I asked some senior athletes what memories they will take with them after graduating in a couple weeks, and what they might do to continue playing their sports in the future:Tara Carmody:
Volleyball
I’ve had a lot of fun in my athletic career at Lawrence, even though it has not been the most successful career. I have had amazing teammates that really made seasons fun. There are plenty of memories from the court a good block or kill always felt good but the one that sticks out the most to me is when my setter, Laura Aerts, stepped on my foot as I was moving causing her to face plant and the ball to drop on the court. It didn’t seem to matter to us because we were too busy laughing at the ridiculousness of it.
My favorite off the court memory would have to be preseason this year. We decided to do some team bonding by playing capture the flag. Next thing I knew, half our team was running around campus in spandex onesies and facepaint. This was followed by a night of hydration drinking games. I think the goofiness and randomness of our team allowed for a lot of laughs that helped get us through a rough season.
Tatiana Bulat:
Women’s Track
Four years of doing three different sports at Lawrence University have taught me a lot. I have enjoyed almost every practice running cross-country, doing track and field or playing volleyball. The best part was going to the meets or games and hanging out with other athletes. Now, I am planning on just running on my own and playing beach volleyball whenever I get a chance.
Hayley Vatch:
Women’s Swimming
My best swimming memories …
My 1,650-yard freestyle at Conference every year – the whole team is always up and cheering for the entire race. One of the best feelings in the world is to be doing something I love with the encouragement of 25 wonderful people backing me the whole time. Four years ago, at the beginning of my college swimming career, I never would have imagined that my name would be on the record board in the pool six times – it’s been an amazing four years.
The Conference meet this year will be my favorite college memory for a long time. Everyone swam well and supported each other the whole meet. I really feel like some of us will remain connected through swimming for the rest of our lives.
After college, I plan to keep on swimming with a masters’ team and to compete in a few open water long-distance swims every year. Swimming is something that will be with me forever.
Hawk Haiduke:
Baseball
My best memory was when Robert Rashid put his hands up, signaling a ground rule double on a homerun from Ripon and the umpire believed him and took the homerun away. My other one is when Andrew Wilt hit a grad slam to win the game in the bottom of the ninth with two outs.
Alison Blegen:
Women’s Soccer
My favorite on-the-field memory is the first home game my sophomore year, during the 2006 season. During this game I scored the first goal by chipping the keeper, and a few minutes later I scored off of a PK. This was a great way to start the season, and I attribute my success during this game to a pre-game dance party Bean, Shaker and I had in Sage right before heading over to Alex.
As for off-the-field memories, it’s a tie between the slippery watermelon game played with the men’s team at High Cliff and the days after the season ended when a few of us would hop the fence at Alex to play Dutch Shooting Game one more time before the snow began to fall.
I plan to continue playing soccer competitively and may one day coach. Also, I will continue running and, I am running a 10K, the Bellin Run in Green Bay, the day before graduation. I will continue to do triathlons, and eventually I will do a marathon.
Nick Jennette:
Hockey
Some of my best memories came from my senior year, mostly because it was the best record our program has ever had. Also this year was the best group of guys I’ve ever been on a team with, both talent-wise and as far as having fun with. Experiencing a coaching change after my freshman year was pretty tough, but without question it was for the best. The program was a joke my first year, and now I can leave LU feeling very proud of being a part of it.
For the future, I’m playing pro hockey in Huntsville, Ala. next year. After a year or two of that I’m sure I’ll be in a beer league with a bunch of out-of-shape middle-aged guys for the rest of my life.