At Homecoming 2025, varsity swimming coach Jeff Scott (center) celebrates on the field with his son Patrick and alumni and former HRA swimmers (standing, left to right) Mitchell Finch ’08, Chase Suttle ’17, Caroline Thatcher ’16, and Peyton Baldwin ’15

Continuing a tradition initiated at Homecoming 2025, Hampton Roads Academy will proudly recognize Navigator varsity teams celebrating landmark anniversaries of conference and state championships at halftime during this year’s Homecoming varsity football game against The Covenant School on Friday, October 23.

The special spotlight embodies the spirit of Homecoming, a time for all Navigators—whenever they attended the Academy—to return to campus and honor the strong relationships and legacy of excellence that have defined the school’s history since it opened its doors in 1959.

Players and coaches from years past will begin gathering on campus at the annual All-Alumni Tailgate at 5:00 pm, gearing up for a 6:30 kickoff. Around 7:00, championship teams will join alumni from all eras and parade onto the field for a salute to their remarkable accomplishments.

The 15 exceptional teams recognized this fall are an embodiment of the long-running record of athletic achievement that has brought distinction to the Academy and continues to this day on the court, on the field, and in the pool.

“I love that recognizing HRA’s championship teams at Homecoming has become a tradition,” said Director of Athletics Laura Stoner. “It’s a meaningful way to reconnect with our alumni, celebrate the Navigators who helped shape HRA’s athletic history, inspire today’s student-athletes, and build pride in what it means to be part of the HRA community.”

Decades of Excellence

Davis Wildman ’77 smacks a home run over the fence during the spring 1977 baseball season

“It’s a wonderful tribute to our Athletics Department over a long period of time that this decade championship anniversary year spans half a century and includes nine different sports,” said Director of Alumni Relations Tommy Yevak ’83, a star player and longtime coach of HRA baseball.

Marking an incredible 50 years since they won the Commonwealth Conference championship in their respective sports are two outstanding 1977 teams. That spring, boys tennis, coached by the late math teacher Col. Robert B. Short, came out on top in all but one of their singles and doubles contests in a four-team conference championship tournament held at Richmond’s Trinity Episcopal School. Meanwhile, Navigator baseball, led by second-year coach Jack Marr, had its strongest season up to that point in HRA history, with an impressive 16-3 record. Also clinching the conference title at Trinity, the baseball team capped off the championship game with an unforgettable grand slam by HRA Athletic Hall of Famer Bill Shelly ’77.

All-Conference golfer and medalist Charles Wentworth ’89 tees off in spring 1987

The spring 1987 golf and girls track teams will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of their championships at Homecoming this year. Under the late great Hal Tayloe, a longtime English teacher as well as a beloved coach, Navigator varsity golf suffered only two losses all season and claimed the TCIS tournament championship title. That same year, coached by the late Larry Knight, girls track posted their fifth consecutive undefeated season, with top honors at the TCIS meet as their crowning achievement.

Three teams spanning all sports seasons will celebrate 30 years since they each won a TCIS tournament championship. In fall 1996, boys soccer, led by longtime coach, history teacher, and Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Alford, notched their third consecutive conference title with a triumphant 2-0 win against Norfolk Academy. Later that school year, both the winter 1997 girls swim team, under Coach of the Year Barbara Schmidt, and the spring 1997 golf team, under Coach Art Burke, won their second straight TCIS championships. Navigator golf was honored to have five players claim medalist positions that season.

Then-seventh grader Taylor Wingo ’12 takes a powerful swing during the varsity girls tennis team’s historic 2006 season

This fall marks the twentieth anniversary of the historic 2006 girls tennis season, during which the team was undefeated, with a perfect 15-0 record, and went on to win the regular-season, TCIS tournament, and state championships. Head Coach Ray Smith, an honorary 2026 All-Alumni Tailgate host, received his well-deserved sixth TCIS Coach of the Year award for his leadership that season. Alongside Smith’s decorated tennis team, HRA will also recognize Coach Jim Lewis’ winter 2006 and winter 2007 boys swim teams for the fourth and fifth in an amazing run of five consecutive TCIS tournament championships.

Rounding out this year’s Homecoming halftime recognitions will be a remarkable five state championship teams celebrating a decade since their memorable wins. HRA will shine a spotlight on the winter 2016 and winter 2017 boys and girls swim teams, all coached by honorary tailgate host Jeff Scott, who still helms the Academy’s varsity swimming program. The boys and girls swim teams notched their respective fifth straight state championships in 2016, followed by their sixth in 2017, both on their way to an unmatched run of seven titles. In 2017, both teams were also TCIS runners-up, with junior Nick Schoenig ’18 named conference MVP. Coach Scott’s four teams will be joined on the field by the state champion spring 2017 boys track team, led by current head coach and Upper School history teacher Chris Joyce, the voice of HRA Athletics.

A Celebration of Talent, Dedication, and Navigator Spirit

Director of Alumni Relations and HRA baseball player and coach Tommy Yevak ’83 reconnects with Barbara Schmidt, who coached the Navigator girls swim team to multiple championships, at the 2025 All-Alumni Tailgate

While it is still a new tradition at HRA, honoring the Academy’s most accomplished teams during Homecoming has already made both alumni and coaches past and present feel more connected to the history of the school and to one another.

