Bay State Games Announces 2023 Athletes of the Year

August 28, 2023

(L-R) Chuck Barnes (Masters Swimming), Kali Denty (Pickleball), Mena Sheth (Swimming), Daniel Gao (Fencing)

Bay State Games is excited to announce they have selected its Athletes of the Year. This award is based on participation in the Games and other athletic achievements. The 2023 selections for Athlete of the Year are:

Female Youth Athlete – Mena Sheth

Female Adult Athlete – Kali Denty

Male Youth Athlete – Daniel Gao

Male Adult Athlete - Chuck Barnes

Slide title

Write your caption here

Button
Slide title

Write your caption here

Button
Slide title

Write your caption here

Button
Slide title

Write your caption here

Button

Mena Sheth, 14, is a rising sophomore at Concord Carlisle High School. One of her great passions in life is swimming. She won two bronze medals in butterfly and backstroke at the 2023 Bay State Games in Wellesley, MA.

Mena has been swimming competitively for over a decade. At age 4, Mena became the youngest swimmer on the Concord Otters Swim Team. As she became more senior on the team, she earned the Coaches Award for her sportsmanship and team spirit. She also coaches the younger swimmers as a volunteer. She now swims for her high school team, as well as the North Shore Swim Club. During spring, she plays lacrosse for her high school team. Mena is also an honors student.

Outside of sports, Mena is a published author. During the pandemic, she wrote a middle grade science fiction novel entitled “Project Apollo,” which was published in November 2022. Thereafter, in May 2023, she was invited to a Simon & Schuster authors' convention in New York City, where her book was on display. Additionally, this year, Mena was a speaker for her mother's judicial swearing-in ceremony, alongside a State Senator and a State Representative. She spoke before a packed, standing-room-only audience of judges, elected officials, and attorneys.

Mena is currently training to be a guide for disabled athletes through the Boston chapter of Achilles International, a nonprofit organization that provides racing opportunities for adults and children with disabilities. Additionally, this summer, Mena swam a one-mile open-water challenge in the Boston Harbor hosted by Swim Across America, to benefit Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Mena’s coach at North Shore Swim Club, David Martin, describes her as an athlete who "demonstrates confidence every day at practice and swim meets. She is a swimmer and teammate you can count on to do the right thing in all situations. Mena is extremely well liked by her teammates and coaches. She manages her swimming, academics, family and other activities at the highest level."

Kali Denty is 25 years old and has played in Bay State Games pickleball for the last 2 years and played in the Girls Soccer Showcase when she was in high school. In 2023, Kali won silver in both the women’s and mixed doubles event. While in high school, she was the starting goalkeeper and helped the Southeast team to back-to-back gold medals in the Girls Soccer Showcase.

Kali began playing soccer at age three, and first played goalkeeper at age five. Kali played Galway Rovers U17 Elite Division I Maple League. When she was 11, she played for the Massachusetts Olympic Development team as a U14, and each summer she earned a spot on the Massachusetts District Select team. In high school, she was the starting goalkeeper for all 4 years and served as team captain for two years. In addition to soccer, Kali played softball and ice hockey in high school and won the best athlete award as a senior. In college, Kali was named Rookie of the Year for the women’s soccer team. She was named All-Conference and All-Academic in soccer and softball all 4 years. Kali was recruited to play semi-pro soccer in Italy last year and earn her master's. At her first scrimmage, she was recruited to play professional soccer.

Outside of sports, Kali has volunteered with patients with Alzheimer's, Meals on Wheels, and Dream Day (children with terminal illnesses). She has also volunteered to coach youth soccer.

With all her accomplishments, community service, volunteering, and athletic and academic awards, she has done all of this with a brain tumor. Kali had a severe migraine, vision issues, and other medical issues for the past five years. She persevered, still played sports, graduated college, earned her master's, and played professional soccer in horrible pain, and still gave so much to others. She had the tumor removed in April 2023. Nine days after major brain surgery, she was back on the pickleball court.

