Athletic trainers with Mercy Sports Medicine are embedded inside many St. Louis metro area high schools and get to know the athletes throughout the year. As a way of highlighting outstanding students from these schools each month, a new Mercy Sports Medicine Athlete of the Month will be recognized. Athletes are nominated by coaches and selected by a committee.
Here are the Mercy Sports Medicine Athletes of the Month for the 2024-2025 school year.
October 2024
Caden Thorneberry, a junior football player for Marquette High School, is a leader on the field and in the classroom. As the team captain and quarterback, he displays exceptional sportsmanship toward the opposing team and officials, setting a high standard for his teammates. He works to unite the team, never placing fault on anyone player and always offering a “we will get it next time” attitude. He is an active volunteer with the Junior Mustang youth football program, working closely with younger players to support their growth and love for the game.
Hannah Zaiser, a senior and four-year varsity field hockey player with Parkway West High School, brings passion to all her activities. As the team captain, she helps her teammates learn new skills and leads during warmups. She coaches the elementary and middle school field hockey teams and is someone these young players look up to as she continues to strive for improvement. With a 3.83 GPA, she is a member of Mu Alpha Theta and Blue Crea and participated in NDHCA National Academic Squad.
September 2024
Addy Denny, a Parkway North High School senior softball player, has a bright future. She creates key offensive and defensive plays, leads the team in hitting stats with a batting average of .340, on base percentage of .373 and the most RBIs on the team with 11. In the 14 of 21 games she pitched, Denny struck out over 100 batters, setting the school record for most strikeouts in a single game at 17.
She is a leader on and off the field, staying involved in National Honor Society and other high achieving academic clubs. She also participates in the Sports Medicine SPARK program through Parkway, which gives students the opportunity to explore their interests in sports medicine careers. Denny always brings an upbeat attitude to the athletic training room, the field and even the classroom. She exemplifies what it means to be a phenomenal student-athlete.
Hayden Wolfe, a senior football player at St. Francis Borgia High School, is the key to their strong start this season. He is a team leader through both his words and actions. He inspires the team through pep talks and shows character in everything he does, including interactions with officials and cleaning up after his teammates in the visiting locker room. He rushed for 595 yards through four games, with an average of 9.9 yards per carry. In the same four games, he has scored 13 touchdowns and is also an important member of the defensive backfield with 12 tackles and one interception.
Wolfe also participates on the track team and National Honor Society.
