Rockland has long been known for its wealth of high school track and field talent and this spring’s outdoor season made it obvious that has not changed with either girls or boys.
On the girls side, the conclusion in June of the girls track season signaled the exodus of athletes to collegiate tracks near and far, including at Div. I schools like Furman, Florida Atlantic and Siena.
Furman will get Tappan Zee’s Bridget Dunn, this year’s top Rockland girls outdoor track star. Her selection was no surprise. Dunn, who was named Rockland Girls Cross-Country Runner of the Year last fall, has been a high-level performer since winning bronze at the county cross-country championships as a freshman and then qualifying for the indoor state track championships just months later. This spring she medaled at everything from the nearly Loucks Games to the Rockland County championships, to the Section 1 championships to the state championships.
Dunn is the 2026 Rockland Girls Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
Bridget Dunn
Rockland Girls Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year
School: Tappan Zee
Year: Senior
Highlights: Both consistency and growth have both been hallmarks of Dunn’s Tappan Zee career. This spring, Dunn medaled in the mile at the prestigious Loucks Games, won the Section 1 Class B 400 hurdles title, took bronze at that meet in the open 400, won the county girls 800 title and won the Rockland girls and Section 1 Class B title in the 2,000-meter steeplechase. She then medaled at the state championships in steeplechase. So, add versatility to consistency and growth when summing up Dunn’s track career, which, despite all the above, is still in its infancy.
Coach of the Year
Steve Sutton, North Rockland
The rest of the Rockland girls outdoor track and field all-stars
100 meters
First team: Thelma Efuetenjok, Sr., North Rockland
Second team: Jayda Johnson, Jr., Nyack; Aliyah Wilson, So., Nanuet
Honorable mention: Olivia Santos, Jr., Nanuet
100 hurdles
First team: Sabella Suarez, Sr., Clarkstown South
Second team: Mitchella Louis, Jr. North Rockland
Honorable mention: Tosia Bednarz, Jr., Tappan Zee
200
First team: Jayda Johnson, Jr., Nyack
Second team: Olivia Santos, Jr., Nanuet
Honorable mention: Alexandria O’Neill, So., North Rockland; Aliyah Wilson, So., Nanuet
400
First team: Jayda Johnson, Jr., Nyack
Second team: Dana Beckford, Jr., Ramapo
Honorable mention: Taitu Forrest, Sr., Nyack; Hope Italiano, Sr., North Rockland
400 hurdles
First team: Jayda Johnson, Jr., Nyack
Second team: Avianhah Sanon, Jr., Suffern; Sabella Suarez, Sr. Clarkstown South
Honorable mention: Saira Alexandre Malivert, Fr., Suffern
800
Second team: Aine Keane, So. Pearl River
Honorable mention: Gia Cassidy, Fr., Tappan Zee
1,500
Second team: Hannah Delaney, So., Nyack
Honorable mention: Gia Cassidy, Fr., Tappan Zee, Mia Dellolio, Sr., Tappan Zee
3,000
First team: Hannah Delaney, So., Nyack
Second team: Josephine Sullivan, So., Nyack
Honorable mention: Kylie Cavanagh, Jr., North Rockland
2,000 steeplechase
Second team: Josephine Sullivan, So., Nyack
Honorable mention: Grace Delaney, Fr., Suffern
Pentathlon
First team: Mia Chindemi, Sr., Nanuet
Second team: Emma O’Keefe, Sr., Tappan Zee
Honorable mention: Riley Tarsane, Sr., Pearl River
High jump
First team: Hope Italiano, Sr., North Rockland
Second team: Tosia Bednarz, Jr., Tappan Zee
Honorable mention: Saira Alexandre Malivert, Fr., Suffern; Alexandria O’Neill, So., North Rockland; Victoria Picott, Jr., Albertus Magnus
Long jump
First team: Avi Sanon, Jr., Suffern
Second team: Tosia Bednarz, Jr., Tappan Zee; Alexandria O’Neill, So., North Rockland
Honorable mention: Thelma Efuetenjok, Sr., North Rockland; Victoria Picott, Jr., Albertus Magnus
Triple jump
First team: Tosia Bednar, Jr., Tappan Zee
Second team: Avianhah Sanon, Jr., Suffern
Honorable mention: Madison Hogarth, Jr., Suffern
Pole vault
First team: Eliza Power, Jr., Suffern
Second team: Maya Jendryka, Jr., Suffern; Kayla Kellermen, Jr., Suffern
Honorable mention: Madison Davis, Sr., Suffern
Discus
First team: Brenda Lee, Sr. Pearl River
Second team: Saniyah Bilodeau, Jr., Pearl River
Honorable mention: Anaiah Dorsonne, Jr. North Rockland; Dara Modupe, So., North Rockland
Shot put
First team: Dara Modupe, So., North Rockland
Second team: Anaiah Dorsonne, Jr., North Rockland
Honorable mention: Brenda Lee, Sr., Pearl River
At large
First team: Gaby Castro, Sr., North Rockland
First team: Mianjel Lindsey, Fr., Suffern
First team: Danielle List, Sr., Albertus Magnus
First team: Imyiarha Saint-Germain, Jr., Ramapo
4×100 relay
First team: North Rockland (Thelma Efuetenjok, Sr.; Mitchella Louis, Jr.; Alexandria O’Neill, So.; Hope Italiano, Sr. and Yvoni Desroches, Jr.)
Second team: Nyack (Hailie Vasquez, Sr.; Taitu Forrest, Sr.; Leila Harrison, Sr.; Jayda Johnson, Jr. and Hencini Desrosiers Jr.)
Honorable mention: Suffern (Kaylee Montesdeoca, Sr.; Madison Hogarth, Jr.; Zoe Alexandra, Jr. Mianjel Lindsey, Fr., Avi Sanon, Jr. and Cala McElhatton-Powers, 7th grade)
4×400
First team: Suffern (Sydney Fleming, Jr.; Mianjel Lindsey, Fr.; Grace Delaney, Fr.; Avi Sanon, Jr. and Madison Hogarth, Jr.)
Second team: Nyack (Hailie Vasquez, Sr.; Taitu Forrest, Sr.; Leila Harrison, Sr.; Jayda Johnson, Jr. and Julia Anderton, Jr.)
Honorable mention: Tappan Zee (Mia Dellolio, Sr.; Bridget Dunn, Sr.; Aoife Fleming, Jr.; Gia Cassidy, Fr. and Kaylee Betances, So.)
4×800
First team: Tappan Zee (Mia Dellolio, Sr.; Bridget Dunn, Sr.; Ryan Donovan, Fr.; Gia Cassidy, Fr. and Tatum McLaughlin, Jr.)
Second team: Pearl River (Aine Keane, So.; Olivia Sirakovsky, So.; Lyla Turner, So. and Lili Richards, Fr.)
Honorable mention: Suffern (Joy Yin, Sr.; Alexis Estrada, Jr.; Ava Brodskey, Sr.; Makayla Hernandez, Jr.; Elloise Kendell, 8th and Hailey Stockmeyer, So.)
Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Tappan Zee’s Dunn is Rockland’s top girls outdoor track athlete
Reporting by Nancy Haggerty, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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By Nancy Haggerty, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
