FIFA announces that Chattanooga and Baylor will be a candidate to serve as a Team Base Camp for teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mayor Tim Kelly '85, Baylor School and the Chattanooga Tourism Co. celebrated FIFA’s announcement that Chattanooga will be a candidate to serve as a Team Base Camp for teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to FIFA, Team Base Camps are “locations where the 48 participating teams may opt to establish their ‘homes away from home’ – the hub from where they will travel to their first three matches and where players, staff and officials will spend the majority of their time during the group stage.”
"This is a very exciting day for Chattanooga,” said Mayor Kelly. “It’s an honor to be a candidate for a World Cup Team Base Camp, among the select company of just a few other great North American cities. This announcement comes as a result of hard work with our partners at Baylor School and the Chattanooga Tourism Co, and is proof that Chattanooga is recognized on the world stage as a great soccer city. We can do great things in Chattanooga when we come together, and this is just the latest example in our long history of successful partnerships."
“Baylor School has always had a global focus and we are honored and thrilled to be considered as a training site for such a prestigious global sporting event,” said Baylor’s Head of School Chris Angel '89. “We are excited to partner with the City of Chattanooga to showcase our hospitality and we look forward the possibility of welcoming a FIFA 26 team to our campus.”
Coach Quinn McDowell will lead a special clinic July 22-24 and the first annual "Father & Son Day to Remember" event will be on July 27.
Baylor's varsity boys' basketball coach Quinn McDowell will lead a special clinic and the first annual "Father & Son Day to Remember" event later this month.
The Baylor Basketball Elite Skills Clinic is for boys ages 9-14 and will run July 22-24 from 6-8 p.m. in Duke Arena. This clinic will feature college level instruction and drills that are designed to improve your passing, dribbling, and shooting skills. Learn more about and register here.
Want to get some skin in the game? Sign up for Baylor basketball's first annual Father & Son Day to Remember event on Baylor's campus July 27, from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. This will be the perfect opportunity to make memories while spending quality time with your son learning the game of basketball. The day will also finish with a father/son game where the dads see if they can beat their kids on the court! Learn more about it and register here.
From the first week of June through the last week of July, Baylor's auxiliary and summer programs team will host more than 3,380 experiences.
From the first week of June through the last week of July, Baylor's auxiliary and summer programs team will host more than 3,380 experiences.
Here are just a few of the highlights:
Faculty members Carrie Rice and Mae Weiss are the newest recipients of endowed faculty chair honors.
Middle School math instructor, cross country, and strength and conditioning coach Carrie Rice (left) has been named the most recent Glenn and Mallie Ireland Chair, and band director Mae Weiss (right) was selected as the school’s third Cartter Lupton Chair.
The two were recognized at the final faculty meeting of the 2023-24 school year. Rice joined the Baylor faculty in 2016, and Weiss was hired in 2019.
The Ireland Chair recognizes exemplary teaching and other significant contributions in support of the mission of the school. Honorees are selected annually through a nomination process, and appointments are for three years. Rice joins current recipients Heather Ott, Chris Watkins, Perry Key, Betsy Carmichael, Vic Oakes, Jean Lau, Adam Weaver, Heather Biebel, and Melissa Pojasek.
Weiss is only the third recipient of the Cartter Lupton chair. It was held previously by current World Language Department Chair and French instructor Ruth Ann Graham and former math instructor Dr. Dan Kennedy, who retired in 2019. The Lupton Chair honors teachers who have demonstrated excellence, especially early excellence, in the classroom.
Recipients of Baylor’s endowed faculty chairs receive an annual stipend and a medallion worn at graduation and other school ceremonies.
Baylor honored nine of its outstanding student leaders with Founders Awards, at the annual Awards Day on May 15.
Baylor honored nine of its outstanding student leaders with Founders Awards, the highest the school bestows, at the annual Awards Day on May 15. Recipients are selected by a vote of the faculty.
The JOHN ROY BAYLOR AWARD is presented to seniors who have contributed richly to the school both as a citizen and scholar. Named for Baylor’s visionary founder and first headmaster, the John Roy Baylor Awards for 2024 were presented to Ella Marks and David Wang. Marks is a boarding student from Atlanta and will attend The University of Georgia. Wang, a boarding student from Beijing, will attend Cornell University.
Lucy Kitzman and Thomas Tipps were the winners of this year’s ALEXANDER GUERRY AWARD. Named for Baylor’s second headmaster, the award is presented to a senior who has contributed richly to the position of honor and right at Baylor. Kitzman will attend Clemson University, and Tipps will attend Texas Christian University.
The HERBERT B. BARKS, SR., AWARD is presented to boarding students who have contributed richly to the spirit and quality of life of the residential program. This honor is named for Baylor’s third headmaster. The 2024 honorees were Anders Johnson and Annie Marks. Johnson is Saudi Arabia (Aramco) and will attend Clemson University. Marks is from Atlanta and will attend The University of Georgia.
