Catherine Tuohy Receives Angel Award as AHA Honors Senior Athletes

Three-sport athlete Catherine Tuohy has earned the prestigious Angel Award for her contributions to the Academy of the Holy Angels’ spring track, volleyball, and basketball programs. Tuohy was honored in absentia, as she was celebrating her graduation in Europe.

Over the past four years, Tuohy received a total of eight varsity letters, and earned a 2023 All-League Honorable Mention for her achievements in spring track. While she was serving as captain of the volleyball team during her junior and senior years, Tuohy received two Coach’s Awards and earned Second Team All-League both years. The honoree is a member of the National Honor Society and the honor societies for Spanish, math, science, and social studies; a peer tutor, church lector, and youth coach. She will attend the University of Notre Dame this fall.

“She has learned how to ‘do it all’ without dropping the ball on anything,” AHA Athletic Director Patti Gorsuch said. “Year after year, I witnessed a transformation, a maturity, and a personal growth that turned this athlete into a responsible leader, willing to tackle any task with a smile.”

Gorsuch described Tuohy as that special teammate who leads by example and always stays calm, steady, and positive.

Giovanna Corbisiero received the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Scholar Athlete Award for her contributions to the basketball team and for posting the highest grade point average of a senior athlete. Corbisiero, who graduated Second in Merit on June 2, will continue her studies and basketball career at Haverford College.

Big North Student Athlete Award winners include Breanna Hetzer for soccer and bowling, Amelia Shen for golf, and Caterina Cardamone for volleyball, winter track, and spring track. Shen was a member of the first AHA Golf Team to win a state title (May 2023).

This year, the Academy retired the jerseys worn by Erin Ha (tennis) and Breanna Hetzer (bowling).

Hetzer will attend the University of Vermont. She has served as captain of the bowling team in 2022 and 2023 and earned First Team All-County honors both years. Hetzer was named First Team All North Jersey in 2023 and Second Team All North Jersey in 2022 and 2021. She was also nominated for NJ.com 2023 Bowler of the Year. In 2021, Hetzer brought home the Coach’s Award and earned a second place medal in the BNC Bowling Tournament — United Division. She earned three repeat honors in 2022 and 2023, including the Most Valuable Bowler Award, First Team All-League honors, and First Place in the BNC Bowling Tournament – United Division. Hetzer also earned First Team All North Jersey in 2023 and First Team All-County in 2022.

Two-time High School All American Erin Ha transferred into AHA as a junior. She posted an overall record of 72-5, which includes finishing 13-2 as a junior and 25-1 as a senior. Ha has made All North Jersey, First Team All-League, and First Team All-County all four years of high school. She earned First Team All-State recognition in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and Third Team All-State in 2019. She was State Singles Finalist in 2021 and 2022, and was the 2021 USTA Girls 16 Doubles National Championship Finalist. Ha’s achievements include becoming USTA Girls 18 Doubles Winter Nationals Finalist, USTA Girls 16 Singles National Indoor Champion, and 2022 USTA Girls 18 Doubles National Indoor Finalist. Ha received the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award from the Parents Club of West Point. This fall, she will play tennis for Yale this fall and begin her study of economics.

Ha also brought home the Bergen County Women Coaches Association Scholarship, and Catherine Tuohy and Federica Zazzali both earned the BCWCA Multi-Sport Award.

Zazzali, who is bound for Villanova University, has posted several achievements in varsity cross-country. She was named BNC First Team All-Division as a sophomore and again as a senior. During her junior year, Zazzali was named BNC Second Team All-Division and brought home the Coach’s Award. As a senior, she served as team captain and earned Most Valuable Player honors. Zazzali ran varsity indoor track for the past four years. After being named Most Improved Runner during her first year with the team, she worked her way up to captain. She was also captain of the varsity outdoor track squad, where she earned BNC Second Team honors in the 1600-meter race as a junior.

This year’s Parents’ Athletic Association Awards went to Federica Zazzali and tennis player Ella Oaten.

Oaten, who will be attending Indiana University, was captain of the AHA Tennis Team in 2022. She helped lead AHA to Bergen County Tournament titles in 2021 and 2022, and earned the 2022 Bergen County title in individual second doubles. In 2019 and 2021, Oaten qualified for the individual state tournament at first doubles. During her time at AHA, Oaten earned the 2022 Coach’s Award and numerous conference honors, including First Team All-Division, Second Team All-County in 2019, 2020, and 2021. In 2023, she was named Big North Conference First Team All-Division, First Team All-County.