Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
Terance Mann ’15
Terance Mann was a three-year standout and two-year captain for the Tilton Boys Varsity Basketball team, compiling some of the top individual and team statistics in school history. Highlighted by a New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class AA championship during his senior season in 2015, during which he led the Rams to a 31-5 record, Mann was also named the New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year and a member of the All-NEPSAC First-Team.
An all-around performer who was often lauded for his high basketball IQ, Mann finished his career as only the third player in school history with more than 1,200 points, 600 rebounds, 200 assists, and 100 steals. Boosted by his stellar senior season, during which he averaged 23.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, Mann racked up 1,385 points at Tilton while establishing himself as a top 50 recruit in the Class of 2015. The Lowell, MA native committed to Florida State University where he proved to be one of the best players in the program’s history. Mann ranks first all-time in games played (140) for the Seminoles and 20th in career scoring with 1,322 points. His play helped guide Florida State to the 2018 Elite Eight, when he was named to the NCAA Tournament West Regional All-Region Team, and the 2019 Sweet 16.
In 2019 Mann was selected with the 48th overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, where he has since signed a two-year contract extension. During the 2021 NBA Playoffs, he scored a career-high 39 points in Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals to lead the Clippers over the Utah Jazz and onto the franchise’s first-ever Conference Finals appearance. Over the course of his NBA career, Mann has averaged 8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.
Georges Niang ’12
A five-year basketball star at Tilton, Georges Niang made an incredible impact in all areas of life on the Hill. On the court, he helped lead the Rams to an unprecedented run of success which included the 2009 National Prep Championship and four consecutive New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) titles. Off the court, Niang was a crucial member of the Tilton community who served as the Student Body President during his senior year.
The Tilton Boys Basketball all-time leading scorer with 2,372 points, Niang averaged an incredible 25.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game as a senior. He was named the 2012 NEPSAC Class AA Player of the Year, and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2011 NEPSAC Class AA Tournament on the strength of 23 points on 11-of-11 shooting in the championship game. Niang, a two-year captain for the Rams, established himself as a consensus top-100 recruit in the Class of 2012 and went on to star in the Big 12 at Iowa State. His college accolades include becoming the first player in program history to reach four consecutive NCAA tournaments, the first two-time All-American, and the career leader in games played (138) and wins (98). As a senior at Iowa State, Niang won the Karl Malone Award as the nation’s best power forward. He ended his career as one of just four players since 1994-95 to rack up career totals of at least 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, and 400 assists.
Niang, originally drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 50th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, is now starring for the Philadelphia 76ers. Across seven professional seasons, he has averaged 6.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game. His three-point shooting percentage of 40.3% ranks 13th among all active players and is currently 35th all-time.
Alex Oriakhi ’09
In just two years at Tilton, Oriakhi made an incredible impact on the Tilton Varsity Boys Basketball program. He starred for the 2009 National Prep Championship team, which at the time was the only Class B program to be invited in the history of the tournament, and led the program to New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) titles in 2008 and 2009. His arrival began a run of success that established the Rams as one of the top prep programs in the country.
After averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game as a junior, Oriakhi took his game to another level in his senior season, earning the illustrious title of McDonald’s All-American while also being named the New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. He capped off his stellar season with a 19-point, 17-rebound double-double in the National Championship vs. Hargrave Military Academy, helping the Rams win their first and only national title. The two-year captain was named a top-20 recruit in the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2009 and committed to the University of Connecticut. As a sophomore, Oriakhi was a crucial part of the Huskies’ 2011 National Championship run, tallying his 11th double-double of the season against Butler in the title game. In total, the 6’9” forward played 109 games for UCONN before transferring to the University of Missouri for his senior season, where he averaged 11.2 points and 8.4 rebounds a game.
Following his college career, Oriakhi was drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 57th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. During his debut in the NBA Developmental League, he earned All-Rookie first-team honors. Oriakhi has played extensively as a professional overseas, including time in Italy, Turkey, Mexico, and Venezuela.
Marcus O’Neil
Marcus O’Neil spent 15 seasons at the helm of the Tilton varsity boys basketball program, guiding the Rams to the top of the prep ranks and developing some of the school’s most successful student-athletes. A Portsmouth, NH native, O’Neil attended Brandeis University, where he played two years of varsity basketball, and broke into coaching at the high school level in New Hampshire before serving as an assistant coach at Endicott College. After three seasons, O’Neil joined Tilton, beginning an unprecedented run of success.