“I know that some of these championships only occurred due to some remarkable team and individual performances in clutch situations,” Yevak said. “I love sharing those celebrations with fellow alumni and hearing those stories. As former student-athletes, those are some of the most fabulous moments of our lives.”

“On a personal note,” he added, “it’s very rewarding to be able to say I either have friends from or taught folks from all of these teams. I just wish I had coached one of them!”

As the coach of one of this year’s recognized teams, Smith noted that his enthusiasm for Homecoming extends well beyond gathering with his undefeated, triple-champion girls tennis team. “I’m hoping I’ll see not only players from 2006, but also others who played here,” he said.

Former soccer player Andrew Ross ’98 celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of his team’s 1995 TCIS tournament championship with his old coach, HRA Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Alford

For Smith, the most gratifying aspect of coaching has been watching his athletes, some of whom started on his team as early as the seventh grade, grow into mature, confident young adults with families and successful careers of their own. Every former HRA athlete is a testament to the talent, dedication, and spirit of the Academy’s student body, and Smith looks forward to reconnecting with sporting Navigators from all eras on Friday night and throughout Homecoming weekend.

There is still time to register for all Homecoming 2026 events! HRA invites Navigators from across the decades to celebrate our championship teams, tailgate with their fellow graduates, cheer on our football players under the lights, and stick around for an on-campus reunion party on Saturday night. With delectable food, delicious libations, live music by alumni Doug Parsons ’81 and Susannah Hornsby ’01, and enough nostalgia to make 20 years feel like the blink of an eye, this Homecoming will be a weekend no Navigator will soon forget.

HRA Assistant Director of Athletics and award-winning soccer coach Chris Mills huddles up with the varsity boys team on game day

As Hampton Roads Academy’s varsity boys soccer team launches into the fall 2026 season, these talented players could not be in better hands.

During the past school year, soccer coach and Assistant Director of Athletics Chris Mills demonstrated the extraordinary impact that dedicated educators and coaches can have on student-athletes by earning TCIS Coach of the Year honors for both the varsity boys and varsity girls soccer teams. This remarkably rare distinction reflects not only competitive excellence, but also his commitment to developing confident, resilient, and principled young people.

Mills’ twin Coach of the Year awards, for which he was selected by the other coaches in the conference, are a testament to his leadership, integrity, and character across two outstanding seasons.

In fall 2025, he coached Navigator varsity boys soccer to a No. 5 state ranking in their division. Both senior Zachary Busch ’26 and sophomore Bryce Wedding ’28 were awarded All-Conference honors, with Busch going on to earn All-State recognition and commit to play soccer at Emory University’s Oxford College.

A leader and mentor in action: Coach Chris Mills on the pitch

Then, this past spring, varsity girls soccer posted an impressive 9-3-1 regular-season record, achieved a No. 4 state ranking, and advanced to the TCIS semifinals. Three players—sophomores Madison Davis ’28 and Cailynn Monnoyer ’28 and freshman Ainsley Lowe ’29—earned All-Conference honors. The team ultimately advanced as far as the VISAA state semifinals, with both Davis and Lowe achieving All-State recognitions.

According to Director of Athletics Laura Stoner, Mills is “a spectacular coach in every way, not only in his knowledge of the game and the way he prepares the athletes in terms of their skillset, but also how he prepares them strategically to put them in a position to win on game day.”

“The community of coaches he works with, both in the fall and in the spring, respect him for a lot of reasons,” she added—“not only his background and his success rate, but also the quality of character that comes with Chris Mills.”

A Remarkable Coaching Record

Prior to joining HRA, Mills coached at Virginia Wesleyan University for 16 years. His extensive background at the collegiate level made him an immediate asset to HRA when he came aboard as assistant athletic director and boys soccer coach in 2023. In his leadership role, he has proven himself to be an invaluable partner for Stoner, who described him as someone she can trust to deliver consistently exemplary work on behalf of Navigator Athletics. “He is a team player who is ready to jump in and help out with whatever needs to be done at any point in time,” she said.

Indeed, during his time at the Academy, Mills has not shied away from taking on greater responsibility. In spring 2026, after three seasons as head coach of varsity boys soccer, he gladly took the reins of the varsity girls team as well.

Girls varsity star Madison Davis ’28 takes a corner kick

In addition to his duties at HRA, Mills has served as head coach of the semi-professional Virginia Beach United soccer club for the past three years. He has had a transformational impact on the program, recruiting talented players, helping attract the third-largest crowd in league history, and leading his team to its first-ever playoff appearance. “The opportunity to coach at all different levels and different age groups is fun and enjoyable,” Mills said, and he has drawn on lessons from both his collegiate and his USL League Two coaching to cultivate winning varsity teams.

HRA student-athletes have attributed his success as a coach to his strategic flexibility and his talent for motivating players. “His greatest strengths are his ability to stay calm in the moment and uplift the team,” said girls soccer standout Davis, who credits Mills with helping her secure a commitment to play for the University of Alabama as a rising junior this past summer.

“One thing about Coach Mills that really resonates with you when you play under his leadership,” said Busch, a boys soccer team captain in his senior year, “is the immense belief he has in both the team and each individual player.” This faith, the recent graduate said, inspired his team to give their all in their first game of the fall 2025 season against the formidable First Flight High School and fight “tooth and nail” to a 2-1 victory, followed by a series of wins that carried them to the state quarterfinals.