Daniel Gao is a native of Weston, MA and a rising senior at Weston High School. Daniel won gold in the 2023 Bay State Games Fencing competition in Junior Men’s Epee. Daniel has been fencing for just 3 years and has racked up a long list of accomplishments. After only three and a half years, Daniel has become one of the top-rated fencers in America, with his highest rankings including 7th nationally at the Cadet level. This year, he was also the top regional point scorer in the Northeast region. Daniel has gained multiple national medals and has represented Team USA to compete in 6 designated international competitions in his short fencing career. He most recently won two gold medals for the U.S. in the 2023 Pan American Championships held in Bogota, Columbia. He also placed 7^th at the 2023 Summer National Championships in Div1A and won the bronze medal at the 2023 Junior Olympics Junior team competition. Daniel has competed at many other national and international fencing competitions including the 2023 January North American Cup, 2023 Raleigh Super Junior/Cadet Circuit, 2022 Pan American Championship held in Peru, 2022 Slovakia European Cadet Circuit, 2022 Krakow European Cadet Circuit, 2022 Grenoble European Cadet Circuit, and 2022 Belgrade European Cadet Circuit.

Daniel is the chair of the Weston Student Corp and has led community service in multiple events such as volunteering in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Festival Celebration, making New Year cards for the senior center, and volunteering in the Weston Mid-Autumn Festival. He is also a volunteer English Tutor for high school students in China, a tutor in the Key Club, a teaching assistant for the Chinese American Youth Association online camp, and a volunteer who makes handmade hats and scarves in the winter for people in need. As a percussionist, he also volunteered to perform holiday music for the Avalon Senior Center.

His coach, Qibing Wang, says Daniel is one of the hardest working and most promising athletes he has ever seen. “[Daniel} always exceeds my expectations with his athletic ability, work ethic, and spirit. Throughout my years as a fencer and as a coach, I have never witnessed a faster growing fencer than Daniel, as he rose to an A rating within 6 months of becoming an E rated fencer.” Wang continues, “[Daniel] is at the club during all open hours and is always the last fencer to leave the strip. He also impresses me because he maintains strong grades and test scores in difficult classes despite his intense practicing, independent conditioning and traveling.” His coach adds, “He truly loves the sport…for the athleticism, tactics, and features that make fencing unique.”

Chuck Barnes is a resident of Seekonk, MA and has competed in Bay State Games Masters Swimming for 2 years. He has won a gold medal in every race he has competed in, and in many cases has out-raced swimmers 20 years younger than him. He holds 7 BSG records in the men’s 35-49 age group, 5 of which he set at the 2023 Masters Swimming competition.

In high school, Chuck set the Massachusetts state record in the 100 butterfly and in the 100 yard backstroke. He finished his career with 6 state titles and was Catholic Conference MVP for all 4 years. He was inducted into the Boston College High School Hall of Fame in 2014.

Chuck went on to have an illustrious swimming career at Brown University, where he was inducted into the school’s athletics hall of fame in 2006. Graduating in 1999, he held team records in 5 different events, many of which stood for 15+ years. He was also named the Ivy League’s Most Valuable Swimmer for three straight years and was recognized as a Top 100 Athlete of the century at Brown.

Barnes was named the team’s MVP all four of his years at Brown and served as captain his senior year in 1999. He is just the second Brown swimmer to earn the Phil Moriarty Award at the Eastern Championships and holds the most Eastern Championship Titles in Brown history, racking up seven throughout his career.

After graduating from Brown, Barnes continued training and qualified for the 2000 Olympic Trials in the 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, and 200 free. He finished 12^th in the 200 backstroke. After finishing his swimming career, Barnes competed in triathlons and placed 37th in the world's largest in Chicago.

Over the last few years, Chuck has also made waves in US Masters Swimming. He has broken 12 USMS records and currently holds 9 records in the men’s 45-49 age group. He has earned 9 USMS All-American honors (5 individual, 4 relay). In October, he will be inducted into the New England Masters Swimming (NELMSC) Hall of Fame.

When not in the pool, Chuck is the president of a real estate and appraisal company.

