Division III Week Student Spotlight – Lucy Burch
This week is NCAA Division III Week and member institutions across the country are celebrating the ninth-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, 18 student-athletes will be featured this week. Lucy Burch, Mark Melchor and Madi DeWees are today's featured student-athletes.
By Brittany Greene
Sports Information Assistant
Name: Lucy Burch
Year: Junior
Hometown: Florence, Ala.
Major: English and Communication Studies
Sport: Women's Tennis
Athletic Accomplishments: Burch has been part of 35 team victories and two USA South Athletic Conference Tournament appearances during two full seasons and one partial season with the women's tennis team. An USA South Athletic Conference All-Sportsmanship team selection, Burch has a 20-4 record in singles (No. 3-No. 6) and a 14-4 record in doubles (No. 1-3).
Academic Achievements and Campus Activities: Burch has been a member of the Dean's List since her freshman year, has been named to the USA South Academic All-Conference team and has been an ITA Scholar Athlete each year. She is a member of the Order of Omega, Lambda Pi Eta and Gamma Sigma Alpha honor societies as well as Chi Omega. She is President of the Student Government Association, a Huntingdon Ambassador, a member of Campus Ministries and the Community Coordinator of the Huntingdon Leadership Academy.
What made you feel like Huntingdon was the right place for you? "I knew that Huntingdon was the right fit for me because I knew I wanted to play tennis after my high school career, but I still wanted to feed my multi-passionate personality. I wanted to be able to be a student leader as well as an athlete. Huntingdon provides the opportunity for you to do that and thrive."
As a student-athlete, what is your impression of Division III now compared to your first season? "My freshman year was hard. I was the only freshman with a lot of upperclassmen. My perspective of Division III sports quickly changed. You have to truly love the game to not only be a Division III athlete, but also to stay with it through your college career. When it comes down to it, you are playing for you. When you strip everything away, scholarship money, coaches, fans, etc., the only thing left is love. Love for your teammates, the game and yourself. I have played a total of five sports throughout my life, including four varsity sports in my high school career. I can truthfully say that I have never had an athletic experience like the memories I have made at Huntingdon."
With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the world we live in, what have you learned about the compassion and resiliency of your friends, family and classmates? "When it comes to situations like the state the world is in, I think of this analogy. Not everyone is the supporting character or the extras in the movie of your life. It is not all about you. Other people have their own movies being filmed too. We have to look at the big picture. When we do that it leads to community, which I believe is what truly makes the world go around. We have to get through a pandemic by community, leaning on each other. We are all in this together. I know we are sad our seasons got canceled, and even some careers ended, but the tears of losing a loved one to a mysterious virus are far more painful."
If you could offer one piece of encouragement at this time to your friends, family and classmates, what would it be? "You are not alone. In fact, you are seen and heard. We are all sitting in darkness right now, but the darkness cannot overcome the light. In the words of Kate Bowler, 'The second to last thing is always way worse than the very last thing.' This is not the end, but only the beginning of something brand new."
What advice would you give our current underclassmen and incoming recruits to better prepare them for the next few years? "My advice is that yes, Huntingdon is amazing. But it is still college, which is one of the most hectic seasons of your life. You are going to have struggles, stress, hard decisions and growing up to do. That is OK. That is what college is. You will also have amazing memories, experiences, meet new people and find yourself and new perspectives. That is what college is too. Huntingdon has all the resources in order to grow. You just have to reach out and use them."
How has your experience at Huntingdon prepared you for life after Huntingdon? "It is because of Huntingdon that I am the person I am today. I have grown into the person I am meant to be, and it wasn't my doing! I give credit to the people of Huntingdon. Huntingdon College is amazing, but it is amazing because of the people. I have learned the true meaning of grace, vulnerability, understanding, listening, community, anxiety and panic, joy and perseverance. All the things I have learned at Huntingdon do not make me fear life after college. The only thing I fear is the day when I have to leave this place."