News

Durham Academy has appointed Ryne Linsley, an accomplished coach, educator and athletics leader with more than 15 years of lacrosse coaching experience, as its next varsity boys lacrosse head coach and program director, starting with the 2026–2027 school year. Linsley comes to Durham Academy from Rabun Gap–Nacoochee School, where he founded and built the boys lacrosse program from the ground up beginning in 2020.

Saturday reminded us why high school sports still matter. When young people compete for something larger than themselves — and when they wear their school’s name across their chest and play for their teammates, their community and each other — extraordinary things can happen. Saturday, they did.

In impressive fashion, Durham Academy’s boys lacrosse and boys tennis teams won state semifinal contests Tuesday and advanced to Saturday’s state championships! Also this weekend, 30 DA track and field athletes will compete in the state meet.

A standout player in his Durham Academy days, Dakwa's love of soccer and writing took him across the pond — and now back to where it all started in North Carolina.

We have reached the end of the regular season, and our varsity teams have kicked off the postseason! 

Nigel Cabral enthusiastically wears multiple hats at Durham Academy, including director of DA Summer and head coach of the varsity girls basketball team — accompanied by a joyful, service-oriented disposition. 

Spend a morning with Viktor and his classmates — from science class to phonics and math lessons — and you’ll want nothing more than to be 5 years old again.
 

The video project began as an effort to document the installation of solar panels at the Upper and Middle Schools, and soon turned into an exploration of DA's overall commitment to sustainability — as well as a tribute to Sustainability Coordinator Tina Bessias '78.

During an outdoor ceremony Thursday afternoon in the Upper School quad, 11 student-athletes put pen to ceremonial paper and marked their commitment to NCAA athletics programs amid cheers from family, teammates, coaches and friends. They joined five DA student-athletes who celebrated their own commitments during a Fall Signing Day ceremony in November.

Head of School Michael Ulku-Steiner shares a bit about his three-week study leave, including travels, musings and a plethora of book, podcast and article recommendations.

Blade's Buddy Box is a real-life mailbox, enabling students to communicate with their mascot. The solution allows Blade to speak directly to DA’s little Cavaliers, because sometimes the most meaningful conversations don’t happen out loud.

Crawford Leavoy — director of DA Speech & Debate, Global Programs coordinator and Upper School teacher — is not just helping students chase success. He’s more focused on helping them understand what it takes to earn it. Grounded in authenticity, Leavoy creates space for students to be fully themselves — to connect and grow, not just as competitors, but as people.

Durham Academy senior Lilly Jones ’26 invites parents and caregivers to an information session — organized in partnership with world-renowned psychologist Dr. Mitch Prinstein — about the impacts and risks of social media on adolescents.

An evening of fun, family-friendly music is in store at the 17th Annual WISER A Cappella Jam — hosted by Durham Academy’s award-winning, student-run a cappella group XIV Hours — on Friday, March 27.

On Tuesday, Cavs across the country and around the globe will join with current Durham Academy families in gratitude for the teachers and experiences that make DA such an exceptional place to learn. March 24 marks Durham Academy’s 10th-annual Giving Day — a fundraising extravaganza for the school community that means so much to us all.