Individuals chosen as Bay State Games Athlete of the Year were also submitted for recognition as the National State Games Athlete of the Year. The winners will be announced in late September. The other National Athlete of the Year recipients will be recognized at the National Congress of State Games annual symposium on October 4 at the SportsTravel Awards Luncheon in West Palm Beach, Florida.

For more information on the Bay State Games Athlete of the Year program and past winners, go to www.baystategames.org/AOY.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Bay State Games Inducts Three Into the 2026 Hall of Fame

August 26, 2026

Representative Patricia Haddad (legislative leadership), Representative John Barrett (legislative leadership), and Ryan McCarthy (baseball coach) have been selected for induction into the 2026 Bay State Games’ Hall of Fame. The inductees will receive their award at a pre-game ceremony at Fenway Park on Sunday, June 14 prior to the Red Sox game against Texas. The Bay State Games Hall of Fame was created to recognize past participants who have gone on to prestigious and successful athletic careers, as well as former and current coaches, officials, sports organizers, and volunteers who have made significant contributions to the organization throughout its 38-year history. Past inductees among the over 60 previous honorees include the NBA’s Dana Barros (‘06), Pat Connaughton (‘25) and the late Reggie Lewis (‘02); WNBA’s Rebecca Lobo (‘03); Major League Baseball’s Rich Hill (‘13); Olympians Nancy Kerrigan (‘07), Ada Korkhin (‘25) and Samantha Livingstone (‘18) and US Paralympic Gold Medalist Joe Lemar (‘15). “The Bay State Games is proud of the many athletes who have participated in the program and gone on to achieve success at the collegiate, professional, and Olympic levels. We are equally proud of the coaches, sport organizers, community leaders, and supporters whose dedication, expertise, and generosity have helped make the Bay State Games possible.” Said Kevin Cummings, the Bay State Games Executive Director. “We are honored to recognize this year's Hall of Fame class and celebrate the significant contributions each inductee has made to the Bay State Games. Their commitment, leadership, and lasting impact have strengthened the organization and enriched the experience of countless athletes throughout the Commonwealth.” REP. PATRICIA HADDAD - LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP Massachusetts State Representative Patricia Haddad championed state support for the Bay State Games for over two decades. She has supported the recreation, health, and education-based programs of the organization that benefit thousands of Massachusetts participants each year. A former teacher for 14 years, Rep. Haddad represented the 5th Bristol District for 25 years and served as Speaker Pro Tempore of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for ten years. REP. JOHN BARRETT - LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP Massachusetts State Representative John Barrett from Berkshire County has been a strong supporter of the Bay State Games since the mid-1980s. Rep. Barrett was instrumental in bringing the Winter Games to Berkshire County, where they have been held for over 35 years. He has served as State Representative for Berkshire County since 2017 and was formerly Mayor of North Adams for 26 years. Rep. Barrett is also a leading advocate of the statewide Summer Games. RYAN MCCARTHY - BASEBALL COACH Ryan McCarthy from Portsmouth has served as volunteer baseball coach at the Bay State Games for over two decades. He has led the Northeast team to numerous championship medals. Ryan has devoted more than 25 years to coaching high school student-athletes in both baseball and football at Triton Regional High School, Newburyport High School, and Dighton-Rehoboth High School. He has had a positive impact on countless Massachusetts high school student-athletes. For more on the Bay State Games Hall of Fame and past inductees, click here. https://www.baystategames.org/hall-of-fame