Shaping Better Players and Better Leaders

For his own part, Mills hastened to give credit to his “high-level players,” like Busch and Davis, who stepped up as leaders on their respective teams.

The prospect of receiving two Coach of the Year awards in one school year was never on Mills’ radar. Ever humble despite his accomplishments, he remarked, “I just want to make sure I put the players in a good position to be successful and also have a positive experience.”

This reaction came as no surprise to Stoner. “As competitive as he is, he always makes sure to maintain a ‘better athlete, better person’ approach to what he does,” the athletic director said. “He creates a positive team culture wherever he goes.”

A proud Coach Mills celebrates with senior Zachary Busch ’26 at his May 2026 collegiate soccer commitment ceremony

As Mills explained, this culture begins with meaningful connections between players and their coach. “I think one of the biggest things is the relationships that you build with your athletes,” he said. “If they know that you as a coach care about them as more than just an athlete, then they’re willing to work harder for you to be successful.”

Close connections with students, moreover, provide a model for how players ought to comport themselves and relate to their teammates.

Coach Mills “helped shape me into a leader,” Busch said. “He emphasized the importance of rallying the team and setting the standard, especially on a team with many underclassmen looking to seniors for guidance.”

Through meaningful relationships, high expectations, and unwavering encouragement, Coach Mills continues to help students discover confidence, resilience, and leadership that extend well beyond the pitch. As he begins a new season of varsity soccer coaching, his investment in young people reflects the very best of an HRA education, an experience made possible by a community that believes in providing exceptional opportunities for every Navigator.

This story originally appeared in the summer 2026 edition of the Navigator Impact Magazine. To stay up to date on the game schedule for varsity soccer and other sports, check the Navigator Athletics calendar.

Incoming HRA varsity wrestling head coach and program coordinator Eric Thompson

For the first time in the history of its athletics program, Hampton Roads Academy will offer varsity wrestling during the winter 2026-2027 season. The brand-new team will compete within the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS) and, at the state level, through the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA).

Leading varsity wrestling, as both head coach and program coordinator, will be Eric Thompson, father of rising sophomore Lainey Thompson ’29 as well as an experienced wrestler and coach.

As a student-athlete in the mid-1990s, Eric Thompson set the Hampton High School wrestling match win record, with an impressive 131 career victories and only eight losses. He was a two-time undefeated AAA high school wrestling state champion and won multiple Virginia state freestyle championships, twice earning High School All-America honors. He went on to wrestle at the collegiate level at Virginia Tech, where he received a full athletic scholarship.

Since graduating, Thompson has helped young people discover a love of the sport and hone their abilities as the head wrestling coach at Christiansburg Middle School, the head assistant coach at Poquoson High School, and a coach for the Peninsula Wrestling Association.

“Eric Thompson is the perfect leader for this new athletic offering,” said HRA Director of Athletics Laura Stoner. “As a successful wrestler himself and an experienced coach in the local area, he knows the sport and the competition well. Just as importantly, as the parent of a three-sport HRA Upper School student-athlete, he is very familiar with HRA and HRA Athletics—our vision, our goals, and our standards. We look forward to partnering with Eric as we build a standout wrestling program.”

The introduction of HRA’s wrestling team follows the addition of varsity indoor track to the school’s slate of athletic offerings last winter. Both expansions to Navigator Athletics reflect the Academy’s commitment to providing enhanced opportunities for student-athletes to compete at a high level and develop crucial skills with applications far beyond their chosen sports.

“We are thrilled to add wrestling as a varsity winter sport,” said Head of School Jay Lasley. “Wrestlers typically are disciplined, resilient, and dedicated student-athletes—character traits we hold in the highest esteem here at Hampton Roads Academy—and I am confident adding this sport will enable us to continue to attract top-shelf student athletes and families from around the Peninsula to HRA.”

With a deep understanding of the benefits of participating in wrestling at the high school level, Thompson leapt at the opportunity to build the new program from the ground up. “Everyone who wrestles will turn out to be a better human being on the other side,” said the coach, also an accomplished real estate broker who attributes his successes throughout life to the qualities he cultivated as a wrestler.

“Wrestling is like no other sport in the world,” he explained. “It is basically chess on your feet. You must be able to think and react quickly while being exhausted from a relentless pace.”

As he prepares to assume his new role, Thompson noted that his main goal is “to instill confidence and the many lessons I have learned through the sport of wrestling to a new generation. Hopefully, over time, we can build a program that everyone is proud to support.”

This story was also featured on 13NewsNow.com and DailyPress.com and in the Virginian-Pilot.

Incoming HRA varsity football Head Coach Rodney Taylor

Hampton Roads Academy is thrilled to announce that award-winning coach, educator, and counselor Rodney Taylor will take the helm of the school’s varsity football program ahead of the fall 2026 season.

Coach Taylor’s appointment comes as the Academy’s revitalized varsity football team enters its second year back on the field following a seven-year hiatus. With over 20 years of coaching experience and a proven record of building competitive and student-centered football programs, Taylor is well-equipped to lead HRA’s Navigators into their next chapter.

“He is the right leader to elevate Navigator Football and inspire our student-athletes to demonstrate strong character, disciplined effort, respect, and pride, both on and off the field, as we continue building a successful program,” said Director of Athletics Laura Stoner.

