Paityn Tabor
Editor-in-Chief and Sports Editor
Last week, the College celebrated Division III week throughout the campus community. This event is celebrated annually, and this year was held during the week of April 10th through April 16th. During this special week, many Division III schools across the country hold events intended to bring together all students.
Division III week is a celebration of athletics and it means a significant amount to student-athletes here at the College. It is a time where they are recognized for all of their hard work throughout the year and for all they do on campus.
“In the past, D3 week signified national recognition of hard working athletes,” explained junior volleyball player Mary Gegen ’24. “This year in particular, though, was a little different. I felt a greater wave of support from the people here at LFC: athletes, non-athletes, coaches, professors, and everyone else on campus. People were having so much fun lifting each other up, and since these are the people closest to me, it meant a lot.”
This week is an opportunity for the entire community to honor the successes of all student-athletes and appreciate what being a Division III school brings to the College more broadly. While all NCAA divisions have their own benefits, to many, Division III provides the perfect balance of academics and athletics, allowing students to achieve success in all aspects.
“Being able to play a sport, excel in a demanding academic environment, be a part of a club or organization and have some time for fun shows employers that you can juggle multiple things and prioritize what really needs to get accomplished,” said head women’s soccer coach, T.R. Bell ’96. “Due to this, I definitely believe that DIII athletes are set up for success!”
Division III week is the perfect time for Lake Forest College to celebrate all the skills student-athletes spend time harnessing throughout their college years. The hard work, dedication, and time they spend gets recognized and appreciated during this memorable week. DIII week, being held toward the end of the academic year, serves as a culmination of a year’s worth of achievements all across the board.
“In DIII, the focus is for athletics to be a part of the entire student experience, sport is meant to be a learning lab that teaches and reinforces what is being taught in the classroom,” said Lake Forest College Athletic Director Nicki Pieart. “Athletics is a time to come together with your teammates, to work together to accomplish something that is impossible to achieve alone, and while doing that, also honing in time management tools, learning teamwork and leadership skills, practicing effective communication and goal setting.”
Being able to be an active participant in the College’s community is a major benefit for student-athletes at a Division III school, as they get to maximize their potential in every aspect. This week is an acknowledgement of the impact these athletes have on the school and it illustrates the footprint they will surely leave after their four years.
