Hall of Fame Class of 2021
Drew Richards
Drew Richards was a three-sport stand-out at BUHS. Known primarily for the art of ski- jumping Drew spent winter semesters of his sophomore, junior and senior years studying at the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid. He graduated with the highest GPA of all the boys in his class.
Drew was 12 when he accomplished the “jump of a lifetime”, winning the overall title at an Eastern Union ski jumping tournament at Laconia, NH. Competing as a 16-year-old he took on the Austrians at the 71st annual Fred H. Memorial Ski Jumping Tournament in Brattleboro and finished third. The following year at the 72nd annual Harris Hill jump, Richards placed 2nd . As a junior at BUHS, he competed in his first U.S. Olympic trials, finishing 9th and joined the U.S Developmental SkiTeam. By his senior year, Drew was one of the top junior ski jumpers in the nation.
Richards was an accomplished soccer player for BUHS being named to the 1994 Vermont All-State boys soccer team as a midfielder. He was selected for the 21st annual Lion’s Cup Twin State Soccer Cup. Tennis was another sport where Richards excelled. As the Colonels’ #1 singles player Richards led the Division I boys’ tennis team to the Vermont State title his senior year.
At graduation, Drew was awarded the Austine Prize, Lunsburg Prize and Stolte Cup. Although he was being heralded as ‘the next great American ski jumper,’ Richards decided to go to college instead of seeking an Olympic Team berth.