Super Athletes With Ties To Groton

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Groton area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Michael Dougherty (Hockey)

During his time at Groton High School, hockey player Michael Doherty scored 81 goals and set a school record with 161 points, earning multiple MVP honors and All-Independent School League selections. After playing at Yale and a year in the Eastern Junior Hockey League, Doherty signed with the Providence Bruins and went on to play 159 games in the East Coast Hockey League, representing the Manchester Monarchs and Indy Fuel.

2. Isabelle Kinsolving Farrar (Sailing)

Isabelle Kinsolving Farrar’s journey to Olympic sailing began at Groton, where she earned eight varsity letters in soccer, ice hockey, and crew, captaining the hockey team and rowing on Groton’s first boat to win the NEIRA Championship. At Yale, she competed on the varsity hockey and sailing teams, eventually captaining the sailing team in 2000. Farrar joined the U.S. Sailing Team in 2001 and represented the United States at the 2004 Athens Olympics, finishing fifth in the Women’s Doublehanded Dinghy 470 event. In 2008, she won the World Championships in Melbourne, solidifying her legacy in the sport.

3. Mark Yanetti (Hockey)

Mark Yanetti turned his hockey talent into a remarkable career as a player and NHL scout. At Groton, he earned 10 varsity letters and national recognition as one of the top hockey players in his age group, later achieving All-American honors at Williams College. Yanetti played 380 professional games before a career-ending injury led him to scouting. As Director of Amateur Scouting for the Los Angeles Kings, Yanetti was instrumental in the team’s rise to Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014, earning the honor of having his name engraved on the trophy twice.

4. Hope Nicholas Prockop (Squash)

Squash champion Hope Nichols Prockop became a top-ranked junior squash player at Groton High, later co-captaining Harvard’s National Championship team and earning All-American honors. Prockop has also represented the U.S. National Team three times, winning gold at the 2006 Pan-American Squash Championships, and claimed numerous Masters titles. Beyond competing, Prockop actively coaches, mentors, and supports urban squash programs, earning her recognition as one of the “Top 50 Most Influential People in the Game.”

5. Alex Karwoski (Rowing)

Alex Karwoski began rowing in 2005 under the mentorship of Groton coaches Topher Row and Bob Madden, earning nine varsity letters while also captaining the cross country and basketball teams. After graduating in 2008, he rowed at Trinity College before transferring to Cornell University, where he competed on the varsity team. Karwoski then dedicated four years to training with the U.S. National Team, culminating in his selection for the U.S. Men’s Eight crew team at the Rio Olympics, where they advanced to the finals and finished fourth, solidifying his place among elite rowers.

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.