Malverne High School has earned the 2025-26 New York State Public High School Athletic Association School of Excellence designation, recognizing the academic achievements of its student-athletes and the school’s commitment to success in the classroom as well as in athletic competition.
The School of Excellence honor is awarded to schools in which at least 75 percent of varsity teams qualify as NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete teams by achieving a team grade point average of 90 or higher. Malverne High surpassed that benchmark, with 17 varsity squads earning Scholar-Athlete recognition during the 2025-26 school year.
The recognized teams included girls’ and boys’ soccer, girls’ volleyball, girls’ tennis, game day cheerleading, girls’ basketball, girls’ and boys’ bowling, girls’ winter track and field, competition cheerleading, softball, baseball, girls’ and boys’ lacrosse, boys’ tennis, and girls’ and boys’ spring track and field.
This recognition, spanning all three seasons of high school sports, reflect academic achievement among student-athletes throughout the school year. The qualifying teams represent a range of athletic programs, from individual to team sports.
Leading the way academically was the varsity girls’ tennis team, which had the highest average GPA, 99.39.
“This recognition reflects the dedication, discipline and perseverance our student-athletes demonstrate every day,” Principal Kesha Bascombe said. “Their ability to balance rigorous academic expectations with the demands of athletics is truly commendable and serves as a source of pride for our entire school community.”
“It’s a tremendous feeling because it shows all the hard work the coaches, student athletes and the administration has put in,” Micheal Pelan, the district’s director of physical education, health and athletics, said. “It just shows how competitive our kids are when they actually go to competitions as well.”
Student-athletes must balance schoolwork with practices, games, matches and meets throughout their respective seasons. Their recognition also reflects the efforts of coaches, teachers and families who support them — and reinforce academic expectations — as they balance those responsibilities.
“It’s a team effort,” Bascombe said. “Kids get what they get because of their hard work, but it’s a team effort of everyone to make sure we meet those goals.”
Maintaining strong academic performance while participating in athletics requires students to manage their time and balance competing responsibilities. Those skills can remain valuable beyond high school, whether students pursue higher education, continue playing sports or enter the workforce.
The School of Excellence honor recognizes the collective academic performance of the varsity teams rather than the accomplishments of a single athlete or program. Each qualifying team contributed to the school’s ability to meet the association’s overall standard.
The district congratulated the Scholar-Athlete teams for their academic and athletic accomplishments last school year. Their recognition reflects the high school’s emphasis on student achievement both in the classroom and in athletic competition.
“All these teams are showing such success, in the classroo as well as the field,” Pelan said. “The goal is to get them ready for their next step in life. Everything is not given to them.”
For more information, visit NYSPHSAA.org
