On Friday, October 4, Rocky Mount Academy held a pep rally for the whole school to attend. Not only did we recognize our fall sports athletes, but we also celebrated, through a ring ceremony, three state championship teams: the varsity girls basketball, varsity girls soccer, and varsity boys tennis teams, all bringing home trophies in their 2025 seasons.
In February of 2025, the varsity girls basketball team defeated Caldwell Academy (from Greensboro) in a thrilling comeback win by a score of 43-37 in NCISAA’s Division II championship game. Led by star player Taylor Carmichael, who was the starting shooting guard as a junior, the team rallied with a fairytale-like ending to the season by overcoming a deficit of 10 points with 2:33 left on the clock. This completed their perfect season with an outstanding record of 22-0, making them the only NCISAA basketball team to go undefeated in the whole state for 2025! After spending many years with the team, head coach Katherine Johnston was able to bring the first ever basketball state championship to RMA. In honor of this achievement, Coach Johnston, Assistant Coach Hooks, and the entire girls team were presented with rings last Friday. The girls were not only recognized by the school but also by the Charlotte Hornets during halftime at the Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets game on April 26, 2025, so some of our Lady Eagles got to meet NBA legend Muggsy Bougues.
Many athletes–like then-senior Isabella Daza (who led in assists) and junior Hannah Garris (recognized as an All-State athlete)–from the state-championship-winning basketball team also played for the soccer team, giving some girls two rings in one year: an amazing feat! Coach Eric Gutshall has been with RMA’s varsity soccer teams for quite some time. After coming so close in previous years (in 2023 and 2024, we lost by one point in the semi-final games against the reigning champions, Davidson Day School), he finally led the varsity girls soccer team to a long-awaited state championship win. Interestingly enough, the soccer team also prevailed over Caldwell Academy (the school our basketball team defeated) with a final score of 3-1 at Wesleyan University after gaining a hot start from then-sophomore Matti Achilles, who scored the first goal. Other goals were completed by Hannah Garris and Taylor Carmichael, who sealed the win.
The very same day, and also on the campus of NC Wesleyan, Rocky Mount Academy’s varsity boys tennis team brought home a state title. Their dominating 5-1 victory over Wayne Country Day marked their third state championship under Head Coach David Keesee. Previously, the boys tennis team won back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022. Thomas Honey and Sammy Bowles, last year’s senior players, made a large impact all three championship years, but it was RMA’s newest senior, Stone Ramey, who was able to close out the match and secure the title. Between the tennis team and the soccer team, it was a big day for Rocky Mount Academy athletics!
The pep rally’s ring ceremony began with the athletic director, Katherine Bryant, congratulating all the players and coaches on their victories. Alongside PE instructor and baseball coach Cameron Ramsey, she introduced the teams one at a time while handing out rings to individual players. As a fun surprise, each had an LED light that was activated by opening the box, making the rings sparkle. Because the athletes opened their rings all at once, they all saw their rings for the first time as a team, leading to a priceless reaction. Some Rocky Mount Academy alumni were even in attendance to accept their rings: Isbella Daza (who now attends UNC-Chapel Hill) and Christopher Harper, Abbie Hooks, and Grace Bone (all of whom now attend NC State).
This ceremony was a great way to celebrate the accomplishments of Eagle athletics, and we hope to have more of these ceremonies in the future. 2026 is looking promising for our varsity boys cross country team and for track and field athletes like Andrew Tae Cowder, who won an individual state championship in 110m high hurdles for 2025, so be sure to cheer them and all of our teams on to victory!