Coach O’Neil’s list of accomplishments on the Hill is punctuated by the 2009 National Prep Championship, the school’s first and only national title. He was also named the 2009 National Prep Coach of the Year by usprepbasketball.com. In total, O’Neil’s Rams won six New England Championships, tallied a National Prep Semi-Final appearance in 2018, and compiled a 302-122 record, making him the winningest coach in Tilton boys basketball history. His time at Tilton is also highlighted by his ability to recruit some of the best players in the country, including two McDonald’s All-Americans (Alex Oriakhi in 2009 and Wayne Selden in 2013), two New Hampshire Gatorade Players of the Year (Oriakhi in 2009 and Terance Mann in 2015), the 2012 ESPN #1 Ranked High School Player (Nerlens Noel), and the 2009 usprepbasketball.com National Player of the Year (Jamal Coombs-McDaniel).
In addition to his duties with the basketball team, O’Neil worked with the College Counseling Office, guiding 50-60 juniors and seniors per year through the college process. His tenure was defined by strong relationships across campus and the impact he made on Tilton athletics can still be seen today.
Alumni Awards
Artist Hall of Fame: Remy Steevensz
The Artist Hall of Fame Award, created in 2010, celebrates the creative achievements of a Tilton School alumni, or a current or former faculty member, in the visual, performing, or literary arts. This award looks to inspire current students who aspire to live and work in these fields.
This year, it feels so special to be able to honor Remy Steevensz as our newest Artist Hall of Fame inductee. Before she passed away in April of 2017, Remy was a monumental figure on campus, having served as Maloney’s first dorm head, the Chair of the Arts Department, and graphic design teacher. Her influence on the Class of 2017 was such that they chose to honor their late teacher and advisor with the installation of two bright, red Adirondack chairs that still overlook the Maloney garden to this day.
From an article that appeared in the 1845 Magazine:
“Remy’s impact at Tilton School is immeasurable. Whether she was on dorm duty, teaching a class, mentoring an art student, joking with faculty, or cooking dinner for her advisees, she spread a sense of calm and acceptance. She met people where they were, rejoicing in their successes and mourning with them in their sorrows.
Remy will forever be remembered for the big things, the small things, and the crazy things. She’ll be recalled for the big gestures and the quiet embraces. Everyone was awesome, everything was going to be just fine, and every moment was larger than life.”
In the Spring edition of The Compass, we announced a new Artist-in-Residence program established and crafted in Remy’s memory. Aimed at moving the arts forward at Tilton in the same way that she was able to, we hope this new program can create an impact across campus that will do justice to her work and her legacy.
The John Charles Daly Award: Dave Gould
This award is given to a friend or alumnus/a of Tilton whose pursuit of excellence and deep commitment as a member of the School family resembles that of John Daly’s involvement with Tilton: continuous and widely known expressions of support in word and deed, inspiring others to reach goals that common experience dictates are impossible.
This year’s recipient is Dave Gould. First a faculty member and now a cherished friend, he continues to make a substantial impact on Tilton School. A boarding school graduate of the Hill School in Pennsylvania, Gould also earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Geology from Lehigh University. He put those degrees to use by working in the field for 23 years on a variety of assignments, including two years in the United Kingdom. Luckily for Tilton, after a lengthy career as a geologist, Gould chose to shift his focus to education.
After brief stops at a few different schools, Gould joined the science faculty at Tilton School in 2002. During his time on the Hill, he was known for his subject-matter expertise and his ability to implore students to learn in a way that was thoughtful, yet rigorous. As a department chair and Dean of Faculty Gould not only led innovation in the school’s teaching and learning, he was also an amazing mentor and colleague who left an impact on many of his fellow educators. He was also known for his invaluable contributions running the clock for Tilton basketball games, maintaining a calm demeanor even during the most intense of environments.
Following his retirement in 2019, Gould has continued to support Tilton in a variety of ways. Most recently, he and his wife Phyllis — who is also a former Tilton staff member — have generously supported the Young Women’s Leadership Scholarship, which provides scholarships to multiple students on an annual basis. We’re so thankful for their support, and to count them among our Tilton family.