Most recently, Taylor served as Head Football Coach at Menchville High School in Newport News, where he transformed a team that had previously won three games or fewer for 17 straight years into a winning program with five playoff appearances across Taylor’s seven seasons with the school, including playoff victories in 2021 and 2022. As a testament to his immediate success leading his team on the gridiron and cultivating players who excelled academically and personally as well as athletically, Taylor was honored with the 2019-2020 Peninsula District Coach of the Year award in his first year at Menchville.

Taylor’s leadership had a similarly transformative impact in his prior role as junior-varsity head coach across town at Heritage High School. Arriving to a football team that had just gone 0-10 in its last season, Taylor improved his program’s record each year, culminating in an incredible undefeated season in 2013.

Coach Taylor on the field at Menchville High School

As he prepares to build on his remarkable momentum as a coach at HRA, Taylor said, “I’m most looking forward to watching our players come together as a team and seeing their growth from day one of camp to that first kickoff in the fall. The excitement of Friday nights, competing together, and representing Hampton Roads Academy with pride is something special. I’m also excited about laying the foundation for long-term success, setting standards, building confidence, and creating memories that these young men will carry well beyond the season.”

In addition to his work on the field, Taylor will join HRA’s faculty as a Middle and Upper School learning specialist. In this position, he will contribute invaluably to the programming of the Academy’s new Student Support Center (SSC) as it expands its services beyond the Upper School to the Middle School.

Taylor will draw on an impressive background as an educator. As a counselor at Homer L. Hines Middle School, he effectively ensured students’ readiness for high school and laid a foundation for success in college and careers through data-driven support tailored to each learner’s individual needs. During his previous tenure at Enterprise Academy, Taylor’s dedication to mentorship, leadership, and fostering positive relationships with students earned him the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year award. His talents as a teacher and counselor will equip him to empower excellence for students at all levels in the SSC.

According to Head of School Jay Lasley, “Rodney Taylor will be an asset to Hampton Roads Academy both on the field and in the classroom. With his emphasis on character, accountability, and personal growth, he deeply understands the synergy between academic and athletic success, particularly at an independent school.”

“We are deeply grateful to our previous head football coach, HRA alumnus Dave Legg ’80, who skillfully stewarded the team through its transition from JV to varsity,” Lasley added. “I cannot wait to see Coach Taylor take this program to the next level in the fall.”

Navigator Football is excited for its next chapter with Coach Taylor at the helm

This story was also featured on WYDaily.com, DailyPress.com , the Virginian-Pilot, and MSN.

The Lower School cheer squad joins HRA’s varsity cheerleaders on the court during the Noodle Night pep rally

Hampton Roads Academy’s varsity and middle school basketball teams showed off their talent on the court and honored the school’s oldest unbroken tradition with a clean sweep in their Noodle Night triple-header against Summit Christian Academy on Friday, January 23.

Following a rousing pep rally to round out the school day, the evening began with a sold-out sophomore-class fundraiser dinner in the Mary and Larry Pope Dining Hall, featuring lasagna, salad, and delectable desserts, along with a raffle for prizes generously donated by supporters of the school.

Meanwhile, in the Charles R. Spencer Gymnasium, the Navigator middle school girls team pulled off the first victory of the night, defeating their opponent 28-18. HRA’s middle school boys then took the court and notched an impressive 41-13 win. The climax of the occasion was the boys varsity game, in which the Navigators triumphed over the Summit Christian Eagles 79-46.

The trio of wins echoed another outstanding evening for Navigator Basketball on the first Noodle Night in February 1976. As HRA celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of its longest-running tradition’s inception this winter, the school is proud to carry on a legacy of athletic excellence.

“Win or lose, it’s always a thrill to be on the court with these players,” said varsity boys basketball Head Coach and Director of Admissions Ed Swanson. “But the team was energized to play on this night especially, because of the history this night holds at HRA. To come out on top is a tremendous honor.”

A Storied Tradition

Now a staple of HRA’s community calendar, the tradition of Noodle Night grew from humble roots. The annual event originated as a one-off effort by the juniors of the Class of 1977 to raise money for an off-campus senior prom in a more glamorous setting than the “Old Gym,” now known as the Multi-Purpose Room.

Carrying on a time-honored tradition, members of the sophomore class serve up a delicious lasagna dinner for the whole HRA community on Noodle Night 2026

The night of a highly anticipated face-off against HRA’s basketball rival Peninsula Catholic High School, Navigator mothers brought their stock pots and hot plates to campus and whipped up salads, French bread, and pound after pound of pasta, attempting to replicate a beloved sauce recipe passed down from Pete Paine ’77’s grandmother. The organizers sold so many tickets for the dinner that they had to hold two seatings to accommodate all the members of the HRA community, who were as hungry as they were eager to cheer on the varsity and junior-varsity teams.

Energized by noodles and school spirit, HRA went on to best Peninsula Catholic in both matchups.

The varsity game, an 82-59 win for the Navigators that followed on the tail of two prior losses against their rival, was especially historic. On the court, junior Bill Shelly ’77 set a new school record with 41 points, propelling him to a 1,000-career-point milestone—a total he would nearly double by the end of his senior year.

Memories of such achievements were front-of-mind when alumni joined current students and families on campus for the landmark 50th Annual Noodle Night in January 2025. With wins in both the boys and girls varsity basketball games that evening, the Navigators maintained a high standard that the program has only furthered this winter season.

