Hunter Borenstein Looks to St. John Fisher University

Hunter Borenstein transferred to Huntington High School for his junior year from St. Dominic and immediately lifted the Blue Devil varsity basketball team while also contributing to all of his classes and the Class of 2023 as a whole.

Mr. Borenstein is headed to St. John Fisher University in upstate Pittsford outside of Rochester to study finance and play on the men’s basketball team. He’s a great outside shooter and ball handler who can also rebound and play-make.

The teenager’s resilience both before and after he came to Huntington has been an inspiration to his teammates. Mr. Borenstein won All-League honors as a junior and senior and co-captained the Blue Devil squad this past winter.

“My resilience has come in many forms on and off the court similar to the interlocking wood squares that make a basketball court strong and playable,” he said. “A major source of strength is my father, who survived the terrorist attacks of 9/11, walking down from the north tower’s 80th floor with multiple sclerosis. Whenever I’m exhausted at the end of a workout or feel tired studying or doing a chore, I push myself even harder to reach my goals.”

Mr. Borenstein earned honor roll status during every marking period at both St. Dominic and Huntington.

“As a freshman, I tried out for and earned a starting position on St. Dominic’s JV team, which had its best season in 15 years,” Mr. Borenstein said. “I had an amazing experience even though we lost in a close Catholic league conference championship. The following season the COVID pandemic struck and I was faced with the worst set of challenges during my sophomore year. School became remote, there was nowhere to practice and my teammates were absent. My resilience as a student athlete led me to modify how I worked out and practiced in my driveway while setting aside specific time for studying.”

When Mr. Borenstein was introduced to Huntington’s new varsity head coach, he made the decision to transfer to his home district. “I earned a spot as a starting shooting guard and was pivotal in helping the varsity team make the playoffs,” he said. The team enjoyed one of its best seasons in many years.

This past winter, Mr. Borenstein again played a key role on a young team that was building for the future. He participated in charitable activities during the holiday season and also coached special needs children as well as volunteering at St. Hugh’s in a summer religious instruction program.

College classes and sports will surely involve some twists and turns, but Mr. Borenstein has shown he has the resiliency to overcome any challenge.