whities back in November and left them there until January for the microscopic organisms to feed on. After a few months, all that was left were the elastic waistband and a few shreds of cloth.

The microbes don’t just eat. Students learned that they also help soil resist erosion, cycle nutrients, and store water.

Above, Mrs. Miller's sixth period AP Environmental Science class buried their undies behind Hyde Library. Right, senior Nelson Saenz

Junior Griffin Marshall

Junior Braden Chubb

Buzzard League Enjoys Competitive Play and Camaraderie

The Lower School Buzzard League recreational basketball teams wrapped up their season with an intramural tournament in February.

The league consists of seventh- and eighth-grade divisions, and each division had four teams. Lower School Athletic Director Matt Bakke says this season gave 80 players a chance to enjoy basketball outside the official school teams.

Buzzard League isn’t just intramural, though. From December to February, the boys play recreational games against other schools, and the seventh-grade Blue Buzzards won the Hoop City Jack Jones Winter League.

In the February tournament, the seventh-grade Red Buzzards clinched a close game against the seventh-grade Blue Buzzards to win the division. The eighth-grade Silver Buzzards took it all against the eighth-grade Blue Buzzards for their division championship. Bakke gives credit to the boys for forming their teams, saying they are the ones who really make the league work, and he is proud of the competitiveness and positive camaraderie exhibited by the players.

Noah Glenn

Top, eighth grader Feild Owen awaits the ball from the referee

Middle, eighth-grade Silver Buzzards Henry Turner, Gray Nevels, Coach Miller Griesbeck, Sam Galler, Landry Cooper, Coach Devin Wells, John Cal Ozier, Will Fortas, Dallas Keras, Coach George Luton, and Alex Wunderlich (kneeling)

Bottom, seventh-grade Red Buzzards, front, Coach Casey Cooper '24, Logan Smith, Wyatt Martin, Maddox Yarbrough, Noah Glenn, Ben Mullins, Coach Pritchard Brooksbank '24; back, Bennett Brooksbank, Sathvik Jampana, Cross Alpe, Barrett Clift, and Adams Feild

See videos and photos from Memphis Day at tinyurl.com/mus7485k

Sophomore R'Chaun King

Photo by Joe Murphy

MEMPHIS MEMPHIS DAY

MEMPHIS MEMPHIS DAY MEMPHIS DAY

MEMPHIS MEMPHIS DAY

We celebrated our Memphis home with community speakers and games on campus before our varsity basketball Owls headed to FedExForum to beat MHEA, 44-41. Later, Beg To Differ sang the national anthem before the Grizzlies overcame the Golden State Warriors, 116-108.

We are grateful to our speakers for providing students with insight on the opportunities and challenges facing our city and to all who made these events possible. It was a great day all around!

The day started with a school assembly in Hyde Chapel including the MUS Studio Band performing Memphis-themed music and an introduction to the day’s events from Headmaster Pete Sanders. Instructor in Religion Clay Smythe ’85 spoke on what makes Memphis unique and why the city offers a great return on investment of time, talent, and treasure, not to mention heart and imagination.

After the assembly, students met with speakers from across the community covering a variety of topics.

MEMPHIS GOVERNMENT

Introduced by Instructor of American Government Jason Peters ’88, Memphis City Council members and alumni Mr. Frank Colvett, Jr. ’88, Mr. Chase Carlisle ’03, and Mr. Worth Morgan ’05 spoke to eighth graders and seniors about the nonpartisan council, public safety, and what it means to be a public servant in Memphis. Peters asked questions composed with assistance from his AP Government students.

MEMPHIS ENTREPRENEURIALISM

Instructor in Economics Orlando McKay introduced Mr. Andy Cates ’89, president and chairman of The Daily Memphian Board of Directors. Cates is also CEO of RVC Outdoor Destinations and a member of the MUS Board of Trustees. He spoke to juniors and freshmen about entrepreneurialism as a way of improving our city, using the example of the nonprofit digital news source The Daily Memphian.

MEMPHIS SPORTS

Fine Arts Chair and NBA Photography Assistant Grant Burke introduced Memphis Grizzlies President Jason Wexler and Grind City Media Senior Editor Mike Wallace who spoke with sophomores and seventh graders about the team, its winning trend, and the organization’s initiatives to celebrate and uplift Memphis.