A Night of Excellence on the Court

Seventh grader Tommy Lanier ’31 takes a shot during the middle school boys team’s triumphant game against Summit Christian

The middle school girls kicked off the action on Noodle Night 2026 with a textbook illustration of the power of teamwork. “They played well together,” said Head Coach and Middle School math teacher Chyna Roberts. “They did a lot of sharing the ball. A lot of girls got to bring the ball to the court today.”

This synergized group effort paid off. Though the Navigators initially traded point for point with the Eagles and ended the first quarter tied, they pulled ahead to a healthy lead by the half. The margin tightened to just four points during the final quarter, but the girls rallied and ultimately defeated Summit Christian by ten points.

Coming off a string of highs and lows throughout January, HRA’s middle school boys marked Noodle Night by winning their game handily. They dominated throughout, expanding their lead each quarter and routing their opponents, with a final score more than triple that of Summit Christian’s.

“I’m proud of the kids,” said Head Coach and Lower School physical education teacher Ron Sims. “Defensively, we played well, moved the ball around on offense, made some tough shots. We played well today.”

Varsity basketball player Graham Hutchens ’27 delivers an especially strong performance during the climactic matchup on Noodle Night

“Hopefully, we can build on this and keep stacking up those wins,” he added.

As a school, HRA had one more win to stack up before the night was over. With the Lower School cheer squad joining the varsity cheerleaders to boost the players’ spirits from the sidelines, the boys varsity basketball team capped off the triple-header with yet another phenomenal display of athletic talent, including standout performances by juniors Graham Hutchens ’27 and Mekhi Ward ’27.

Energized by a victory against the Steward School the day before, the Navigators pushed through a tight first quarter and opened up a ten-point lead in the last two minutes, an advantage they had nearly tripled by halftime. The boys built on this momentum in the second half, eventually winning by over 30 points.

With three outstanding teams cheered on by a school community bonded by time-honored tradition, the 51st Annual Noodle Night will be remembered as another proud entry in the history books of Navigator Athletics.

Lily Melnitchouk ’28 receives the MVP award after finishing first at the fall 2025 TCIS girls varsity cross country championship

Before she joined Hampton Roads Academy’s varsity girls cross country team last fall, Lily Melnitchouk ’28 had never run competitively. Now, just over a year later, the sophomore has stunned her coaches, her peers, and the entire Navigator community with an undefeated season that culminated with a phenomenal showing at the regional level.

On Saturday, November 29, Melnitchouk achieved the second-fastest time (18:50.22) out of 137 athletes from across the southern states in the high school girls 5K race at the Brooks South XC Championships at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This strong performance was a thrilling climax for an astoundingly successful fall. Melnitchouk, Navigator Athletics’ first Polaris Award winner of the 2025-2026 school year, did not lose a single 5000m race during the regular season. Along the way, she set a new HRA 5K school record, with a time of 18:31.3, at Norfolk Academy on October 22. She then went on to finish first at the TCIS girls cross country championship, receive the MVP award, and notch yet another win at the VISAA Division II state championship meet on November 6, earning All-State honors.

“Lily had an outstanding season, consistently pushing herself in both practice and meets,” said varsity cross country assistant coach and Middle School math teacher Chyna Roberts. “We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments!”

A Labor of Love and a Recipe for Success

No other runner at HRA has ever achieved what Melnitchouk has in the past few months. What was it that set her apart—the formula for an undefeated, record-breaking season and both tournament and state championship wins?

Her sheer talent as an athlete cannot be discounted, but for varsity cross country head coach Austin Ball, the real secret was “her exceptional work ethic, consistent training, and mental toughness. Her ability to stay focused under pressure and execute race strategies flawlessly played a key role.”

Melnitchouk attributes her success to her dedication to year-round training

Melnitchouk echoed her coach, explaining that her victories would not have been possible without hard work and discipline, not only during the cross country season, but year-round. “Ever since starting last year,” she said, “I have never taken more than a week off of running.”

For the champion runner, though, the joy of the sport is inseparable from the work. “I really like how I can focus on improving my times and getting faster. It brings me a lot of personal satisfaction,” she said.

Perhaps the greatest proof of what Melnitchouk could achieve through her remarkable commitment came during a meet at Lakewood Park in late September. Having lost track of time, she was still putting on her cross country spikes when the starting gun went off for her race. In an adrenaline-fueled frenzy, she quickly pulled on her regular shoes, sprinted to the starting line about ten seconds behind the other runners, and, in a performance one team parent described as being “like watching Secretariat,” pulled ahead of the pack by the first mile marker. She held first place straight through to the finish line.

“I told myself that, since I’d made such a big mistake, I had to win to make up for it,” Melnitchouk said. “To say the least, I learned my lesson to be more prepared.”

According to Coach Ball, “Lily’s success exemplifies the core mantra of the cross country program at HRA: that individual development contributes to the overall success of the team. … Her accomplishments represent the potential of what this program can achieve moving forward with dedication to the off-season training plan.”

Promising Foundations

Melnitchouk and fellow varsity cross country runner Jackson Muse ’29 celebrate first-place finishes at the Isle of Wight Invitational on October 7

By all indications, Navigator Cross Country has a bright future ahead.

