Beat the Streets honors annual award winners at 2025 Final X, Annual Benefit

Seven BTS Academy members claim student-athlete awards.

Beat the Streets honored its annual award winners for the 2024-25 school year during Final X, the BTS Annual Benefit, on Saturday, June 14, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Volunteer of the Year – Keith Collins

Collins, a former high school wrestler in Delaware and at the U.S. Naval Academy, strives to be a positive role model for boys and girls at Beat the Streets. He has served a speaker for the BTS Academy program and BTS Academy Career Day the past two years. He also assists with coaching during BTS Training Center wrestling practices and volunteered at Final X this year.

GRIT – Kerolos Gorgy

Gorgy of Edward R. Murrow (Brooklyn) overcame the odds to become a champion in his senior year. After taking second as a sophomore, Gorgy's junior campaign was cut short when he broke one of his ankles. Gorgy set his sights on the state tournament heading into his senior season. Through dedication and hard work, the BTS Academy student-athlete claimed a title at the Donald Douglas Memorial Championship and at the PSAL Division 1 City Championships to qualify for the state tournament. He plans to attend Long Island University and pursue a career in pharmacy.

Junior League Female of the Year - Lena Gao

For a second straight year, Gao (Brooklyn) claimed titles in the boys and girls standard divisions at the BTS Junior League City Championship. She had a second-period fall and 8-1 win to claim the girls title, while a 29-second fall secured the boys crown. Gao is a BTS Academy student-athlete.

Junior League Male of the Year - Michael Lamattina

Lamattina of Petrides (Staten Island) captured the 120-pound Standard division title at the BTS Junior League City Championship. His dominant performance included three falls under 35 seconds and a 16-1 technical fall in 1:46 to earn Most Outstanding Wrestler honors. Lamattina is also a BTS Academy student-athlete.

Junior League Coach of the Year - Xavier Donaldson

Donald is the head coach at the BTS Junior League programs at Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists and P.S. 178 Saint Clair Mckelway. The passionate coach led P.S. 178 to the girls division team title, with two individual champions. Bronx Studio also had two champions, with one each in the boys and girls divisions.

Assistant Coach of the Year - Fabio Preka

Preka is an assistant coach at his alma mater, Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy (The Bronx). Preka, a BTS alumnus, also serves as RKA's Junior League coach for middle school student-athletes. The former University of Buffalo wrestler helped RKA take second in the PSAL Dual Meet Championships and guide five student-athletes to capture PSAL Division 2 city championships to qualify for the NYSPHSAA state tournament.

Girls High School Coach of the Year - Daniel Higuera

Higuera is the head coach at Brooklyn Tech. He led the Engineers to have six finalists, including three champions, at the PSAL Girls Freestyle City Championships. Brooklyn Tech's six finalists and three champions were the most of any school.

Boys High School Coach of the Year - John Cichon

Cichon is a head coach at Tottenville High School (Staten Island). Tottenville had three champions at the Donald Douglas Memorial Championships, and a record three state medalists this year. It is the most medalists in one year in school history, and the first medalist for the Pirates since 2018.

Female Student-Athlete of the Year - Joy Murray

Murry of Grover Cleveland High School (Queens) claimed third place the PSAL Girls Freestyle City Championships. She also took third in Greco-Roman and fourth in freestyle at the New York Jeff Blatnick Freestyle and Greco-Roman State Championships. The BTS Academy student-athlete plans to continue her wrestling career at New Jersey City University, where she will pursue a degree in criminal justice.

Male Student-Athlete of the Year - Matthew Velez

Velez of Thomas Edison High School (Queens) claimed second place at the Donald Douglas Memorial Championships and secured his second PSAL Division 1 city title. Velez, a BTS Academy student-athlete, went from 0-2 in his first state tournament appearance to earning two wins this year. He plans to continue his academic and wrestling career at the Division 3 level at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering technology.

Lady Liberty (Female Career Achievement) - Aracelli Rodriguez

Rodriguez of Harry S. Truman (The Bronx) completed a legendary career for the Mustangs with a 129-16 record. She helped lead the Mustangs to three PSAL girls freestyle dual meet city titles, including two as team captain. Rodriguez was a two-time PSAL city girls freestyle champion and four-time finalist, two-time PSAL city girls folkstyle place-winner (1st in 2024 and 3rd in 2023) and 2023 NYC Mayor's Cup girls folkstyle champion. Her success extended beyond New York City as Rodriguez took third in girls freestyle at the 2022 New York state tournament and 2025 Eastern States Classic.

The BTS Academy student-athlete will continue her wrestling career at New Jersey City University, where she will study criminal justice.

Atlas Award (Male Career Achievement) - Oumar Tounkara

Tounkara of New York Military Academy became the first two-time National High School Coaches Association national champion from Beat the Streets. Tounkara also claimed All-America honors with top eight finishes at three national tournaments, with eighth at USA Wrestling Junior Nationals, third at National Prep and eight at Super 32. The BTS Academy student-athlete plans to continue his wrestling and academic career at Drexel University, where he will pursue a degree in business.

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Since being founded in 2005, Beat the Streets has pioneered a movement that now includes 150 individual wrestling programs, a youth league and the first girls high school league.

BTS works to develop the full human and athletic potential of New York City urban youth and strengthen the city's wrestling culture. We aim to make a lifelong impact on student-athletes through the lessons learned on the wrestling mat -- discipline, perseverance, self-reliance, humility and a strong work ethic. Discover how you can make a meaningful contribution to our work at btsny.org/donate.