Named for Baylor’s fifth headmaster, the HERBERT B. BARKS, JR., AWARD is presented to seniors who have contributed richly to the Baylor spirit. This year’s honorees were Talia Joels, Abby Murchison, and Balint Rendessy. Joels will attend Auburn University, Murchison will attend The University of Georgia, and Rendessy will attend Sewanee: The University of the South.
Upper School Students Saluted by Peers
The O.B. ANDREWS AWARDS, presented each year to the male and female students judged as the best all-around seniors by the vote of the Upper School student body, were given to Lucy Kitzman and David Wang. Kitzman will attend Clemson University, and Wang will attend Cornell University.
The JUMONVILLE AWARDS are given to the best all-around male and female juniors as determined by a vote of Upper School students. They were presented to Avery Listen and Tyler Rice.
The SUMNER SMITH AWARD, named in memory of Sumner Smith ’17, goes to one or more juniors who live out Baylor’s mission of making a positive difference in the world by emulating Sumner’s kindness, sensitivity, positivity, perseverance, and humor. The award was presented to Maddie Winchester.
Five Win Special Awards
The HUBERT J. STAGMAIER AWARD is given to an outstanding all-around senior or seniors. This year’s honorees were Mazie Mitchem, Luke Thompson, and Angela Yoon. Mitchum will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Thompson will take a gap year, and Yoon will attend the University of Southern California.
The SERVICE TO SCHOOL AWARD is presented to seniors who have contributed richly to the school. This year, the award was given to Lily Monen. She will attend Northeastern University.
The MICHELLE KADRIE AWARD is given to a senior who combines a strong desire to do their personal best in school activities with a caring attitude toward others. This year’s recipients were Ash Brown and Olivia Cranford. Brown will attend The University of Tennessee, and Cranford will attend George Mason University.
A FACULTY COMMENDATION AWARD was presented to Sara Catherine Bradshaw. Bradshaw will attend Wake Forest University.
Upper School Department Awards
ART AWARDS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL ART
Pierce Grantham
THREE-DIMENSIONAL ART
Sophia Glover
ORCHESTRA
Charles Liu
BAND
Redding Batt
VOCAL MUSIC
Julian Ramirez de Arellano
THEATER
Natalie Hankins
DANCE
Maggie Tansor
ATHLETIC AWARDS
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE
Guillaume Paquette
Kaylee Snyder
OUTSTANDING ATHLETE (by vote of senior varsity letter winners)
Jada Cooper
Amari Jefferson
BEST ALL-AROUND ATHLETE (by coaches’ vote)
Amari Jefferson
Riley Oleksik
ENGLISH AWARD
Riley Barford
Abby Murchison
Mary Evelyn Pearce
HISTORY AWARD
Evan Bazzell
Loren Puchalski
Allison Royal
LANGUAGE AWARDS
CHINESE
Amelia Ohlsson
FRENCH
Wade Hopkins
GERMAN
Whit Finlay
LATIN
Sara Catherine Bradshaw
Oliver Nimon
SPANISH
Meghan Royal
MATH AWARDS
MATH
Brennan Buzinkai
Oliver Nimon
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Lars Renlund
SCIENCE AWARDS
SCIENCE RESEARCH
Rachel Chen
SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT
Claire McOmie
Luke Thompson
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Aashi Patel
The College Counseling office organized the annual "College Decision Day" party in The Quad on May 8 for the Class of 2024. Seniors enjoyed wearing t-shirts representing the colleges and universities they will be attending in the fall, while creating colorful college logos with chalk leading up the hill to the chapel turnaround. Click here for photos!
Each year Hedges Library organizes a book reception for the Senior class, who are each invited to select a faculty or staff member to recommend a book just for them.
This year, 94 seniors picked 58 different faculty members to select and personalize a book for them. On the day of the event, faculty members presented the seniors with their books and spent time discussing their book choices and exchanging well wishes for the future.
Click here for lots of pictures of faculty celebrating book selections with their students!
Mayor Tim Kelly '85, Baylor School and the Chattanooga Tourism Co. celebrated FIFA’s announcement that Chattanooga will be a candidate to serve as a Team Base Camp for teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to FIFA, Team Base Camps are “locations where the 48 participating teams may opt to establish their ‘homes away from home’ – the hub from where they will travel to their first three matches and where players, staff and officials will spend the majority of their time during the group stage.”
"This is a very exciting day for Chattanooga,” said Mayor Kelly. “It’s an honor to be a candidate for a World Cup Team Base Camp, among the select company of just a few other great North American cities. This announcement comes as a result of hard work with our partners at Baylor School and the Chattanooga Tourism Co, and is proof that Chattanooga is recognized on the world stage as a great soccer city. We can do great things in Chattanooga when we come together, and this is just the latest example in our long history of successful partnerships."
“Baylor School has always had a global focus and we are honored and thrilled to be considered as a training site for such a prestigious global sporting event,” said Baylor’s Head of School Chris Angel '89. “We are excited to partner with the City of Chattanooga to showcase our hospitality and we look forward the possibility of welcoming a FIFA 26 team to our campus.”
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