Vermont

Community cat earns honorary ‘degree’ from Castleton

Published

2 years ago

May 16, 2024

Community cat earns honorary ‘degree’ from Castleton

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Back in 2022, the UVM women’s club lacrosse team made it all the way to the WCLA D2 National Championship game before falling to Loyola Maryland. Last year, the Cats finished third in the country. But this year, Vermont finally got over the hump.
“It was awesome,” said senior attacker May Cassidy. “I mean our first time that we went, we were all sophomores. And we went in #14 seed, like not really expecting to do well. So finishing secnd was awesome for us. And then we were just super excited to come back.”
“Sophomore, junior year, we were like so close to getting the title,” added senior midfielder Annika More. “I think like it being our senior year, we just really wanted to get out there and win.”
The cats earned an at-large bid to the national tournament as the #4 seed, and they had no trouble dispatching rival UNH and Denver in group play to advance to the national semifinals.
“Obviously we played UNH early on, which again we played a lot this season,” said national midfielder of the year Ella Malik. “And it was exciting to play a few other teams we hadn’t played before.”
“Just like having so many teams from all across the country, it’s really cool to see everybody come together,” added senior defender Hayley Zielinski. “Gives you like an insight into how like the different coasts play lacrosse.”
The Cats downed top seed Cal State San Marcos in the semifinals, earning a fourth meeting of the season with Providence in the national title game.
“One of my favorite things about this team is no matter who we play, we just come out ready to play,” said senior midfielder Lilly Egenberg. “And again, we know Providence, they know us, we know them and I think we just were ready to play and we came out harder and I think we wanted it more.”
The Cats fell behind early, but eventually seized control, coasting to a 14-8 win and the program’s first ever national title. It’s especially sweet considering all the challenges this group has had to overcome in their lacrosse careers.
“I think it was really special for all of us,” said senior midfielder Paisley Broadhurst. “Especially being seniors, like in high school, none of us got a senior season. We’ve all just become like super close. And our grade is the smallest on the team so it’s like easy for us all to just like hang out. And to be able to accomplish this all together, I think it’s gonna be a core memory for all of us for sure.”
Head coach Rhiannon Brown is excited for the future of the program, but she also knows this senior class is irreplaceable.
“I’ve played lacrosse for about 10 years before I came to UVM, and I don’t think that I ever had the pleasure of having a senior class like this,” Brown said. “Whether it be my senior classes or ones that I’ve had on my teams. So this group in particular is one that’s going to be near next to impossible to replace. We do have a really strong core on our team that I’m really excited for them to step up and play…but this class in particular is gonna leave a forever mark on our program.”

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Vermont

Vote for the Vermont Varsity Insider Boys Athlete of the Week powered by Delta Dental

Published

7 hours ago

January 19, 2026

Press Room

Welcome to the sixth installment of the 2025-26 winter season for the Delta Dental Vermont Varsity Insider Athletes of the Week voting by high school sports fans.

This week, and every week during the sports seasons, members of the public may vote for a top girls athlete and a top boys athlete. And since last year, we added to the list of weekly nominees: There are now two stories, one for girls and one for boys, with more athletes on each ballot.

How do I cast my vote?

All voting is through the ballots at burlingtonfreepress.com. We will not accept votes through email or through social media.

Voting began Monday, Jan. 19, and continues through 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan 22.

How do we learn who wins?

The winners will be announced in a story published at burlingtonfreepress.com on Friday, Jan. 23.

May I nominate a deserving athlete for a future ballot?

Yes. Please nominate a Vermont high school athlete by sending an email to sports@burlingtonfreepress.com (Subject Line: Athletes of the Week nomination). Additionally, please include the athlete’s school, sport and any relevant details from that week’s games in the email.

Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Alex Chagnon, South Burlington hockey: After a 26-save performance in a 5-3 win over Essex, Chagnon pitched a shutout with 23 stops as the Wolves blanked BFA-St. Albans.

Max Demaine, Lake Region wrestling: Demaine had the weekend’s fastest pin and won the 175-pound division at the Michael J. Baker Wrestling Classic at Essex on Jan. 17.

Cahota Lafond, Colchester wrestling: The senior reached 200 career wins and claimed the 126-pound division at the Michael J. Baker Wrestling Classic at Essex.

Camden Leno, U-32 hockey: The sophomore registered a goal and four assists in a 9-1 win over Rutland and had a pair of tallies in a 7-2 decision over Stowe.

Steele Nelson, Harwood basketball: After tallying 24 points, 15 rebounds and two steals in a 60-50 win over Montpelier, Nelson racked up 30 points and 10 rebounds in a 62-44 decision over Spaulding.

Ethan Whalen, Rutland basketball: After a 19-point outing in a 62-42 victory over Middlebury, Whalen dropped 20 points as Rutland bested South Burlington 61-45.

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.

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Vermont

Vermont’s Free Ice Fishing Day is January 31

Published

19 hours ago

January 18, 2026

Press Room

Vermont’s Free Ice Fishing Day is January 31

MONTPELIER — Vermont’s state-wide Free Ice Fishing Day is Saturday, January 31, 2026.

Free Ice Fishing Day is held annually on the last Saturday in January. The day is geared toward giving new ice anglers an opportunity to try ice fishing before purchasing equipment or a fishing license, but any angler may ice fish on any waterbody open to ice fishing statewide without a license on Free Ice Fishing Day.

To celebrate Free Ice Fishing Day, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding an Ice Fishing Festival at Elmore State Park in Elmore. The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages as well as families with kids.

“The Ice Fishing Festival typically draws 500 to 700 participants for a day of fishing, skill-building and community,” said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jason Batchelder. “The annual event is moved around the state each winter, and we are excited to be back at Lake Elmore for 2026.”

Vermont Fish and Wildlife staff, as well as instructors from Vermont’s Let’s Go Fishing Program, will be on-hand to teach ice fishing skills. These include knot tying, baiting and using ice fishing rods, tip-ups and other specialized ice fishing gear, and most importantly, how to stay safe on the ice. They will also discuss fishing regulations and fish identification.

Fish and Wildlife staff will operate a fish fry station, serving up samples of locally caught Vermont fish, as well as cooking up participants’ catch, and there will be plenty of hot cocoa on hand. Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather, and ice cleats are strongly recommended.

“Ice fishing is one of the most accessible forms of fishing and can be a great way to introduce people to how much fun fishing can be,” said Batchelder. “This festival will demonstrate that ice fishing isn’t just about catching fish. It’s also a great way to spend some time outdoors with friends and family. You can skate, sled, make a snow fort, and have a cookout – all while waiting for the flags on your tip-ups to signal when you’ve caught a fish.”

Fishing equipment will be loaned for this fun day on the ice, or participants may bring their own.

For more information, go to Upcoming Events on Vermont Fish and Wildlife website.

Registration can be completed online in advance, or people may register when they arrive — although registering in advance will enable participants to get on the ice faster.

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Vermont

Milton man injured in shooting

Published

1 day ago

January 18, 2026

Press Room

COLCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) – Colchester Police Department say a 25-year-old man from Milton is injured after a shooting in Colchester.

Police say it happened around 6:45 Saturday evening, when the station received a call reporting a loud “bang” followed by screaming from the area of 806 Blakely Rd.

Right after, police say a man entered CPD headquarters lobby with a facial wound saying he had just been shot.

Police and emergency crews treated a 25-year-old Milton man before taking him to the UVM Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators identified the suspect from information gathered at the scene and arrested them. Police say the event seems targeted, with no increased danger to the public.

This is an ongoing investigation, WCAX will continue to provide updates as we know more.

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