MEMPHIS DAY MEMPHIS MEMPHIS DAY MEMPHIS

MEMPHIS DAY MEMPHIS

MEMPHIS DAY MEMPHIS

SLINGSHOT MEMPHIS

Seniors met with Mr. Justin Miller, founding CEO of Slingshot Memphis, a “poverty-fighting center of influence that’s igniting a movement to revolutionize the way we fight poverty,” according to the organization’s website.

CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH ROOM IN THE INN

Calvary's Director of Outreach Ministries Christine Todd led this talk with sophomores about actively loving their neighbors, and Community Liaison Darius (Mak) Clayton presented a spoken-word poem. Todd encouraged students to get involved in projects such as Calvary’s Room in the Inn, a service that offers emergency shelter and recuperative care for people experiencing homelessness.

THE SALVATION ARMY

Major Maureen Diffley, commanding officer of The Salvation Army Purdue Center, and Mrs. Christina Roberts, founder of The Salvation Army Give, Pray, Serve (GPS) Squad, met with Lower School boys. The Purdue Center offers residency and programs for women and their children facing myriad challenges. The GPS Squad is a group of young people dedicated to meeting the needs of Memphis.

MORE THAN A MEAL AND SAMARITAN COUNSELING CENTERS

Freshmen met Mr. Earle Donelson, co-founder of More Than a Meal, a program that invites homeless and hungry people to dine in the parish hall of Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Donelson is also a psychologist with Samaritan Counseling Centers, a practice that provides professional counseling services and educational programs to anyone in need regardless of financial situation.

MIFA

Mrs. Anna Kathryn Word, chief development officer at MIFA (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association) spoke to juniors about the organization and its mission to support the independence of vulnerable seniors and families in crisis through partnerships with organizations, volunteers, and donors.

The morning concluded with lunch in the Dining Hall and activities including an inflatable jungle gym and jousting ring, gaming trucks, and a 3v3 basketball tournament before the Owls took on MHEA at FedExForum in the afternoon.

Hutcheson Paints New Experience for Students

MUS welcomed Amy Hutcheson, the 11th Artist-in-Residence, to campus this fall to work on an original piece to hang in the Campus Center gallery.

Throughout her week-long residency, xxxxx Hutcheson painted Transmit and Receive with students from Art Instructor Laura Beck Department Chair Grant Burke’s classes. Burke began the residency program in 2011.

Hutcheson characterizes her xx style as having abstract shapes that intersect and overlap, xxxx exploring the relationship xxxx between space and color. xx “My works are fueled by joy, jazz, physical movement, and synesthesia,” she says.

While her work is abstract, it is never random. She spends hours planning her colors and deliberating which shapes to move to the foreground and background. “I like my colors to have a conversation,” she says.

As part of the residency, Hutcheson advised students as they created abstract collages, another art form she is known for and often uses when planning new paintings.

During the unveiling of the painting in

chapel, a student asked her the meaning behind the work. She then presented the question to the rest of the students, asking them for their thoughts. Shouts of “love,” “warmth,” and “happiness” came from the seats before Hutcheson revealed the truth behind her art.

“It’s not a copout to say all of your answers are right,” she said. “Your experience with art, whether it’s my art, Birdcap’s art, Hamlett Dobbins’ art, Pinkney [Herbert’s] art, whether you like it or not, is your experience.”

Students present and future will be able to experience Transmit and Receive as it hangs alongside works from the aforementioned artists and others who have participated in the residency.

“My hope with my work is to give you a moment or two to forget about what’s going on in your world and get lost in mine,” Hutcheson said.

The Michigan-born artist received her Bachelor of Fine Art from Memphis College of Art in 2004. Her work has been in galleries and collections across the country, most recently at L Ross Gallery in Memphis, Globe Fine Art in Santa Fe, and Memphis Botanic Garden.

Headmaster Pete Sanders, Amy Hutcheson, and Mr. Grant Burke during the unveiling chapel Left, seventh grader Carson Alexander

Hutcheson works in Mrs. Laura Beck's studio.

S T R E E T A T R

Take a look at what Mrs. Laura Beck's seventh-grade artists have been up to! As part of their portfolios, they had to pick favorite street artists and replicate their work.

Logan Smith works on his piece replicated from Lady Pink.

Allen Halliday’s painting is inspired by Jen Stark.

Bo Shroerlucke takes on the style of Memphis’ own Birdcap.

Clay Patterson chooses the artist C215 for his work.

