The School’s new Athletic Feature Wall celebrates history and achievement, honors leadership, and inspires future athletes to shine.

Completed in 2022 and formally opened on Homecoming Weekend 2023, the Sidwell Friends Athletic Feature Wall welcomes visitors to the David P. Pearson ’52 Athletic Center and celebrates achievement with its striking design, historical photos, and engaging descriptions of 11 alumni who have excelled in the world of sports on and off the field.

The following Sidwell Friends alumni are featured on the wall:

• Saddiq Bey ’18, Atlanta Hawks, NBA 

• Nick Chanock ’01, sports agent 

• Mali Friedman ’98, Washington Commanders executive 

• Paul Goldstein ’94, coach and former professional tennis player

• Josh Hart ’13, New York Knicks, NBA

• Taylor Knibb ’16, Olympic triathlon medalist 

• Jair Lynch ’89, Olympic gymnastics medalist

• Nana Meriwether ’03, former professional volleyball player

• Ed Tapscott ’71, sports executive and former NBA head coach

• Cheryl Weaver ’98, former Women’s National Volleyball Team player

• Kara Wilson ’12, former professional soccer player

The installation was made possible by the generous support of alumni and friends, most notably David “Sandy” Pearson ’52, who championed the project from the beginning and who appreciates the role athletics plays in the life of the School today.

“Athletics is really more a part of our lives than it was in my day,” Pearson recalled in an interview. “Nobody was going to college because they were a great football player or got recruited for college because they were good at basketball. Now, that’s not the case.” These days, he noted, sports has become “part of staying competitive with the real world. Athletics is another feature of Sidwell Friends, in addition to the academics and the great reputation it has.”

The wall greets visitors as they walk down the stairs into the lobby of the athletic center. With its glass panels, central display case, and large monitor, it anchors the room and invites everyone who passes by to learn more about some of the student athletes who have graduated from the School. 

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