Yarmouth, Maine, September 10, 2024: On Friday, September 27, 2024, North Yarmouth Academy (NYA) will induct Kate Merrill ’09 into the Edgar F. White ’38 Athletic Hall of Fame at 1:45 p.m. during a school-wide assembly. A luncheon for alumni, friends, and family will precede the induction ceremony. All are welcome to attend the ceremony and luncheon and should register at www.nya.org/rsvp.

Merrill was a standout athlete in golf, basketball, and softball at NYA. She had impressive success on the golf course where she was consistently among the top players in the state.

Merrill, who entered NYA as a ninth grader, grew up in Portland and started playing golf at the age of eight in her grandmother’s backyard. She made history during her junior year when she became the first NYA female to win the girls individual state champion title. She shot a 77 in the championship match, besting her closest competitor by three strokes. Before earning the state title in her junior year, she finished second in the state as a freshman and third as a sophomore. She ended her senior year as the runner-up.

As a leader on NYA’s golf team, where she was the only female, Merrill was a key contributor who played in one of the top three spots every season. During her four years on the team, they competed in the state tournament every year.

Merrill was recognized as a member of the 2006 All-Conference Team, the Maine Sunday Telegram MVP in 2007 and 2008, the Forecaster’s NYA fall athlete of the year in 2007, and the Steve Morris Scholar Athlete in 2009. During the regular season, Merrill played from the same tees as the boys, and her competitors recognized her as one of the best golfers in the state.

Her golf coach, Don Curtis, said of Merrill, “She is special…she always has a smile on her face and is a pleasure to coach. She is very competitive and willing to put in the extra time to get better.”

A point guard on the basketball team, Merrill was named the MVP in her senior year. After graduation, she attended Mount Holyoke College where she was a member of the women’s golf team and earned a B.A. with a double major in Psychology and Religion.

Merrill will be inducted into the Hall of Fame by her uncle, Lincoln J. Merrill Jr. ’75, P ’04, P ’06 GP ’34 who is a former NYA trustee.

With a generous gift, the late Edgar F. White ’38 and his family cemented his legacy at the Academy by creating the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. The Edgar F. White ’38 Athletic Hall of Fame was permanently installed in NYA’s Travis Roy Arena and Fitness & Wellness Center in the fall of 2023 at the facility’s grand opening following a renovation and addition. The space celebrates the pride and distinction NYA athletes have brought to the Academy for over 200 years.

North Yarmouth Academy is an independent, college preparatory, coeducational school for toddlers to postgraduate students with an enrollment of 395 students. Since 1814, NYA has fostered integrity, character, and intellect in its students. For more information about NYA, please visit our website at NYA.org.