In his 13-year history as athletic director at Dana Hills High School, Tom Faris has seen and ensured the Dolphins have established themselves as one of the premier athletic programs within Capistrano Unified School District.
This 2018-2019 school year, 24 student athletes have signed letters of intent to play at universities, and more student athletes are moving on to play at the junior college level as well. The school additionally won four league championships in boys cross country, girls tennis, softball and boys golf.
It is quite an accomplishment. “We are a school that takes pride in doing things the right way,” Faris said. “I want to continue that long-lasting tradition.”
Among the highlights, according to Faris: Girls water polo made it to the CIF Finals for the first time in Dana Hills High history, boys cross country is the staple of excellence on a yearly basis, and the girls tennis team won a league championship again this year, marking over a 20-year streak of winning a league championship.
The campus features the athletic department’s Wall of Fame where to achieve such status, athletes must earn six varsity letters in two different sports, and earn first or second team “All League” honors in two sports.
The Dolphins had six student athletes achieve the honor this year:
Drae Fresenius, Girls Tennis and Girls Volleyball
Leila Keyvan, Girls Cross Country and Girls Track
Nathan Pellini, Boys Diving and Boys Track
Olivia Chambers, Girls Basketball and Girls Track
Sarah Meng, Girls Cross Country and Boys Track
Simon Fuller, Boys Cross Country and Boys Track
“Our student athletes are very prepared for the next level of their educational careers and are dedicated to being successful in all aspects of their life,” Faris said.
The athletes who so far have signed letters of intent declaring where they will play at the next level are:
Anna Shaver, Soccer, Georgetown
Charlotte Bowen, Diving, University of Virginia
Cole Stark, Cross Country and Track, Pepperdine
Courtney Swift, Tennis, Air Force
Emily Landaverde, Soccer, Providence Christian
Garrett Hough, Cross Country and Track, Central Washington University
Hailey Ray, Track, UC Santa Barbara
Ian Engdahl, Cross Country and Track, Central Washington University
Isabel Barnett, Soccer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Isley Grguric, Golf, Sonoma State
Josh Kutcher, Cross Country and Track, Adams State
Kaden Likins, Water Polo, UC San Diego
Kaylan Pierce, Water Polo, Cal State Long Beach
Kelly MacLeod, Gymnastics, Sacramento State
Kendall Osorio, Soccer, San Diego State
Leila Keyvan, Cross Country, UC San Diego
Mason Mills, Soccer, Chapman
Maya McArthur, Basketball, Princeton
Parker Moore, Soccer, Liverpool
Payton Kubalsky, Cross Country and Track, Concordia
Quentin Hill, Golf, San Diego State
Riley Weinert, Volleyball, Weber State
Sarah Meng, Cross Country, UC San Diego
Terra Goetz, Softball, William Jessup University