This year, Malvern has had a number of Inter-Ac champions, outstanding athletes, and thrilling games. Here are some unofficial and unscientific rankings for Malvern athletics.

Every year ESPN hosts the ESPY awards for the best athletes and teams in all of sports. This is the Malvern Prep version of the ESPY awards.

Each category has four nominees.

Best Player:

• Zac Fernandez ’17 (football)- Fernandez was the Inter-Ac MVP and led the football team to the league championship. He was always one of the quickest and most agile players on the field.
• Mike Beard ’18 (wrestling)- Beard is ranked as the number 1 wrestler in the nation and was an All-American for Malvern this year. He led Malvern to another Inter-Ac championship and a runner-up finish in the state of Pennsylvania.
• Deuce Turner ’20 (basketball)- Deuce Turner took over the court for Malvern this year. As a freshman, Turner led the team in scoring and made the all Inter-Ac team. Turner was also voted as the best freshman player in the Philadelphia area.
• Shane Muntz ’17 (baseball)- Muntz is a dominant player on the field and has been a part of three Inter-Ac championship teams. He is one of the best players in the league and will be continuing his baseball career at Wake Forest University.

And the 2016-17 Malvern Prep ESPY for best player goes to… Mike Beard ’18.

Best Team:   

• Water Polo– Malvern’s water polo team won their fourth consecutive Inter-Ac title this year. The team was led by junior co-MVPs Stephen Salle and Isaac Salinas. They finished with a record of 20-5 and finished third place at Easterns.
• Wrestling- The wrestling team dominated the Inter-Ac and the rest of the country again this year. They finished 5-0 in the Inter-Ac, beating every other team by more than 60 points. The team was consistently ranked nationally in the top 20 throughout the year. The team had 7 All-Americans this year.
• Rugby– The rugby team has an undefeated record (so far) and are deep into the state tournament. They are led by a number of seniors including Jack Ludin, Luke Stratton, and Sean Kelly. They are in good position to make a run at a state championship.
• Rowing– The crew team continued their constant flow of success this year. In the fall, they represented Malvern in races in Turin, Italy and they finished first in the Philadelphia City Championships this spring. They look to win more races later this spring and into the summer.

And the 2016-17 Malvern Prep ESPY for best team goes to… Wrestling.

Best Breakthrough Athlete:

• Drew Gunther ’19 (football)- Gunther took over at quarterback halfway through the first Inter-Ac game against Episcopal Academy. As soon as he entered the game, the season changed for good. Gunther never looked back and led the football team to win out the rest of the season en route towards an Inter-Ac trophy.
• Peter Borger ’18 (cross-country)- Peter Borger helped lead the cross-country team to a successful season. Borger finished first in the Inter-Ac as an individual and third in the PAIS championship.
• John Updike ’19 (golf)- As a sophomore, Updike was one of the best golfers in the entire Inter-Ac. He often led Malvern’s team in scoring and averaged a score of slightly over 36 per round.
• Scott White ’18 (lacrosse)- White was one of the leaders in scoring for Malvern’s lacrosse team this year. The team had a successful year, being nationally ranked frequently, and they used White’s scoring to lead the way.

And the 2016-17 Malvern Prep ESPY for best breakthrough athlete goes to… Drew Gunther ’19

Best Game:

• Lacrosse team vs. Haverford School– the lacrosse team defeated the Haverford School for the first time since 2014 in a thrilling come from behind game.
• Football team vs. Germantown Academy– On Homecoming day, Malvern’s football team played in a crucial game to win the Inter-Ac against Germantown Academy. With a packed Quigley Field, Malvern destroyed GA from the opening kickoff, winning 45-15.
• Basketball team vs. St. Joe’s Prep– Malvern’s basketball team went to St. Joe’s Prep early in the season, and dominated the game. The team put up over 100 points and were led by freshman sensation, Deuce Turner.
• Soccer team vs. Kiski Prep- Malvern’s soccer team went 8-8-4 this season, but the year was highlighted by a victory over nationally ranked Kiski Prep from Pittsburgh. Malvern scored early and played stellar defense the rest of the way to ward off any comeback from Kiski. FriarNation was once again in the house and stormed the field after the win.

And the 2016-17 Malvern Prep ESPY for best game goes to… Soccer team vs. Kiski Prep