As we wind down NCAA’s DIII week, perhaps you’d like to know that there is a ranking, based on the cumulative athletic finishes in each sport, of schools in Division III? It’s called the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup and UMW’s Athletic Director, Ken Tyler, has the Department of Athletics on a “DRIVE FOR 25.” Our goal is to reach (and maintain) a top 25 ranking (out of 450 schools). UMW finished #59 in 2013-14.
So why would a student-athlete want to continue his or her sport at UMW, playing for the love of the game (and no scholarship money)?
Soccer player Rory Grambo is a junior Business Administration major from Linden, VA. Senior Mo Sunderland is a women’s lacrosse player. Mo, from Baltimore, MD, is a mathematics major.
Rory Grambo: When I made the decision to play soccer at a Division III college, I did it specifically for the love of the game, nothing else. Many people choose the DI route because it is the “highest level,” and so they can tell people “I’m a DI athlete.” I wanted to go somewhere that I would be relevant to the team right away… No being redshirted, no extremely long rosters full of international players. I knew I would have the chance to MATTER, even as a freshman. This narrowed my list of colleges down significantly. Mary Washington was in fact, the first college I visited. It was beautiful, with majestic columns and magnificent trees casting shade upon Campus Walk. I felt a great connection with the campus, and the type of people here. The soccer program showed great promise, and I wanted to be a part of the team here.
Mo Sunderland: Whether your talent is in the classroom, on the sports field or you have yet to discover it, I believe you should be given the chance to succeed. When deciding on a college to attend I had to find a place where students could do just that. At that time I definitely did not know what I wanted to do with my future, but the coaches and administration at UMW wanted to help me figure that out by continuing to compete as a student and an athlete. UMW was eager to offer me a superior education and competitive lacrosse career as well as introducing me to new endeavors through the liberal arts program. In each of those aspects I could have so much fun while being challenged to learn more. I knew the Division III athletics program would be the perfect fit because it presented the opportunity to compete for a NATIONAL championship and provided the atmosphere to get to personally know professors and be held accountable in the classroom. Over these past four years have I have met my best friends who share the same wild and crazy passion for the sports we love and it’s the comradery at UMW that has brought us together to succeed as teammates and classmates.