DIII Week kickstarts at Field Day

Water polo head coach Pat Beemer gets dunked by senior water polo player Nanea Mattson at a field day event Wednesday in Sneaky Park. The event was part of DIII Week, a week-long series of events with food, games and other fun activities, sponsored by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. / photo by Casi Martinez
Water polo head coach Pat Beemer gets dunked by senior water polo player Nanea Mattson at a field day event Wednesday in Sneaky Park. The event was part of DIII Week, a week-long series of events with food, games and other fun activities, sponsored by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. / photo by Casi Martinez

Ashlyn Ledbetter
Staff Writer

The Student Athlete Advisory Committee and Associated Students of University of La Verne hosted a field day in support of Division III week, Wednesday afternoon at Sneaky Park.

The field day consisted of a dunk tank filled with water where coaches and players were voted to participate. Each team held a booth with games relating back to their sport and many gave out prizes. 

By the end of the first hour a large group of students gathered around the dunk tank. 

Freshman psychology major, Kailin Katena is the secretary for SAAC and felt that all student athletes really came out strong to support at the event. 

“A lot of athletes got involved today and we had way more volunteers than what we were expecting so that’s always great,” Katena said. “The event had just started and already there were a bunch of people piling around the dunk tank so that was definitely a big success.”

To get a free shirt, attendees must have visited three booths minimum. 

Sophomore education major Jazmin Avendano felt it was a very inclusive event. 

“As someone who doesn’t play sports, everyone at the event was doing a great job at making us feel like we were part of a team too,” Avendano said. “I loved getting to play all the different booths games and getting to see people I know get dunked was definitely my favorite part.” 

President of the SAAC club, junior educational studies major, Kelly Young took charge of the event and hopes it will continue in the following years. 

“We really just wanted to recognize our students and student athletes and their academic achievements,” Young said. “I really just want the college experience to be everything for these students. I know we lost a couple years due to COVID and I really wanted to bring that back.”

Advisor of the SAAC club head volleyball coach Jeff Hendershot thought the event was well executed and planned.  

“The SAAC committee and our executive board did a really great job putting the event on,” Hendershot said. “They were able to get the right people who could really help us run a successful event.” 

Also playing a big role in planning this event was ASULV member Julia Thomas, sophomore English major.

“ASULV mainly helped run the dunk tank and assisted with the event,” Thomas said. “SAAC was pretty big pre-COVID so our athletics committee is just trying to help out when they need it.” 

You can find any upcoming events for ASULV or SAAC on their Instagrams or on campus labs. 

Ashlyn Ledbetter can be reached at ashlyn.ledbetter@laverne.edu.

Senior baseball player Cameron Slessor awaits the throw by his teammate, junior Austin Klopfenstein, in the dunk tank at the field day event on Wednesday in Sneaky Park. The event was sponsored by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee as part of DIII Week, a week-long series of events celebrating Division III student-athletes. / photo by Casi Martinez
Senior baseball player Cameron Slessor awaits the throw by his teammate, junior Austin Klopfenstein, in the dunk tank at the field day event on Wednesday in Sneaky Park. The event was sponsored by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee as part of DIII Week, a week-long series of events celebrating Division III student-athletes. / photo by Casi Martinez
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Ashlyn Ledbetter, a sophomore communications major with an emphasis in public relations, is a staff writer for the Campus Times.

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Casi Martinez, a senior photography major, is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and photography editor of La Verne Magazine.

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