Today we end our celebration of the NCAA Division III week. The University of Mary Washington plays in the Capital Athletic Conference and competes within the conference against Christopher Newport University, York College, Wesley College, Southern Virginia University, Frostburg State University, Marymount University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Penn State Harrisburg, and Salisbury University.
Our last featured student-athletes this week are from the women’s soccer program.
Michelle Gibbons is a junior Business Administration major from Midlothian, VA. Junior Leah Roth is from Falls Church, VA, and is majoring in Biology. Meghan Turney, from Woodbine, MD, is a sophomore who is undecided about her major.
Michelle Gibbons: Though higher division schools have much to offer (bigger classes, crowds, games, and intensity), I've learned firsthand being a DIII athlete that bigger does not always correlate to better. As a student athlete at a DIII school, I have had the ability to cultivate deep relationships with professors, coaches, and even friends, more than I could have ever imagined doing at a larger university. Unlike those who receive scholarships, I know that each and every player on my team is coming from a place of genuine passion for the game, and that all the hard work done is not required, but desired. The smaller community allows for a sense of camaraderie, a support system, and a constant force of accountability and responsibility that shapes teenagers into young adults ready to head out into the world with the life skills necessary to succeed. At the University of Mary Washington, faculty, staff and students have an understanding of the opportunities provided by the smaller environment and are constantly striving to help others reach their full potential on and off the field. I am proud to say I am a DIII student athlete at UMW, because as I have learned in my time here- with this title comes a reputation of a hard working individual, a team player, a dedicated student, and a person who is willing to put others above them self for the greater good of the team, university, classroom, or any facet of their life from college on.
Leah Roth: When you grow up playing a variety of sports and you are constantly surrounded by athletics, it becomes somewhat of an addiction. During the application process, I continually debated solely focusing on the premedical track during my undergraduate schooling and putting soccer behind me. However, I couldn't imagine myself not putting on athletic gear and playing the sport I love. I knew that Mary Washington was going to be a challenging school academically, but I also knew that I had done well with balancing sports and academics throughout high school. With a Division III school, you truly get the best of both worlds. Your sport becomes an outlet that allows you time to build relationships and connections with people you normally wouldn't have met. The family-oriented atmosphere that embodies Mary Washington’s athletic program is something that I am thankful for every time I see a fellow eagle on campus. The flexibility and versatility of the coaches and staff in a DIII environment has allowed me to truly be a student-athlete.
Meghan Turney: I started soccer in late middle school so I knew I wasn't ready to stop playing competitive soccer after high school. Although it would have been an incredible experience playing college ball at a DI school, I knew I didn't want my whole college life to revolve around soccer. I pursued college to continue my education and Mary Wash lets me do just that while I get to play the sport I love. I wouldn't trade playing college soccer at UMW for any other university because I've developed amazing friendships with my teammates who I consider my second family.