Newsday Athlete of the Week is Syosset three-sport star Lilah Grubman
Lilah Grubman scored nine of her 20 points in the fourth quarter to help Syosset beat Massapequa in Nassau Class AA semifinals at Hofstra on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Credit: Bob Sorensen
As Syosset held its annual athletic awards dinner on Wednesday, one student received the school's highest award for best female athlete.
But for Lilah Grubman, it has never been about the individual accolades. It’s all about her team.
“She is one of the most talented and hardworking athletes that we’ve had in our program,” said Syosset girls basketball coach Michael Ferreira. “But what makes her so special is that she is also the best teammate that you could ever ask for.”
There isn’t a teammate’s or even a coach’s birthday that goes by during the season where Grubman doesn’t come into the gym singing and holding donuts. Described as an “unselfish” player by her coach, she’s frequently passing the ball and searching for a way to make every player feel included in pulling off a big win."
It’s moments like these where Grubman feels the most confident.
“In becoming someone that the other girls look up to, I’ve tried to embrace a culture of family,” Grubman said. “It’s about recognizing everyone’s strengths and trying to grow them together.”
The three-sport athlete is Newsday’s Athlete of the Week, and no stranger to being recognized for her incredible strength on the court, the track, or in the classroom.
A starting point guard on the girls basketball team since eighth grade, Grubman has since racked up 1,000 points and 600 rebounds and was a two-time Nassau Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Conference Player of the Year, and a three-time team MVP. In her second year on the volleyball team, she was awarded MVP. She also recently placed first in Nassau for high jump, maintaining last year’s title, and first place for long jump.
She led the volleyball and basketball teams to the Nassau finals. Grubman received her state Seal of Biliteracy in French and was inducted into both the French National Honor Society and National Honor Society. Syosset's select band, Wind Ensemble, where she plays tuba, was recently awarded a NYSSMA Gold with Distinction.
Since the age of 12, Grubman has volunteered at Camp HorseAbility, a program that aims to improve the lives of individuals with special needs through equine-facilitated interactions.
She also sails & arranges music. She will be attending Yale to play Division I basketball this fall.
“Everything that she has done until now has put her in a position to excel at the next level,” said Ferreira on Grubman’s future as a Bulldog.
