Athletics

A Record of Health and Wellness

The athletics program at Ellis is strategically designed to support student growth outside of the classroom while complementing Ellis’ academic program. A variety of sports are offered each season, and by participating, girls uncover hidden talents and discover physical activities they love. They experience the joy of teamwork, grace in defeat, and the thrill of winning. Athletes also develop physical strength, mental toughness, time-management skills, and stress-reduction techniques that last a lifetime.

Our coaches are champions of integrity and resilience, and they encourage girls to become exemplary student-athletes. They prepare their teams for the season by challenging them to make it through tough practices that set them up for success in intense competition. Throughout the season, coaches will often re-evaluate team and individual goals to support girls as they grow in their athletic abilities. What is most appealing about Ellis’ robust athletics program is the fact that, as an all-girls school, girls’ teams receive 100% of the resources allocated to athletics and a girls’ team can always be found on the main playing field or court during prime practice and competition times.

Each team and athlete is fully supported to feel successful and accomplished at the end of the season—regardless of their win/loss record. From this, Ellis girls develop into fiercely strong athletes who thrive on healthy competition and develop leadership skills that will impact their ability to use their voices and talents to solve complex problems, work with diverse groups of people, and bring about positive change in their communities.

List of 3 items.

Lower School (Grades 3 & 4 Only)
Fall
- Field Hockey
Winter
- Basketball
Spring
- Lacrosse
Middle School
Fall
- Cross Country
- Field Hockey
- Soccer
Winter
- Basketball
- Swimming
Spring
- Lacrosse
- Tennis
Upper School
Fall
- Cross Country
- Field Hockey
- Soccer
- Tennis
Winter
- Basketball
- Swimming
Spring
- Lacrosse
- Softball
- Track & Field

Athletics News

List of 4 news stories.

Student-Athletes Start Middle School Field Hockey Clinic
3/8/2021

For grade 10 students Ilona Bender, Abby Fägersten, and Zoe Woon, field hockey season doesn’t begin in August and end in November—it’s a year-round commitment. Dedicated to the sport and to the Ellis team, Abby, Ilona, and Zoe took matters into their own hands this year to ensure that the Tigers continue their legacy of being a fierce WPIAL competitor. They decided to start a winter field hockey clinic at Ellis to introduce more girls to the game and to work on skill-building in the off-season.
Student-Athletes Earn WPIAL Soccer Honors
12/2/2020
Three Ellis soccer players earned postseason honors in recognition of their excellence on the field this season. Seniors Alexis Crichlow, Miranda Lightner, and Dalia Milch were awarded spots on the 2020 WPIAL All-Section team in honor of their hard work, leadership, and athleticism. In celebration of these accolades, Head Varsity Soccer Coach Tim Howard shared his perspective on this year’s All-Section athletes.
Student-Athletes Earn WPIAL Field Hockey Honors
11/20/2020
Five Ellis field hockey players were awarded spots on the 2020 WPIAL All-Star team in recognition of their athleticism on the field this season. Ilona Bender, Class of 2023, Grayson Honig, Class of 2023, and Tegan Poerio, Class of 2021, were named to the Class A WPIAL All-Star team, and Hannah Rust, Class of 2021, and Zoe Woon, Class of 2023, earned Honorable Mentions. In celebration of these postseason honors, Head Varsity Field Hockey Coach Amanda Rose shares her perspective on this year’s all-star athletes.
Tigers Compete in WPIAL Championship for 7th Straight Year
11/6/2020
For the seventh consecutive year in a row, the Varsity Field Hockey Team competed in the WPIAL championship against Shady Side Academy. This year’s matchup on November 2 was a battle until the final buzzer that ultimately ended in a 2-1 score that favored Shady Side. Although the game didn’t end with the Tigers being named WPIAL champs, the grit, dedication, and leadership shown on and off the field by our student-athletes this season is certainly something to celebrate.

A World-class Athletic Field

In 2014, Ellis celebrated the grand opening of our new state-of-the-art turf field. Our new 72,600 square foot regulation-sized field is lined for soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse, and looks and feels like natural grass. The mix of turf and sand at Ellis was specifically chosen to minimize injury risk to young athletes. The field is a source of tremendous school pride, not just for our athletes, but for every member of our community. Though sports are not required, 70% of Ellis Middle and Upper School students play a team sport. This is much higher than the national average of 40% for girls (Women’s Sports Foundation).

Training and Equipment

Ellis athletes train under the supervision of certified athletic trainers from UPMC Sports Medicine. Our trainers assist with conditioning and injury management and oversee every game. They are nationally certified both on the state level and by the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification. Our UPMC Sports Medicine team provides onsite medical care and rehabilitation programs for all Ellis athletic teams. They also offer on-campus concussion baseline testing by season and grade level. Uniform and safety equipment lists are detailed on the MyEllis intranet site. Every sports season begins with a “Meet the Coach session” where coaches provide detailed information about practice and games and set the tone for an exciting season.

Director of Athletics

Commit. Compete. Repeat. The foundation of Ellis Athletics is built around the idea that once you commit, the expectation is to compete, every day. All Ellis athletes and coaches are multidimensional and multitalented, which means we can do it all. Our student-athletes are also class presidents, workshop facilitators, leads in plays, peer-tutors, orchestra members, artists, and more! From single-sport athletes to tri-sport athletes, the Ellis Athletics program encourages leadership, sportsmanship, and good character amongst the near 75 percent of Middle and Upper School students who make up our teams. Our coaches range from our beloved faculty members to passionate and well-qualified individuals who join our community after their workday. It is the natural ability of all our coaches to consistently teach while coaching and to do so in a competitive environment. Our coaches focus not only on fun but on supporting each athlete's commitment to play and practice hard for herself, her team, and her school. Ellis athletes know what it feels like to work hard, play hard, and win championships. It all starts with commitment.