“Tess Stapleton is the ultimate competitor. She’s not only dedicated, she also wants to understand every facet and component of her training. It’s that focus that enables her to be a better athlete and teammate every day.”

Justin Tomczyk

Assistant Coach - Fairfield Ludlowe assistant coach

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-6 junior won the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.88 seconds as well as the long jump (with a leap of 19 feet, 6.5 inches) at the New England High School Indoor Championships this past winter. Stapleton’s winning hurdles time ranked as the nation’s No. 4 performance in 2020, while her long jump effort ranked No. 6. She also won both events at the Class LL indoor championships and the State Open championships. In 2019, Stapleton won both the long jump and the 100 hurdles outdoors at the State Open.

Academic Achievement

Stapleton has maintained a 4.19 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.

Exemplary Character

Stapleton is co-founder of the “Songs for Smiles” troupe, which performs musical shows for special needs groups in the area, and she has volunteered on behalf of her community’s Challenger Basketball program.