Zachary Grech
Calendar Editor
The Student Athlete Advisory Committee hosted Division III Day on Tuesday in Sneaky Park.
Over 300 people attended the event as Leo Nation T-shirts were all given away, along with free Alani energy drinks. In-N-Out Burger catered the event.
This marked SAAC’s third year hosting this event to help celebrate National Division III Week which shines the light on student athletes.
“The main goal of D-III Week and the field day event is really important to celebrate our student athletes by highlighting all their achievements they have accomplished here on campus,” Madison Smith, senior libero of the women’s volleyball team and SAAC president, said. “And just give them a day to have fun by all coming together as a community,”
Throughout the event, each sport was showcased by individual booths. It showed the camaraderie that all the athletes have for each other, as well as the sacrifice it takes to be a college athlete.
“It’s a grind that requires time management and sacrifice,” Devin Martin, sophomore middle linebacker of the football team, said. “Like sacrificing going out with friends to study or recover for games/practice, and even preparing yourself to be the best version of yourself athletically,”
Martin said his favorite memory as a Division III athlete was during Homecoming week.
“It’s always a great time being able to see my family, and always seeing everybody showing out for La Verne,” Martin said. “I went through the market last year with my jersey on and people were high-fiving me, giving me hugs, and taking pictures.”
The event allowed the athletes to reflect on the importance of college athletics, especially in Division III, where none of the athletes are on any athletic scholarships.
“At the Division III level, everyone wants to be here and everyone chooses to be here because they either love the sport or they end up falling in love with the whole program itself,” Vanessa Marquez, junior setter of the women’s volleyball team, said. “You also get the academic part, which brings a good balance to being a student athlete, which compared to other schools, they don’t get the same opportunities.”
A dunk tank featured coaches and student athletes from all the sports programs at La Verne, and drew a long line of people looking to make their throws.
“The fan favorite is the dunk tank,” Smith said. “It’s fun to see our coaches and fellow Leos be dunked and just get the chance to be competitive and throw the ball at the dunk tank, and watch the people fall in the water.”
“Everyone still values their sport, and the culture we bring and just because we aren’t Division I athletes doesn’t mean we don’t like appreciate our sport as much, or work just hard as to perfect our craft,” Emanuel Garibaldi-Stevenson, senior defensive back of the football team said.
Zachary Grech can be reached at zachary.grech@laverne.edu.
Zachary Grech is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations, and is a staff writer for the Campus Times. He is also the sports broadcaster for La Verne Athletics, ULV Choral Organization president and LeoFM promotions director.