Melnitchouk’s unbroken string of wins and success at the regional level are emblematic of a particularly strong fall for HRA’s runners as a whole. Finishing fifteenth at the VISAA Division II championship, boys varsity runner Jackson Muse ’29 earned All-State honors alongside the girls varsity star. The middle school girls cross country team, meanwhile, won the 2025 PIAL championship. Like Melnitchouk, sixth grader Eleanor Brayman ’32, HRA’s top middle school female runner, went undefeated all season.

With such a solid foundation at the middle school level and four talented eighth-grade girls elevated to varsity late in the fall, Melnitchouk is poised to compete alongside a host of excellent runners in her junior and senior years. Coach Ball expressed his confidence that “Lily’s high level of talent will inspire and attract more female athletes to the program in the future.”

Director of Athletics Laura Stoner was equally enthusiastic about Melntitchouk’s impact on Navigator Cross Country and HRA Athletics as a whole. “Lily’s season was nothing short of remarkable,” she said. “She inspires every Navigator runner and lifts our entire program with her example. As just a sophomore, the future is thrilling not only for her, but also for the girls who will join her next season on varsity cross country. We can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds.”

While she is undeniably proud of her success, Melnitchouk will not simply rest on her laurels. As she explained, her focus is already on running for HRA’s new indoor track team this winter, competing in outdoor track and field in the spring, and continuing to raise the bar in future cross country seasons.

Excitement and community spirit fill the air as faculty, alumni, families, and friends of HRA gather for friendly competition and fundraising at the annual Golf Classic

For Hampton Roads Academy trustee Marissa Lanier, co-president of the parent-run Navigator Club, the school’s annual golf tournament is “more than just a tradition. It’s an event that brings faculty, alumni, parents, and community members together in support of our school, year after year.”

Hosted by the Navigator Club on the stunning and challenging course at James River Country Club on Thursday, October 30, the 33rd Annual HRA Golf Classic will be a highlight of the social and charitable calendar, not only for the Academy, but also for our friends throughout the region. Blending friendly competition, meaningful networking opportunities, and community spirit across eighteen holes of four-person captain’s choice golf, the tournament will allow participating teams to showcase their athletic talent while furthering HRA’s mission.

Late October is an ideal time for golf at the stunning James River Country Club

Proceeds from this year’s tournament will support upgrades to the HRA Tennis Complex, along with additional needs of the Athletics Department. More than 100 golfers are expected to compete, helping raise funds to provide a superior educational experience for our students.

“Year after year, this event demonstrates the incredible strength and generosity of our community, uniting organizers, volunteers, players, and sponsors to give HRA teams the very best,” said Director of Athletics Laura Stoner. “Thanks to their tireless efforts, HRA Athletics continues to provide top-notch facilities and make meaningful upgrades to training equipment and amenities, ensuring our athletes and coaches have the resources they need to excel.”

A Storied Tradition

A golf tournament may seem to be a natural fundraiser for the athletic booster club of a school with such accomplished golf teams as HRA. Navigator Golf won an impressive 11 TCIS tournament championships between 1985 and 2001 and a state championship title in 2021. Not until 1993, however, was the idea for the HRA Golf Classic born.

Evan Peterson, who had recently joined HRA as Head of School (1992-2002), spearheaded the inaugural tournament, along with then-vice chair of the Board of Trustees Svein Lassen and Board member Ben Williams, as a way to fund a capital-intensive project that exceeded the athletics budget at the time: installing lights on the school’s football field.

Thomas Capstick, representing the team from tournament sponsor PBMares, spins the “Beal Wheel” for prizes at the 2024 HRA Golf Classic

As Peterson recalled, “We were talking socially about what we could do for the football program,” in which his son and Williams’ nephew were both players. These informal conversations evolved into an organized fundraiser that would soon become the Navigator Club’s largest and most successful annual initiative. In the more than three decades since its inception, the Golf Classic has supplied invaluable support not only for the football field project, but also for the construction of HRA’s 4,000-square-foot Fitness Center and the purchase of chartered coach buses to transport players on the school’s many sports teams.

After Lassen’s passing in 2006, with tremendous support from his wife Betty Marie and son Lars ’97, the HRA Golf Classic took on new significance as a memorial event honoring the former trustee and Navigator parent. To this day, the annual tournament is dedicated to Lassen’s memory.

Although he oversaw the execution of the Golf Classic for more than 25 years, through its many triumphs and transformations, longtime Director of Athletics (1981-2020) Max Gillespie is quick to give credit to other key players without whom the tournament would not have become the success it is today. Every president of the Navigator Club, Gillespie said, has done “a fantastic job in making the tournament come about and making it work,” as have the Golf Classic chairs, the HRA Advancement Office, and former trustee Debbie Tanner ’70, in her capacity as Director of Alumni Relations (2010-2018).

Carrying on a Proud Legacy

Former HRA trustee Larry Pope, his grandson Will Flannery ’20, and Will’s parents Carey and Joe Flannery get in the spirit of spooky season at last year’s golf tournament

Inspired by this tradition of excellence in promoting HRA Athletics and uniting the Navigator family, the current leadership of the Navigator Club looks forward to surpassing expectations at the 2025 Annual Golf Classic.

The day of fall fun and philanthropy will open with a registration reception at 11:00 am, followed by a seated lunch for golfers. Play will begin with a shotgun start at 12:30 and conclude that evening with an awards reception. There is still time to register as a player or sponsor for the event.

“What excites me the most,” said Navigator parent Meredith Hutchens, who presides over the Navigator Club alongside Marissa Lanier, “is knowing that each dollar raised will be wisely spent to improve the appearance and function of HRA’s athletic facilities.”