Will Brezina is influenced by Tavar Zawacki’s psychedelic funk. Ryo Kimura pulls inspiration from Keith Haring.

Greeting Card Artists

Congratulations to the winners of the Admissions Department card art contest, freshman Oscar Liu and eighth grader Jeremy Burks Liu’s art will grace the cover of the Admissions' birthday and general cards, and Burks’ art will be the cover of new get well/thinking of you cards.

Corpse Owls

Seniors in Mr. Grant Burke’s printmaking class created exquisite “corpse” owls. The boys started by designing unique owls, but in true Dr. Frankenstein fashion, they butchered them in thirds, swapping parts to create a captivating collage from head to toe. Check out the results!

Oscar Liu

Jeremy Burks

Seniors McRae Dickinson, Kyler Herring, Loro Lado, and Will Camp

Record 28 Musicians Reach All-West Standing

Arecord 28 Owl musicians earned chairs in All-West Tennessee bands and orchestras, and another two received alternate status. This surpasses last year’s record of 25 chair placements and three alternates. Additionally, eight students qualified for All-State honors.

Eleven of the 16 students earning chairs in the bands were assigned to the Blue Band, the top band for their ensembles. Seven earned 1st chair, the highest rank in their ensembles, and six others earned 5th chair or higher.

The West Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, an affiliate of the National Association for Music Education, hosted auditions for the bands January 15 and the orchestras November 20. Students receiving the honor were invited to attend a clinic at Renasant Convention Center and perform in a concert held at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, home to the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

Alan Zhou ’24, 11th chair flute

Luke Akers ’25, 22nd chair clarinet

Alan Cheng ’25, 1st chair trombone*

Diego Guerrero Viloria ’25, 4th chair euphonium**

9-10 Red Band

Sai Madasu ’24, 4th chair bass clarinet

Joey Paul ’25, 4th chair clarinet

Alex Yong ’25, 6th chair alto saxophone

Middle School Orchestra

Bill Chiang ’26, 1st chair violin

Henry Phan ’26, 38th chair violin

Andrew Zhou ’26, 7th chair viola

Will Brezina ’27, 40th chair violin

Ryo Kimura ’27, 10th chair violin

William Warmath ’27, 9th chair violin

11-12 Symphony Orchestra

Samuel Lim ’22, 24th chair violin

Frederick Huang ’23, 6th chair violin* Jeffrey Liu ’23, 2nd chair clarinet**

9-10 Honors String Orchestra

Gabe Chen ’24, 1st chair violin*

Evan Wu ’24, 1st chair viola*

Michael Liu ’25, 10th chair violin*

9-10 Blue Band

Dannie Dong ’24, 1st chair percussion*

Joel Lim ’24, 1st chair oboe*

Henry Lindeman ’24, 6th chair trombone

Parth Patel ’24, 17th chair clarinet

Eshaan Patnaik ’24, 2nd chair clarinet*

Middle School Blue Band

Joshua Gramm ’26, 2nd chair alto saxophone

Lucas Zhang ’26, 1st chair clarinet

Middle School Red Band

Addy Ramakrishnan ’26, 12th chair trombone

Sohum Verma ’26, 18th chair clarinet

Alternates

Wilson Pace ’26, 3rd alternate alto saxophone, Middle School Band

Sohum Valaulikar ’26, 1st alternate oboe, Middle School Band

*All-State honors **All-State alternates

All-West musicians and alternates

All-State musicians and alternates

Winter Concerts

The Memphis University School Music Department hosted two winter concerts featuring the MUS Orchestra and Wind Ensembles directed by Mr. Chris Piecuch; the Chamber Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Beg To Differ directed by Mr. Matt Tutor ’91; and the Studio Band directed by Mr. Chris Carter. The nights were filled with holiday cheer, warmth, and a whole lotta soul!