Bay State Games Announces 2026 Athletes of the Year

August 25, 2026

Bay State Games is excited to announce its selections for the 2026 Athlete of the Year Awards. Any athlete who participated in the 2026 Bay State Summer or Winter Games was eligible to be nominated for these awards. Selection is based on participation in the Games and other athletic achievements. The 2026 selections are: Female Youth Athlete – Dana Howling Wolf Keller Male Youth Athlete – Holden Choma Female Adult Athlete – Kiara Cabral Male Adult Athlete - Jacob DeAndrade Dana Howling Wolf Keller , 17, of Shrewsbury, is a senior at Notre Dame Academy in Worcester and an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Native American Tribe. Volleyball has been a major part of her life. She started unable to serve over the net but, after countless hours of dedication, has turned serving into one of her strengths and learned that confidence is built through persistence. Dana plays setter and right side for her high school team and SLAM national club team, and captains both teams. She was named to the 2025 Central MA Athletic Conference All-Star Team and represented her school as a MIAA sportsmanship delegate. Dana represented the Central region for Girls Volleyball in the Bay State Games in 2024 & 2026. This year, she was also named the sportsmanship recipient for the Central Girls Volleyball team. Dana has also been a Bay State Games High School Ambassador. She has committed to continue playing volleyball in college at the University of St. Joseph (CT). Off the court, Dana extensively volunteers at the Shrewsbury Public Library and Shrewsbury Special Olympics. Notre Dame Academy honored her with the Katherine Forbes Eskrine Award for her community service. Dana is also active in her parish's youth group and has participated in several Catholic leadership programs. She aspires to become a forensic pathologist, and last summer served as a lab assistant to Dr. Ann Burgess in Boston College's Forensic Science Summer Program. Holden Choma, 17, of West Newbury, is a senior at Pentucket Regional High School. Holden has competed in Track and Field since his freshman year and specializes in the high jump. He dedicated himself to jumping higher, and in his first year, he improved from 5'2 to 6'6.75, and was at the top of the MIAA. He is also a 2x USATF Region 1 champion in the high jump. He also competed at the 2025 USATF Junior Olympics and was the 15-16 National Runner-Up. This year he faced a setback after suffering a patellar tendon tear on his jumping leg. After nearly a year to fully heal, he was the MIAA Division 5 champion in the spring, and this summer he competed in his second Bay State Games after winning silver in the 2025 high jump. Holden broke his slump by shattering a 30-year-old Bay State Games record in the high jump at 2.05m (6'8.75) and took home the gold medal. Outside of jumping, Holden enjoys volunteering at Ipswich Junior Sailing, teaching children how to sail safely, and now works as an instructor. As a member of his school's band, he marched in West Newbury's Veterans Day Parade and held a private performance for local veterans. Kiara Cabral, 23, of Somerset, is a recent graduate of Bridgewater State University. She also competed as a student-athlete on the track and field team in sprinting events. She had a storied career as a Bridgewater State Bear achieving accolades from the school to the national level. Kiara was named 2026 Woman’s Athlete of the Year by Bridgewater State and holds five school records in 60m Indoor, 200m Indoor, 400m Indoor + Outdoor, 500m Indoor, and 4x100 Outdoor. In the MASCAC conference she holds six championship titles which she earned from 2022 to 2026. The conference named Kiara Athlete of the Week on 21 occasions and she holds two conference records in the 4x100 and the 400m. Kiara was placed on the All-Academic team for three seasons and the Sportsmanship team once. She has been nationally recognized as an NCAA All-American and qualified for both the indoor and outdoor nationals in 2025 and the indoor nationals again in 2026. Kiara was first team All-American in the outdoor 4x100 relay in 2025 and the indoor 400m in 2026, and was named second team All-American for outdoor 400m in 2025. This summer, Kiara competed in the Bay State Games in the 100m and 200m events. She was the gold medalist in both events running a time of 12.51 in the 100m and 25.35 in the 200m. Kiara graduated last spring with a degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education. She has always had a passion for helping children understand and enjoy math, and will enter her first year teaching middle school math this fall. Jacob DeAndrade, 26 , of Foxboro, graduated from Bridgewater State University in 2024 with a Master of Business Administration and currently works in finance. Jacob was an accomplished student-athlete at Bridgewater State. In his rookie season at Bridgewater State, the school named him Rookie of the Year. He was a 10x Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference champion and a 3x member of the DIII All-Academic team. He is a 2x competitor in the Bay State Games Track and Field event. This year, Jacob had an especially impressive showing, earning gold in the 100m Open and 200m Open events with times of 10.83 and 22.04. In his free time, Jacob enjoys running, lifting, and playing soccer. Bay State Games Athlete of the Year recipients will receive a plaque commemorating their accomplishment. For more information on the Bay State Games Athlete of the Year program and past winners, go to www.baystategames.org/AOY .