Wellesley Athletes of the Week: Baseball’s Will Webster & Softball’s Lucy Stathis
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Athlete of the Week: Will Webster
Sport: Baseball (outfielder, senior captain). Follow the team on Instagram @wellesely_baseball
When & how you got involved in baseball: I started playing baseball when I was in 4th grade at 10 years old. A lot of my friends played and I wanted to give it a try.
What you love most about baseball: It’s a game that rewards hard work and consistency, and has helped me figure out who I want to be as a person on and off the field.
Pre-game routine: I try to stay off my phone as much as possible on game days, and I try to eat really well and get enough sleep the night before games.
Top goal for this season: For our team to make it to Polar Park for the state championship.
Thoughts about this year’s team: We are a really talented group that has the potential to go as far as we will allow ourselves. We don’t lack age but in general we lack overall varsity experience, with there being only 5 returners from last year. But again I think that we would be the only ones stopping ourselves from achieving our goals for the year. For some of the newer players and even for the leaders on the team the bumps in the road are really what I think are going to make us better as a unit when the dust settles and it’s tournament time, and I know that we have what it takes to be a team that dominates in the playoffs.
An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of: I would probably say being the captain of the team this year. My freshman year I was at a private school that I did not have a very good experience at, and being able to come back to Wellesley and play for my town for the last 3 years, and to be the captain of the team this year has been a rewarding experience. I remember always being so worried about what my baseball career would look like as an upperclassmen when I was in 9th grade, and I think that if my 9th grade self saw where I was now, he would be very proud.
An inspiring story related to your involvement in baseball/this team: This year I just think back to all the struggles we had getting on our field with how bad the weather was at the start of the season, and how when we finally did for the first time it wasn’t until our first game of the season against Milton. We went out and put up 6 runs in the first inning and were all really fired up and excited to be on our field and protecting the house. That’s my favorite game from this year so far and it set the tone for the team for what we want our identity to be, especially as an offense.
Interests outside of baseball: I enjoy playing the guitar and working out.
What other sports do you play, if any? I used to play hockey, but I have been playing just baseball since junior year.
Coach Ted Novio on Will Webster: “Will is a tremendous leader. He leads by example every day. He’s the first to practice, the last to leave, and he gives every ounce he’s got on every play. Will’s determination to make this a great senior season personally and as a team has not gone unnoticed by the coaches and team. It has not only been an honor to coach him but an honor to have him be our captain in 2025.”
Athlete of the Week: Lucy Stathis
Sport: Softball (pitcher, senior captain)
When & how you got involved in softball: When I was seven, I went to a nearby batting cage to practice with my dad. A coach that was working there needed to fill spots on her 10u travel team and asked me if I wanted to join. It was super low stakes and I’m pretty sure we lost almost every game, but that team is the reason I fell in love with the sport.
What you love most about softball I love that softball is so team dependent, yet there is still room for individual improvement and growth.
Pre-game routine: I enjoy listening to music to make myself and my team excited to play.
Top goal for this season: Going into the season, my goal was simply to have fun and enjoy my final high school season by spending time with my teammates. Our team goal is to make playoffs and have a good run through multiple rounds!
Thoughts about this year’s team: This team is a special group of people. We have little to no feelings of jealousy, and we are all constantly cheering for and supporting each other. It’s very easy to turn on yourself when playing softball because of how mental it is, but the girls on this team will do anything to prevent that from happening.
An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of: Committing to play softball in college!
An inspiring story related to your involvement in softball/this team: One time, we were stranded in Boston after our game vs Boston Latin and we couldn’t find the bus anywhere. Coach Hunt then proceeded to “call the bus” and it magically showed up. We still aren’t sure what or who she called, but it was so mysterious and funny I still think about it every time we have an away game.
Interests outside of softball: Outside of softball, I also do competitive dance. Usually I drive right from softball practice to dance!
Coach Emily Hunt on Lucy Stathis: “Lucy has been a four-year varsity starter for the softball team and will play at Colby next year. Her energy and love of the game is contagious; she will do absolutely anything for her team whether that means carpooling to get ice cream, getting everyone hyped with her music, running Softball Rocks clinics, or making a diving catch in centerfield. Lucy can play anywhere on the field and has played every position throughout her Raiders career. She is an awesome outfielder with excellent speed but is at her best when she is dominating the pitcher’s circle. So far this season she has 65 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched which gives her 329 career strikeouts. She has been a leader on and off the field during her entire career. This season, as a senior captain, Lucy should lead us to our best position to make a state tournament run.”
(Athletes of the Week are nominated by their coaches.)
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