Orchestra

Violin

Will Brezina ’27

Gabe Chen ’24

Bill Chiang ’26

Frederick Huang ’23

Ryo Kimura ’27

Rushil Komeravelli ’25

Varun Krishnamurthi ’23

Sudeep Kundavajjala ’25

Samuel Lim ’22

Michael Liu ’25

Henry Phan ’26

William Warmath ’27

Viola

Evan Wu ’24

Andrew Zhou ’26

Cello

Nathan Chambers ’23

Soren Johnson ’27

Lower School

Wind Ensemble

Oboe

Sohum Valaulikar ’26

Clarinet

Sohum Verma ’26

Lucas Zhang ’26

Alto Saxophone

Noah Glenn ’27

Joshua Gramm ’26

Wilson Pace ’26

Tenor Saxophone

Fletcher Taylor ’26

Trumpet

AdeOlu Adebiyi ’26

Webb Canale ’27

Derrion Harris-Larkin ’26

Wallace Keeler ’26

Trey McDonald ’26

Coleman Russell ’27

Trombone

Samuel Chambers ’27

Addy Ramakrishnan ’26

Tuba

Brady Ehrhart ’26

Joel Hobson ’27

Piano/Percussion

Ari Thiyagarajaa ’26

Trey Trammel ’27

Upper School

Wind Ensemble

Flute

Alan Zhou ’24

Oboe

Joel Lim ’24

Oscar Liu ’25

Clarinet

Luke Akers ’25

Jeffrey Liu ’23

Parth Patel ’24

Eshaan Patnaik ’24

Joey Paul ’25

Bassoon

Carson Smith ’25

Bass Clarinet

Sai Madasu ’24

Alto Saxophone

Chrishton King ’25

Alex Yong ’25

Trumpet

Mark Boatright ’25

Trombone

Andrew Bruce ’25

Alan Cheng ’25

Henry Lindeman ’24

Baritone

Diego Guerrero Viloria ’25

Percussion

Dannie Dong ’24

Studio Band

Ahad Farooq ’23 - Guitar

Foster Houseal ’25 - Guitar

Ben Morrow ’25 - Piano/Keys

Wesley Caldwell ’23 - Bass

Davis Edmonds ’25 - Drums

Mr. Chris BarnesGuest Vocalist

Ms. Kesha CookGuest Vocalist

Jazz Band

Ayo Adebiyi ’22 - Trumpet

Brandon Walker ’24Saxophone

Jorge Garcia ’24 - Piano

Will Hess ’24 - Bass

David Sabin ’22 - Drums

Beg To Differ

Cristian Arocho ’23

Simeon Betapudi ’22

Hayes Graham ’24

Mark Hieatt ’22

Kris Johnson ’23

West Loden ’22

Ricky Ransom ’22

Johnathan Ray ’22

Joseph Weller ’24

Tanner Williams ’23

Ms. Kesha Cook, Ben Morrow, Foster Houseal, Mr. Chris Barnes, Ahad Farooq, Wesley Caldwell, and Davis Edmonds

Coleman Russell, Lucas Zhang, and Sohum Verma

An exciting 2021-22 varsity basketball season featured a young team, a challenging schedule, and four overtime games, plus an additional three games decided by a single possession. The Owls ended the season with a 15-10 overall record and a runner-up finish in the TSSAA Division II West Region after falling to eventual undefeated state champion Christian Brothers. The team’s top five scorers were either sophomores or freshmen, giving the young Owls valuable experience while showing that they can compete with the best teams in the state.

MUS took on one of the most competitive schedules in school history with games against top teams in Memphis such as East, MHEA, FACS, Fayette Ware, and Overton. Other high-level opponents outside the region included Our Savior Lutheran (New York), Vertical Academy (North Carolina), Spring Creek Academy (Texas), and Knoxville Catholic.

The Owls enjoyed competing in FedExForum, where they defeated MHEA in a thrilling come-from-behind victory in front of a rowdy student section on Memphis Day (see page 11). The squad later played in the Memphis Hoopfest at Arlington High School versus nationally recognized prospect Mikey Williams and his Vertical Academy team in front of a standing-roomonly crowd.

Other highlights from the season include an overtime victory over Spring Creek Academy at the Iverson Classic, an impressive road win at Fayette Ware, and a season sweep of

regional rival Briarcrest with one of those victories coming on the road in a thrilling overtime game. The team also took undefeated Christian Brothers to overtime in both games this season, unfortunately dropping both contests in heartbreaking fashion. The season ended with a loss on the road in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs to eventual state runner-up Knoxville Catholic.

Owls Head Coach David Willson ’99 says the team adopted a gritty defensive identity. “I was impressed with how this group developed defensively this year against a strong slate of opponents,” he says. “Our team forced an average of 15 turnovers per game, we took twice as many charges as our opponents (44), and we held opponents to an average of 40% from the field. I believe added experience for our returners and hard work during the offseason will enable us to be a more balanced, efficient, and consistent offensive team moving forward.”