George L. Plimpton Award: John Perkins ’63
The George L. Plimpton Award is named for George Lincoln Plimpton, who served as Head of School of Tilton from 1896 to 1929, and was a member of the Board of Trustees until 1945. His leadership and vision shepherded Tilton School through half a century of incredible growth. Since 1953, Tilton School has recognized the outstanding achievements and significant contributions to society of its alumni with the George L. Plimpton Award.
This year’s recipient is John Perkins ’63. A New York Times bestselling author, his career has taken him all over the world as a Peace Corps volunteer, economist, alternative energy pioneer, speaker, global activist, and much more. Best known for his book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, which spent 70 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, Perkins has sold more than one million copies of his published works.
Before his accomplished career took shape, Perkins was a four-year Tilton student, captain of the varsity soccer and tennis teams, and editor-in-chief of the Tiltonian, among many other accomplishments and activities. He went on to earn his bachelor’s in business administration from Boston University, then journeyed to Ecuador with the Peace Corps prior to beginning his work as an economist. Perkins has also written extensively about shamanism and is a co-founder and board member of DreamChange and the Pachamama Alliance, “nonprofits dedicated to creating an environmentally sustainable, socially just world.”
Over the years, Perkins has brought his passion for various topics, from indigenous populations to climate change, back to the Hill as a guest speaker and supporter of the School. We are thrilled to recognize his achievements with this year’s George L. Plimpton Award.
Alumnus of the Year Award: Andrea Tecce ’88 and Bob Finch ’58
Created in 1966, the Alumnus of the Year Award must be given to an alumnus or a group of alumni. This award is presented to an alumnus who has made an outstanding contribution to their alma mater. Such a contribution can be that which has had an impact on the school.
This year, we have two recipients: Andrea Tecce ’88 and Robert “Bob” Finch ’58
During her time on the Hill, Tecce was a three-sport varsity athlete, serving as captain of the field hockey team and winning a Lakes Region Championship as a member of the basketball team while also playing lacrosse in the spring. She was also involved in theatre and voted “most likely to succeed” by her peers.
Tecce, whose husband Joseph is a fellow Class of 1988 alum, went on to earn her bachelor’s from the College of William and Mary before beginning a career in finance and strategic leadership for a number of organizations. She has most recently served as the Chief Strategy and Customer Officer for Public Partnerships | PPL and has served on multiple boards, including the DC Women’s Bar Association Foundation, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, the Women’s Leadership & Mentoring Alliance, UPWARD Advisory Council, and Evolve. She is a passionate advocate of women’s leadership and has earned a reputation as a trusted mentor.
On top of those many time commitments, Tecce is also a member of the Tilton Board of Trustees and has been a valued partner and friend in her seven years of service. Her support of the School has made a difference in so many ways, and we are thrilled to honor her as one of our Alumni of the Year.
Bob Finch came to Tilton in the fall of 1957 as a postgraduate student. Though he only spent a year on the Hill, Finch was involved in a number of activities and organizations, including Glee Club, Tiltonaires, Photography Club, Track, and the Tower, for which he was the photography editor. He has credited this time at Tilton as having provided him the time to study and focus on the basics of being a student. Finch used those skills to earn his bachelor’s in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and also his master’s in Economics from Rutgers University.
Though his stated ambition in the 1958 yearbook was “to have a career in selling,” Finch spent much of his career investing. He worked for Aeltus Investment Management and Aetna Equity Investors as Head of Research, co-manager of the Aetna Value Fund and the Aetna Growth Fund, and as a Chartered Financial Analyst and a CFA grader. Finch has also served as President of the Hartford Society of Security Analysts and Chairman of the Construction Analysts of New York. Throughout his career, he has also been active as a consultant and educator, at one point owning a consulting business and teaching at the University of Connecticut and Central Connecticut State University.
Finch has been a constant leader in his support of Tilton through the annual fund and, most recently, through his generous contribution to this year’s successful Parent Annual Fund Challenge. Also an active participant in the class ambassador program, Tilton is a better place because of his contributions, and we are so excited to recognize him as an Alumni of the Year.