Lanier added that she looks forward to making treasured memories with her fellow members of the HRA community. She fondly recalls such highlights of last year’s Golf Classic as pompom-shaking alumni cheerleaders selling raffle tickets on the course, former trustee Larry Pope and his family team decked out in Halloween-themed polo shirts, and golfers spinning the “Beal Wheel,” so named for then-tournament chair Brynn Beal, to win prizes at the tenth tee. The 2025 Golf Classic promises no shortage of similarly memorable moments.

Such fun shared experiences “keep the HRA family connected,” said current trustee and Navigator parent Hank Hankins ’92, who chairs this year’s Golf Tournament Committee with his cousin Catie Ashe ’99. “Spending four hours on the golf course is an easy way to catch up with old friends while contributing to the continued success of the school that was so integral in shaping our lives.”

Head of School Jay Lasley putts at the 2024 HRA Golf Classic

Director of Alumni Relations Tommy Yevak ’83 could not agree more. When asked what he looks forward to most as he prepares to compete in this year’s Golf Classic, his answer was simple: “It’s the people.” Having played several times with fellow 1983 graduates and dear friends Mark Short, Clay Edwards, and Stuart West, he is excited to add another former classmate and “outstanding golfer,” Ellen Wildman Fiscella, to his team.

“My wife Kathy refers to ‘lily pads’ in life,” the highly anticipated, joyous occasions between which one “jumps,” Yevak said. “For me, the golf tournament has become a lily pad every year.”

After an exciting JV season last year, Navigator Lacrosse looks forward to fielding both a varsity and a middle school team in spring 2026

In anticipation of the spring 2026 sports season, Hampton Roads Academy is excited to announce an expanded boys lacrosse program, adding a middle school team and upgrading last year’s junior-varsity squad to a varsity team, fielding players in Grades 8 through 12.

The transformation will enable the school to offer opportunities to younger student-athletes and dedicate years to developing talented players to compete at the varsity level.

Overseeing HRA Navigator Lacrosse through this period of growth is a new addition to the athletics team: program coordinator and varsity head coach Erik Buckley.

“Coach Buckley is an impressive leader, thinker, and teacher of lacrosse,” said Head of School Jay Lasley. “He will be a tremendous leader for our lacrosse program, as he is a champion of cultivating character through sports. Coach Buckley understands the demands and expectations of independent school students and the importance of blending academic and athletic responsibilities.”

Coach Erik Buckley is proud to lead the HRA boys lacrosse program

Coach Buckley comes to his new position with a deep background in lacrosse. During his high school years in Upstate New York, he played the sport in one of the most competitive conferences in the country. He then went on to a distinguished collegiate lacrosse career at Herkimer Community College and Ithaca College, competing in national championship games in 1998 and 1999 and achieving Academic All-American and all-conference honors.

Starting in 2001, Buckley achieved success as a lacrosse coach at both the middle and high school levels. In the process, he established strong ties to the local community, coaching the Williamsburg Warriors youth program, the Richmond Hawks travel team, and the Lafayette High School club team, where he assumed the role of head coach in 2023.

“Our area is rich in talent, which positions HRA for success,” Buckley said. “The coaching staff and I bring years of coaching and playing experience. Our goal is to put a product on the field that the school, community, and alumni can be proud of and continue to talk about for years to come.”

Joining Buckley as varsity assistant coaches at HRA will be two talented individuals with impressive lacrosse coaching résumés: Michael Hurley and Patrick Grizzle. Like Buckley, Hurley has coached both the Williamsburg Warriors and the Richmond Hawks, along with leading the C2C travel program, Richmond’s Team 91, and the Jamestown High School junior-varsity and varsity lacrosse teams. Grizzle, a commissioned commander in the Coast Guard, similarly contributed to the lacrosse coaching staff at several high schools and youth programs in Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia, most recently the Williamsburg Warriors and Lafayette High School.

Coaches Buckley, Hurley, and Grizzle will work alongside a team of dedicated returning coaches, who will remain vital to the heart of Navigator Lacrosse.

“With strong new leadership at the varsity level and momentum behind our expansion, the future of boys lacrosse at Hampton Roads Academy is bright,” said Director of Athletics Laura Stoner. “The Buckley era marks an exciting next chapter for our program, and I’m proud of the commitment shown by our current players, coaches, and families. Their dedication has laid the foundation for all we’re building.”

HRA looks forward to developing a strong, competitive, and connected boys lacrosse program for middle school and varsity student-athletes, and the school community is thrilled to watch both teams take the field next spring.

This story was also featured on WYDaily.com and DailyPress.com.

The Navigator varsity football team takes the field

This Friday, the Navigator varsity football team will make its long-awaited return to the gridiron at Hampton Roads Academy.

The 2025 home opener, set to kick off at 7:00 pm on September 5 on HRA’s Lester Grace Field, marks the historic revitalization of a varsity program that has been on hiatus since 2018. After an impressive scrimmage at Poquoson High School on August 22 and a strong showing at Norfolk Christian on August 29, the Navigators will face off against old-time rival Norfolk Academy on their home field.

Quarterback Luke Bryant ’26 prepares to throw an impressive spiral

“Norfolk Academy is our toughest opponent, but I wanted to play them in the first game because, if you’re an alumnus from here, you remember when you played against Norfolk Academy,” said Head Coach David Legg ’80, speaking from personal experience.