Sophomore Curtis Givens led MUS in scoring at 16.3 points per game and led the team in steals at 1.5 steals per game. Sophomore R’Chaun King led the team in rebounding with an average of 7.7 rebounds per game while also averaging 12.3 points per game. Senior Coy Stiles led the team in assists with 2.8 assists per game, and sophomore Brandon Nicholson took a team high 14 total charges.

The team graduates five seniors from the program: James Barton, Kyler Herring, Loro Lado, KJ Milan, and Stiles.

JUNIOR VARSITY

Coach: Scott Rose ’82

Record: 14-4

Roster: Mac Barcroft, Kai Barnes, Griffin Brown, Reid Chauhan, Henry Duncan, Myles Gill, Kristopher Horne, Max Mascolino, Barrett Sexton, Owen Sharp, Van Thompson

Juniors Clarence Chapman, Max Painter, Barrett Summers, and Wesley Street will take the helm next season along with sophomores Givens, King, Nicholson, Hays Prather, Jackson Ransom, and Makhi Shaw Joakim Dodson also played a large role on the team as a freshman.

Willson appreciated the team chemistry throughout the season. “We had a large roster with 16 players. I was impressed by how each person on the team committed to embracing his role and how the boys supported one another well through the highs and lows. I am grateful to junior Bauer Patton and senior Ricky Ransom for the many ways they served our team as student managers and to assistant coaches Robert O’Kelley and Scott Rose ’82 for their outstanding leadership and support.”

FRESHMAN

Coach: Joe Tyler

Record: 14-7

Roster: Milling Chapman, Thomas Davis, Tucker Davis, Turner Davis, Caleb Ellis, Townes Jones, Levi Miller, Marcus Moore, Andrew Ogbeide, Jackson Peters, Michael Ray, Jacob Wade

EIGHTH GRADE

Coach: Matt Bakke

Record: 17-6

Roster: Remon Brown, Reese Deupree, Bo Echols, Maddox Giel, Miller Griesbeck, Jacob Hill, Kendon Leakes, George Luton, Wills Marshall, Boyd Rhodes, Will Tayloe, Devin Wells

SEVENTH GRADE

Coach: Jason Peters ’88

Record: 22-1

Roster: Cy Bradshaw, Jamarion

Chapman, Foster Flaherty, Chase Givens, Allen Halliday, Dhilan Madasu, John Painter, Matthew Ray, Brayden Santibanez, Tanner

Sherman, Charles Snider, Sam Speed

2021-22 Varsity Owls

Left, Jackson Ransom shoots for 3 points in the CBHS game as the team and the crowd cheer him on.

Above, Curtis Givens takes it strong to the basket; Brandon Nicholson goes up; Wesley Street makes a shot.

Photos by Jerry Gallik and Joe Murphy

Fresh Bowlers Improve Through Season

The 2021 bowling season brought a different format to matches as the league – made up of Briarcrest, Christian Brothers, Harding, MUS, and St. Benedict –included five Baker games per match.

At the outset of the school year, Coach Michael Escue and Assistant Coach Crystal Escue started working with guys on technique and strategy to be ready for Baker bowling, a format used in the state tournament. In this format players on the same team alternate each frame rather than having individual score lines. After losing seven seniors since last year, practice was essential so the fresh team could compete well and improve throughout the season.

The team had five seniors, all of whom had never bowled in varsity competition: Simeon Betapudi, Webb Daniel, Oscar Marshall, Ricky Ransom, and Micah Unowsky. Juniors on the roster were Nathaniel Greenfield, Kris Johnson, and Sutton Thomas. Rounding out the team were sophomores Knox Brown and Lee Couloubaritsis and freshmen Gray Allen, Andersen Henry, Jeremiah Johnson, Ben Morrow, and Alex Yong

The Owls went 3-5 this year but improved as the season unfolded. After an opening loss to Christian Brothers, the squad beat that same rival later in the season, 16-7, to show improvement. The Owls also got two tough wins against Harding.

Even though the team did not reach its ultimate goal of advancing to the state tournament, the members still enjoyed competing on the lanes for the school and improving individually.

With some young, talented bowlers coming back next year, the future of the program looks bright.

“With this team being new, the boys went above and beyond all expectations, and I am proud of the way the season turned out,” Escue said. “I look forward to them growing as a team!”

