Stephanie Yakoff
I’m the captain of the Harvard Women’s Tennis team and a multi-time All-Ivy athlete. I made program history by winning the ITA New England Regional Singles Championship, becoming the first Harvard player in over 20 years to qualify for the NCAA Championships, and the first Harvard player in recorded program history to earn a win at the NCAA Championships. I’m currently ranked No. 49 nationally. I starred in an Amazon Prime docuseries produced by LeBron James’s SpringHill Company and have been featured multiple times on News 12 New Jersey. I’m a first-generation American and grew up hearing my grandmother’s stories of surviving the Holocaust. I attended Hebrew school from ages five to ten and remain actively involved in Harvard Chabad. I’m proud to represent both my heritage and Harvard through sport.
Benny Gealer
I’m currently a senior at Stanford, where I serve as captain of the basketball team. I originally joined the program as a walk-on, and through hard work, self-belief, and persistence, I earned a full scholarship for the next three years, ultimately working my way into a leadership role. As a starter this season, I’m averaging a career high 10.8 ppg, while shooting 43% from beyond the arc, 92% from the free throw line, and am second on the team in steals with 1.5 per game. I also hit a buzzer-beater shot to beat Saint Louis and win the Acrisure Invitational Championship earlier this season.
Before college, I was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame as the top Jewish basketball player in high school. Later that same summer, I competed in the Maccabiah Games in Israel, winning a gold medal for Team USA in the open division as the only high school player on the roster.
Outside of basketball, I love the things that connect me to my family and culture. My favorite comfort food will always be my mom’s chicken soup, especially when it’s made with the iconic Manischewitz matzah ball soup mix. At my core, I’m someone who values community, culture, family, and competition, and I try to conduct my life as a true mensch.
Elyssa Biederman
My name is Elyssa Biederman, I am originally from Franklin, Michigan. I played hockey for Detroit Little Caesars in my youth career before I committed to Colgate. I’m a double major at Colgate University in Biology and Sociology. I’ve also represented the United States both at the U19 and collegiate level. In 2024-2025, I earned All-ECAC Second Team and All-USCHO Third Team honors in 2024-25 after leading the conference in both points (51) and assists (32). So far this season, I have 15 goals and 17 assists, surpassing 100 career assists, becoming just the third player in Colgate history to reach that achievement. Next year, I hope to play professionally in the PWHL, and following my professional career I aspire to becoming a Physician’s Assistant.
Alex Kranzler
My name is Alex Kranzler, and I am a Jewish baseball player at Vanderbilt University. I grew up in Norwood, New Jersey, just outside New York City, with my parents and two sisters. I attended Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, where I was named the 2022 New Jersey Baseball Player of the Year via NJ.com, PBR, and Perfect Game, earned two All-State First Team selections, won a Rawlings Gold Glove, and helped lead my team to a Bergen County championship as tournament MVP. Through two seasons at Vanderbilt, I hold a 6–2 record with a 3.90 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 57.2 innings. In 2025, we won the SEC Tournament and earned the No. 1 NCAA seed. I have also been named to the SEC All-Academic Team each season.
Lev BenAvram
Lev BenAvram is a rising star in U.S. sabre fencing–Junior World Champion, NCAA All-American, Team USA athlete, and Brandeis senior majoring in Business and Hebrew. Ranked top six nationally, he balances training, global competition, and academics in pursuit of his 2028 Olympic dream. Lev is just as dedicated to his heritage, keeping kosher on the road and bringing Jewish visibility to the international stage. Known for resilience and focus, he brings humor and heart into his community. Whether he’s sharing his fitness tips or brisket recipes (IG @levbenavram), Lev represents the next generation of joyful, visible Jewish excellence.
Blake Hoegler
Blake Hoegler is an offensive lineman from Solon, Ohio. In high school he was a captain on the football team. He also threw shot-put for 1 year, and was a state qualifier and conference champion. Blake also earned accolades in the weight room being named an NSCA all American. At Mercyhurst Blake allowed 0 sacks and just 8 pressures on 372 pass blocking snaps in 2025 earning him all conference honors. Blake also gets it done in the classroom having a 4.0 cumulative gpa as a major in pre-medicine
Zoe Martin
Zoe Martin is a dual-sport athlete in lacrosse and field hockey at the University of Michigan and a dual citizen of the United States and Israel. She competes internationally with the Israel Women’s Lacrosse National Team (6th in the world). Zoe became the youngest player ever selected to the national team, competing in the 2022 World Championships at just 16. In 2024, she helped lead Israel to a silver medal at the European Championships, tying for the tournament lead in goals scored. A standout high school athlete, Zoe was an All-American and Colorado Player of the Year in both sports, winning six state championships. She and Team Israel will compete in the 2026 Lacrosse World Championships in Tokyo this summer.
Riley Weiss
Riley Weiss is a junior guard for Columbia women’s basketball from Hewlett, NY. She is a two time Ivy League Champion, First Team All-Ivy League and First Team All-Met selection. As a sophomore she started all 31 games averaging 17.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 29.8 minutes per game. Riley was 1 of 25 named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List presented to the NCAAWBB Women’s National Player of the Year. This season she is the leading scorer for Columbia and is currently 2nd in the Ivy League in ppg.