Albert Einstein High School
Athletic Hall of Fame and Alumni Association

AEHS mom Rachel Posell provided a link to an article in the University of Pittsburgh’s daily student newspaper – Pitt News - entitled, “Pitt Club Handball helping Panthers go global - How Team USA Handball is growing America’s next big sport” about her son, Zachary Greenstein (Class of ’22), who played soccer and wrestled for Einstein! Here are some excerpts from the article…click Zach's photo to read the full article.

Zachary Greenstein, a senior psychology student on the occupational therapy track at Pitt, is the vice president of Pitt Club Handball. From Silver Spring, Maryland, Greenstein arrived at Pitt just like most other Americans. “I didn’t know handball really existed until I got to Pitt,” Greenstein said. “[Pitt Club Handball] happened to be right next to the Spikeball table. I was like, ‘Why not sign up?” 

“[Handball] is like an above-ground water polo combined with lacrosse,” Greenstein said. “It’s a sport that bridges a lot of aspects that I think kids and Americans typically love in their sports." It’s got an incredible amount of contact.  It’s got shots going 60-plus miles an hour. A ball is so sticky that if you stick it to your palm, facing down, it won’t come off your hand. It’s a sport that involves a lot of passing, movement and contact.”

As a first-year, Greenstein (#23 in photo) played right wing, a position that touches the ball less, but was still Pitt Club Handball’s second-highest scorer. “I figured I was doing alright at that point when I was a freshman putting up six or seven points a game.” Through his excellent play in the college circuit and adult leagues over summer breaks, the idea of playing at a higher level became more real. When competing in the North American Qualifier for the IHF Club World Championships in New Jersey, Greenstein met players for HV KRAS/Volendam, a professional handball club in the Netherlands. The connections opened the door for Greenstein to take a semester abroad and play for HV KRAS/Volendam, one of the Netherlands’ best handball clubs. 

Mark Ortega worked with HV KRAS/Volendam from 2020 to 2022 and helped Greenstein connect with the professional club. “Zac really wants to succeed,” Ortega said. “He has the one-way ticket mentality. Like, ‘I have to go, and this is what I need to do to succeed. So, I’ll just buy a ticket,’ you know, and then you go, and you figure it out. With handball in the United States, you sometimes have to have a one-way mentality.” Greenstein is one of those athletes. If everything goes according to plan, Greenstein will compete with Ortega’s national team in the 2028 Olympics held in Los Angeles. Considering the United States is the host country, Team USA Handball will automatically qualify. Greenstein isn’t playing in Europe for no reason. For an American player, playing overseas is practically a prerequisite to gaining respect in the handball community. 

“My favorite part about being here is that I don’t have to explain what I’m doing here when I say I’m here for handball,” Greenstein said. If Greenstein wants to accomplish his goal of playing for Team USA and competing in the 2028 Olympics, he’ll have to test his mettle against opponents who’ve played handball their entire lives. He recently spent a week competing in Denmark at a Team USA camp.

On April 26, 2025, Elizabeth Comee Bouve, former Albert Einstein High School (AEHS) sports coach and Assistant Athletic Director was inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to athletics in her school and community. Erin Jeffers Ricca was recognized as the Private School Athletic Director of the Year for her work at the Woods Academy in Bethesda. A great day for Lady Titans!

From 1969 to 1990 at AEHS, Bouve coached basketball, track and field, gymnastics, girls’ volleyball, and coed volleyball. From 1979 to 1985, Liz served as AEHS Assistant Athletic Director. From 1988 to 1990, Bouve served as Montgomery County Public School Central Office Resource Teacher. From 1985 to 1991, Bouve also coached community youth sports, and Bethesda, Maryland basketball, soccer, and softball. From 1991 to 1999, Bouve served as Montgomery County Public School Supervisor of Physical Education and Athletics.

Bouve’s championships, athletic honors and awards include the 2007 Albert Einstein High School Athletic Hall of Fame Coaching Award for multiple sports; the 1986 Merit Award for Outstanding Teaching and Service, and the Maryland Association of Health, Physical Education and Dance. Bouve was awarded the 1996 National Pathfinder, Award National Association of Girls and Women in Sports, and the 1995 Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Award.

At the Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association, Bouve served on the Executive Council and Board of Control from 1992 to 1999; on the Finance Committee and Scholar Athlete Committee from 1992 to 1996; as Basketball Tournament Regional Director from 1992 to 1995; and on the Medical Advisory Board from 1997 to 1999.

One of Bouve’s most significant achievements was pioneering gender and sports equity in Montgomery County and across the state of Maryland. Bouve paved the way for equal pay for equal work for girls’ sports coaches. In 1975, she filed a lawsuit against Montgomery County Public Schools where she had been coaching track and field with a male coach. The coaches divided practice by event not gender. At the end of the season, the male coach was paid $1600, and his assistant coach was paid $1300. Liz, with no assistant, was paid $400. She dropped the charges when Pat Berry, Montgomery County Supervisor of Athletics and Physical Education, fixed the inequity. Bouve was instrumental in implementing Title IX enhancements through a systemwide review by the Office of Civil Rights. These changes continue to serve student-athletes today participating in MCPS.