Junior Kris Johnson

2021-22 Varsity Bowlers

Senior Micah Unowsky

Photos by Jerry Gallik

Coach Escue huddles with the team before the match.

Aquatic Owls Aquatic Owls

win County, Swim Strong at State

During Head Coach Bryan Parker’s 11-year tenure, aquatic Owls have consistently improved over the course of a season and had strong showings in the postseason. This year’s team was no different as the swimmers won the county meet for the first time since 2018 and finished fifth at the state meet, held in early February.

Twenty athletes made up the varsity roster, and each class was represented equally. The Owls were led by five experienced seniors who swam well all year: Collin Craft, Zion James, Gryffin Ostner, Luke Snider, and Kerry Zhao. Talented juniors included Aaron Barawid, Johnny Heinz, Frederick Huang, Kevin Ma, and Jack Zaptin. The sophomore class – Wilson Bridgforth, Pritchard Brooksbank, Samuel Callan, Henry Lindeman III, and Hudson Shoaf – contributed much to the team. The freshmen showed some outstanding promise with Alex Clayton, Coleman Kimmel, Aidan Smith, Josh Ungab, and Alex Yong

The Owls swam in three league meets, three sprint meets, and a last chance meet, performing well in all of them. They won four of the seven meets and finished second in another. Those seven competitions seasoned the team for the postseason, and in the county championships, the Owls excelled. Many on the team exceeded expectations, and Coach Parker’s squad handily took the title back, winning by 181 points with a score of 577. Parker and the team were excited as they headed to the state meet.

Eleven Owls qualified for the state competition in Nashville: Callan, Craft, Heinz, Huang, James, Kimmel, Lindeman, Ostner, Shoaf, Snider, and Ungab.

Heinz and James were finalists in all four of their events, including in two individual events and two relays. Snider was a three-time finalist, including one individual event. Kimmel was a finalist in one individual event and one relay, and Lindeman was a two-time finalist, both on relay teams. Additionally, the three relay teams all qualified for the finals. These teams included James, Heinz, Snider, and Kimmel in the 200 medley; Huang, Lindeman, Craft, and Snider in the 200 freestyle; and Heinz, Lindeman, Ostner, and James in the 400 freestyle.

All the Owls had strong swims, and James had an outstanding meet as he set two school records in both of his individual events: the 50-yard freestyle (20.31) and the 100yard freestyle (44.76). He also helped the 400-yard freestyle team to a third-place finish. Ultimately, the Owls finished fifth overall, scoring 129 points.

Coach Parker enjoyed working with this group, and he was especially proud of the seniors and their leadership this year.

“The 400 freestyle relay at state is one I will remember for a long time,” he said. “It was the perfect finish to this season, which was a return to where MUS swimming should be. I will forever be grateful to the seniors for carrying our team the past four years, and we will miss each and every one of them. Good luck to Collin, Zion, Gryffin, Luke, and Kerry!”

Seniors Collin Craft and Zion James presented the county trophy in chapel.

Sophomore Pritchard Brooksbank

Photos by Jerry Gallik Junior Frederick Huang

Wrestling Produces Second State Champ and First All-American

The varsity wrestling team overcame many obstacles on the way to an 11-5 overall record and an individual state championship.

The team had to face COVID-19 again this season as Head Coach Chris Lewis struggled to field a full roster for a number of tournaments.

“Combined with a beefed-up regular-season tournament schedule, the Owls were flirtin’ with disaster,” Lewis said (with thanks to Molly Hatchett).

Through all the adversity, though, the team improvised, adapted, and overcame to post a successful season. Early top 10 finishes in the Black Horse Invitational, Clarksville Slamfest, and the Cape Central tournaments highlighted December’s events.

As the calendar year changed, two wrestlers emerged from The Outlaw Tournament in Allen, Texas, with outstanding finishes: Sophomore Dion Stutts (285) won his weight class, and junior Ian McGehee (152) finished second. These two young men would use these performances as a springboard for unprecedented runs toward MUS wrestling history. They would continue to place in the top three in every subsequent tournament.

With a clean bill of health later in the season, the team went on a roll, closing with five straight dual victories, including a 48-36 victory over Houston and a third-place overall finish in

the Crown Trophy tournament in Arkansas.

In the region tournament, the Owls placed fifth, qualifying three wrestlers for the state tournament. McGehee and Stutts became the first region champions out of MUS in 25 years, and junior Isaac Palmer (160) placed third to qualify.

