Pistelli rewarded with Cato Memorial Scholarship to cap athletics career

A month after the initial announcement, South Putnam graduate Chloe Pistelli was honored along with 11 others in receiving the IHSAA’s C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship at the Thomas A. Brady Sports Achievement Awards Dinner held at the Renaissance Hotel in Indianapolis last week.

“It was very nice to and rewarding to receive the award,” Pistelli said. “It was nice to see my hard work had paid off and gives me something to be proud of.

“It’s nice to see people recognize and acknowledge the work I’ve done.”

The event honored those receiving the Cato Memorial Scholarship as well as those who earned the Brady Comeback Scholarship Awards, Tactical Athlete Comeback Awards and Lifetime Achievement Award.

“It was kind of like a college application,” Pistelli said about applying for the scholarship. “I was asked everything I was involved with, the sports I played, how many varsity letters I had earned and had me write a few essays about how sports have impacted me, how sportsmanship has shaped my character, my goals for college and stuff like that.

Pistelli was joined in receiving the award alongside Speedway’s Jordan Davis, Ft. Wayne Snider’s Jaiden Eastom, West Vigo’s Maci Easton, Shelbyville’s Stefanie Howard, Valparaiso’s John Kuka, Terre Haute’ South’s Mekhi Moore, Lebanon’s Riley Newman, Maconaquah’s Molly Nord, Boonville’s Mason Phillips, Culver Military Academy’s Samuel Tillis and Eastern (Greentown’s) TJ Weeks.

Mishawaka’s Jacob Bush, Taylor’s Alana Johnson, South Ripley’s Rachel Meyer and Evansville Reitz Memorial’s Dominic Norman earned Brady Comeback Scholarships while Fishers firefighter Brandon Anderson was awarded the Tactical Athlete Comeback award and retired Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Doyle was later joined by Colts radio play-by-play man Matt Taylor for a question and answer session following the awards.

“There was a lot to it,” Pistelli said about the dinner. “There were a lot of doctors there as well as people from the Colts.

“They did a presentation for all the people who had won the scholarship and we received them after we ate. There were other scholarships awarded, including comeback scholarships, and Jack (Doyle) won an award.

“He later spoke about working his way to the NFL and joining the Colts, as well as doing a Q&A session we sat in on,” Pistelli added.

Pistelli will be apply the $2,500 scholarship towards her tuition at Taylor University, where she will be majoring in engineering physics and minoring in worship arts.

“I’d like to become an optical engineer but I’m not absolutely sure,” Pistelli said. “I’ll just have to get into it and see what I like.

While not planning to participate in any Titan athletic programs, Pistelli said the scholarship was a fine sendoff to her time as an Eagle.

“It’s rewarding,” Pistelli said. “I’ve not gotten too many awards for sports, so it’s encouraging to end my career with that.

“It’s a boost to my confidence and makes me miss it more now that I’m done with sports.”