This week’s contest, a campus-wide event featuring a food truck from Williamsburg favorite Old City Barbeque, will be the first of three home games that Coach Legg expects to play a powerful role in “uniting the Lower School, the Middle School, the Upper School, the parents, and the alumni.” On Thursday, October 9, HRA will invite its youngest students and their families to varsity football’s Lower School Night, where the Navigators will face Catholic High School at 6:00 pm and a food truck from Get Cheesy will serve up comfort classics. The following Friday, October 17, current students, families, faculty, and staff will join with HRA alumni from throughout the decades for the 7:00 pm Homecoming game against Atlantic Shores Christian School. Graduates will gather before kickoff for the All-Alumni Tailgate, and a food truck from Saté will offer New American creations influenced by Southern and Asian cuisines during the game.

Head of School Jay Lasley is excited for all of these campus happenings “to rally the community around Friday-night football.”

“Having varsity football empowers our entire athletic program,” he said. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm in our student body, our parent community, and our alumni base. There are so many people who have fond memories of their football playing career here, and they’re able to celebrate that through cheering on the revived football program.”

The Culmination of Years of Hard Work

The varsity team’s return is a testament to the determination of HRA’s football players, coaches, and school leadership, especially our outstanding Director of Athletics, Laura Stoner.

In the past decade, despite earning a TCIS season championship title as recently as 2010, HRA has struggled to field an 11-man varsity football team due to limited numbers, player injuries, and the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stoner, along with Lasley’s predecessor Peter Mertz, conceived a plan to build back the football program through the Middle School, with the Class of 2027 as the core of the reconstituted team. In fall 2022, when this group was in eighth grade, HRA played a middle school schedule. The team transitioned to a hybrid junior-varsity/middle school schedule the following year.

Along the way, the football program had a firm supporter in former trustee and HRA Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Thad Shelly ’71, whom Lasley described as “a tremendous advocate for athletics as part of the independent school experience.” Himself a multi-sport athlete during his time at HRA, competing in basketball, track and field, tennis, and (outside of school) baseball as well as football, Shelly understood the vital role of sports as a facet of a holistic education. He cheered the Navigators on from the sidelines at every home football game in fall 2023, modeling commitment for the entire school community. Shortly before Shelly’s passing last September, Lasley had the honor of visiting his home with Director of Alumni Relations Tommy Yevak ’83 to present this titan of HRA athletics with a game ball signed by the members of the football team.

With the retirement of Director of Finance Ron DeChirico, who had stewarded the program through the early years of its revitalization, in 2024, the school was in need of a new coach to helm the dedicated JV team it would field that fall. Lasley and Stoner could think of no better choice than David Legg.

Promising Players and an Unmatched Coach

HRA Varsity Football Coach David Legg ’80

A former Navigator student-athlete, Legg was a member of the first and only undefeated football team in HRA’s history during his sophomore year, achieving an impressive 9-0 record and going on to win the Commonwealth Conference Championship in 1977. Over the course of his career, he accumulated an impressive 36 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, helping lead teams at Bucknell University, William & Mary, Hampden-Sydney College, Christopher Newport University, and the University of Richmond.

Even after his decades of accomplishments, Coach Legg found the opportunity to “bring [varsity football] back and establish traditions at your alma mater, in your home town,” impossible to turn down.

This fall, his vision will finally come to fruition. HRA is proud to return to a full varsity schedule, with a team consisting of players in Grades 8 through 12. Boasting the only independent school football program on the Peninsula, HRA has attracted several new student-athletes for the 2025 season, including four seniors. An additional twelfth grader is new to the team but not to the school, having been one year above the age cutoff for junior varsity in 2024.

The revived program will extend opportunities to its players that would not exist for these athletes at other schools—namely, the ability to compete as varsity starters as early as eighth or ninth grade. As assistant coach and Middle School science teacher Zach Minor noted, “when our younger players are juniors and seniors, the team will be led by experienced veterans.”

An Exciting Season Ahead

Junior Sam Lasley ’27 and sophomore Tyler Motley ’28 on offense during the Navigators’ August 29 matchup with Norfolk Christian

As he prepares for strong performances on the field this fall, Coach Legg is “looking forward to seeing how far we progress” by season’s end. “These kids have put in a lot of hard work,” he said, and he knows that work will continue.

The team’s motto for 2025 is G.R.I.T.—gratitude for the opportunity to play varsity football at HRA, resilience in the face of challenges that will undoubtedly arise in the first year of a revived program, intelligence on the field as the key to victory, and the sense of togetherness that defines the Navigator community.

Among the players, the feeling of togetherness is palpable. “I am very excited to be playing under the lights every Friday with my favorite group of guys in the school,” said lineman Sam Lasley ’27.

Despite being new to the team, linebacker and fullback Andrew Miller ’26 is no less enthusiastic about sharing the field with his fellow Navigators. “Even though it is my first year at HRA, I feel like I have fit right in with the school and the team,” he said. “I am really looking forward to all of the opportunities this team has not only to improve throughout the season, but also to win some meaningful football games.”

With this tight-knit, dedicated group putting years of preparation into practice on their home field this Friday, the Norfolk Academy Bulldogs will have tough competition on their hands.

“They better come ready to play,” said Coach Legg.