At the state tournament, McGehee became the school’s second state champion with a thrilling 3-1 victory, joining heavyweight Andrew Hooser ’04, who won the title his senior year. Stutts dropped a heartbreaker, 4-2, to finish second in his weight class. Because of their success, both qualified for the National Prep Wrestling Championship outside of Washington, D.C., where McGehee became MUS’s first National Prep AllAmerican by placing sixth overall, and Stutts finished one match short of All-American status.

“Hopefully, this is just the beginning,” Lewis told The Daily Memphian high school sports reporter John Varlas.

The young team was led by seniors Andrew Harris and Jacob Zamore. Juniors consisted of McGehee and Palmer, and a field of sophomores included Noland Brown, Casey Cooper, Luke Early, Harry Feild, Catcher Miller, Alex Nail, Grayson Pollan, and Stutts. Freshmen Tyler Edmundson, Wilkes Gowen, Cort Jones, and Stanton Miller contributed along with eighth-graders Brady Ehrhart, Bennett Jones, Dallas Keras, Oliver Leavitt, Trey McDonald, Cody Pratt, and Cannon Thakkar

Left, Ian McGehee displays his championship bracket. Top middle, Dion Stutts works his opponent. Bottom middle, Casey Cooper, Dion Stutts, Ian McGehee, and Cort Jones earn medals in Little Rock. Below, Ian McGehee tries for the takedown.

Left, Madison Neal, Linley Downs, Jane Chancellor, Kate Weakley, Mallory McQuillen, and Izzy Moore are pictured with their fathers.

Right, senior escorts Mac Owen, John Monaghan, John Nelson, Ricky Ransom, Henry Weeks, and Weston Southerland with Homecoming Queen Kate Weakley

Basketball Homecoming

This year’s Basketball Homecoming Court and senior escorts took to the Ross M. Lynn Arena in dazzling fashion during halftime against the St. Benedict Eagles. Jane Chancellor, escorted by Mac Owen; Linley Downs, escorted by John Monaghan; Mallory McQuillen, escorted by John Nelson; Izzy Moore, escorted by Weston Southerland; Madison Neal, escorted Ricky Ransom; and Kate Weakley,

escorted by Henry Weeks, were all on the ballot for Homecoming queen.

After a student vote earlier in the day, Headmaster Pete Sanders and Student Council President Fred Schaeffer presented Kate Weakley with the crown and flowers at halftime. Congratulations!

Seniors Commit to Play

Seniors Dean DiMento, left, and Luke Snider, right, committed to play sports at the next level December 15. DiMento signed to play lacrosse at High Point University, and Snider will swim with Valparaiso University. Congratulations and Go, Owls!

Peter D. Sanders

Headmaster

Barry Ray

Assistant Headmaster

Loyal Murphy '86

Lower School Principal

Bobby Alston

Director of Athletics

Wendy Trenthem

Director of Hyde Library

Flip Eikner '77

Academic Dean

Perry Dement

Director of Advancement

Claire Farmer

Director of Annual Fund

Rankin Fowlkes

Director of Business Operations

Joe Abrahams '96

Director of Counseling Services

Ann Laughlin

Director of Alumni and Parent Programs

Zach Hansen

Director of College Counseling and Strategic Initiatives

Jenny Byers

Director of College Counseling and Student Programming

Buck Towner '07

Director of Admissions

Liz Copeland

Director of Communications

Rebecca H. Greer

Assistant Director of Communications

John McBride '17

Managing Editor, Inside MUS

Kaitlan Koehler

Graphic Designer, Inside MUS

OATH OF HONOR

We, the students and faculty at Memphis University School, hereby pledge our full support to the Honor System.

I pledge to be honest myself, and in order that the spirit and integrity of the Honor System may endure, I pledge that I will make known to the Honor Council any case of dishonesty which I may observe at MUS.

THE MUS MISSION:

Memphis University School is a college-preparatory school dedicated to academic excellence, cultivation of service and leadership, and the development of well-rounded young men of strong moral character, consistent with the school's Christian tradition.

On the Cover

Detective Jason Stewart of the Multi-Agency Gang Unit and Jax the Belgian Malinois visited the Lower School in February. Students watched in excitement as Jax sniffed for narcotics hidden by Stewart. Thanks to Security Director Kevin Brown for arranging the visit!

Photo by Joe Murphy