Posted: Apr 07, 2014

Division III Week Student Spotlight – Kalyn Spatol

This week is NCAA Division III Week and member institutions across the country are celebrating the third-year event.

Division III Week, which runs from Monday through Sunday, is intended to recognize the academic and athletic accomplishments as well as the campus leadership and community service efforts of Division III student-athletes.

As part of Huntingdon College's participation in Division III Week, five student-athletes will be featured this week. Huntingdon senior Kalyn Spatol is the first featured student-athlete.

Name: Kalyn Spatol

Year: Senior

Hometown: Endicott, N.Y.

Major: Sports Management

Career Goals: Pursue a career in sports administration

Sport: Women's Lacrosse

Athletic Accomplishments: A member of Huntingdon's first two women's lacrosse teams, Spatol has served as Team Captain and started in every game in Huntingdon history. She has recorded 41 career goals and six assists, ranks second in program history with 84 draw controls and is tied for second with 70 ground balls. Spatol scored six goals as a senior against North Carolina Wesleyan, one goal short of Huntingdon's single-game record. She also had nine draw controls against Millsaps this season, one short of the Hawks' single-game record.

Academic Achievements and Campus Activities: Spatol has been on the Dean's List of High Honors and is Vice President of SAAC. She was Team Leader of Athletics for Homecoming Week's Spirit Cup competition and is a member of the Student Alumni Association, the Exchange Club and the Dining Hall Committee.

What made you feel like Huntingdon was the right place for you? "To be completely honest, being from New York, and so far away, I committed to Huntingdon on a whim about a week before classes started that fall. It was extremely easy to fall in love with the beauty of Huntingdon and everything it stands for. So, that's what brought me here. But it was the close community and the push to make Huntingdon, not just a family, but a home, which kept me here and made it the best decision of my life."

What has made your Huntingdon experience unique? "What really sold me on Huntingdon was the opportunity to be a part of the first women's lacrosse team. The idea of making history, being able to shape a program and have the chance to mold its outcome has been infinitely unique. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything."

How has Huntingdon challenged you academically and athletically? "As a Huntingdon student, you have to meet high expectations. Academically, I've been challenged to learn outside of my sports management major, and learn abut religion, music, business, etc. Athletically, I owe everything to my coach. I've been pushed to work hard and never work with the thought of coming in second. I've grown more as an athlete in these two years than I have my entire life."

What has been your biggest highlight as a Huntingdon student-athlete? "The best memory I have as a student-athlete was proving everyone wrong our first year. We were told, as a first year program, that our goal was to try and win three games in a matter of the first three seasons. We shocked everyone our first year by having an 8-6 record, beating Meredith in overtime and also being victorious against Huntingdon's rival, Birmingham-Southern. Being the underdogs, but rising to the top as a team, has been the greatest highlight and I'm so honored to have been a part of it."

As a student-athlete, what is your impression of Division III now compared to your first season? "Division III provides a stellar balance between academics and athletics. It pushes you in both areas, forcing you to manage your time and energy because you're expected to be successful in each area. Lacrosse is my passion, so I enjoy participating in the competition of Division III sports without it taking up my whole schedule. I really appreciate that academics is the priority because that's what will ultimately guide my future. So I'd say my Division III experience has well-exceeded my expectations."