Unified Basketball Seniors Honored at Athletic Ceremony

Huntington UFSD’s Unified Sports program has become a leader in New York State since it first debuted just a few short years ago.

Blue Devil Unified basketball coach Jordan Ioviero presented a pair of Coaches Awards to two players who have been with him since just about Day One; Hannah Kaufman and Julianna Ackerman. The presentation was made at the 58th annual senior athletic awards ceremony in the high school auditorium.

Huntington’s Unified basketball team has been one of Suffolk’s finest for many years running and both Kaufman and Ackerman have been among the reasons why.

“The Unified basketball program has grown to be one of the most exciting and popular programs in the Huntington School District,” said Mr. Ioviero, who teaches physical education at Finley. “We are always encouraging more players to come out and play. We want the Unified basketball program to be experienced by as many students and members of the Huntington community as possible.”

Huntington has one of the finest Unified athletic programs in the state, garnering a remarkable reputation since its founding in 2021/22 with 17 basketball players. Five years later there are 42 high school students in the fold, plus separate varsity programs in bocce and bowling and a newly created Challenger program at Finley Middle School.

“This year our program had 11 seniors and students who will be leaving the Huntington School District,” Ioviero said. The group includes Ruby Baliber, Erika Hernandez-Veliz, Mildred Hernandez-Veliz, Ruby Hoffman, Naomi Lyons, Kiera McGuire, Cecilina Monge-Moreira, Nick Normoyle, Emma Polinsky, Hannah Kaufman and Julianna Ackerman.

“Most of these students have been with us throughout their entire high school career and have been instrumental to building this program into what it is today,” Ioviero said.