Bouve attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree; attended Bowie State University and earned a Master of Education and History.

To: All Hall of Fame Members-Coaches

From: Malcolm Wilson, Co-Founder and Secretary  MDW

RE: Bob Owens

Effective Tuesday, January 9, 2024, Bob Owens will officially relinquish the leadership of the organization he helped found, the AEHS Athletic Hall of Fame. With the help of his friend Rob Westwood, he put a vision in motion. There are not enough words in my vocabulary to express the deep thanks I know I have for those two reaching out to me back in late 2005 to see if I would be interested in helping.

We went from a mission of recognizing the early standout athletes to adding scholarships, supplementing equipment needs and subsidizing camps and outside training opportunities. Over the past 17 years, Bob, along with Joe Monte and others, we raised enough money to fund over $400,000.00 in scholarships to date, and provide uniform and equipment needs as well as infrastructure support to the school (fencing in the ball fields, press box painting, shot put landing pad) to mention a few. With the guidance of Ricky Eisenacher and others, he put in place a first-class golf tournament, which is our main source of revenue. Bob has also, at the request of individual families and friends, created two new scholarships in the last year. 

His willingness to expand the reach of the Hall of Fame led to a partnership with Carol Chelemer and the Alumni Association, and through her efforts, the subsequent formation of the Arts Hall of Fame. Carol is also on the AEHS HOF Board of Directors. These three groups have succeeded in raising the profile and recognition of both the school and the individuals that have passed through its hallways. 

I spent eight years (2001-2009) as the parent of two Titan athletes, who participated in five different sports, and I served on the board of the Booster Club, (which Bob also helped found in the early 70’s when I attended Einstein) and was keenly aware of the culture at that time.  I’m pretty certain, that without Bob’s dream, we’d still be struggling for recognition in this respect. 

I am confident that the selection of Chairman Robert Stouffer and Vice Chairman Patrick Randall will continue to move the Hall forward. I have seen first hand their commitment to the mission and also the fresh ideas that young minds bring to the table. 

Finally, it was unanimously agreed upon at our last Board Meeting that Bob Owens will retain the title of Chairman Emeritus of Albert Einstein Hall of Fame. I hope that you all will take a moment to thank Bob for his work and continue to support your Hall of Fame. 

Congratulations to former lacrosse player Ariane Leon ('21) who was selected for and played (even started some games) for the Mexican women's national team in the Women's World Lacrosse Championship tournament over the last few weeks. Way to go Ariane! Ariane is also a member of the women's lacrosse team at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. (Vol. #95, September 2022)

James Heffney (’19), a redshirt sophomore catcher, has earned the University of Maryland's Sportsmanship Award, which given to a player who has distinguished himself or herself through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. He is majoring in mathematics at the University. The Maryland baseball team posted its best record in history with 44 wins and the Big Ten regular season title. The Terrapins ranked eighth in the country as they headed into the regional tournament. (Vol. #93, June 2022)

Arnold Ebiketie (’17), who played defensive end for Temple University and Penn State University, has been drafted by the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons. Arnold was the sixth selection in the second round of the draft. After playing three seasons at Temple, Arnold transferred to Penn State as a senior. During his senior season in 2021, Arnold was named second-team All-America and first-team All-Big Ten. He finished second in the Big Ten in tackles for loss and third in sacks. Falcon fans are excited about Arnold’s joining the team. Sportswriter Matt Miller wrote that “Ebiketie will provide a much-needed boost to the Falcons' edge-rushing game and should factor into the rotation at defensive end very early in his career. Ebiketie has an ideal skill set to fill an outside linebacker role in [defensive coordinator] Dean Pees' 3-4 scheme.” Writing in USA Today’s Falcons Wire, Matt Urben commented that “I’m quite impressed by Ebiketie’s athletic potential, movement skills, and palette of schemes to get to the quarterback.” (Vol. #92, May 2022)

In his 25-year career at Albert Einstein High School, Bob Boyle covered all the bases. His students and colleagues knew him as a father figure, a teacher, a caregiver-even a best man. But last weekend he was remembered in the role that suited him best: Coach.  Boyle, who coached baseball for 23 years and junior varsity football for 20 years, as well as short stints with gymnastics and girls' basketball, was inducted into the Albert Einstein High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, in the company of 15 other coaches, athletes and founders inducted into the 2008 Hall of fame class, many of whom thanked Boyle for his contributions to their own accomplishments. (Click the headline to read the whole article.)

Jen Beasley | Staff Writer Gazette Newspapers Wednesday October 1, 2008.