Division III Week Student Spotlight - Jenna Maschino
This week is NCAA Division III Week and member institutions across the country are celebrating the eighth-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 Jenna Maschino is today's featured student-athlete.
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By Vic Jerald
Sports Information Assistant
Name: Jenna Maschino
Year: Senior
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Major: Biology with a minor in psychology
Career Goals: Pursue a career as a sonographer
Sport: Women's Soccer
Athletic Accomplishments: Maschino was a four-year starter for Huntingdon and appeared in 65 games during her career. During the NCAA era, she ranks third in Huntingdon history in career assists. Maschino is a two-time USA South Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Award winner and has been named to the USA South Academic All-Conference team each season.
She was part of the first three Huntingdon teams to reach the USA South Conference Tournament, including back-to-back appearances in the quarterfinals in 2017 and 2018. As a junior, the defender was part of a team that set Huntingdon's NCAA-era season records for wins (11), most shutouts (9), fewest goals allowed (19), most assists (22) and most points (90).
Academic Achievements and Campus Activities: In addition to being named to the USA South Academic All-Conference team, Maschino has been an All-Region Scholar and has been named to the Huntingdon College Dean's List of High Honors. She is also a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, the Psychology Club and the SAAC.
What made you feel like Huntingdon was the right place for you? "Huntingdon felt like the right place for me when I toured here for the first time. Everyone I met was very friendly and welcomed me here. Emily Barber, my old coach that recruited me to Huntingdon, stayed in contact with me and helped me by answering all of my questions and made me feel like I was already part of the team."
What has made your Huntingdon experience unique? "My Huntingdon experience has been unique because I was able to play soccer while going to school and I had some awesome professors like Dr. (John) Berch and Dr. (Erastus) Dudley, who became my mentors and didn't mind when I changed my career path many times. They helped me with what I needed to do to achieve my goals. I was also able to join a sorority and balance school, soccer and sorority events."
How has Huntingdon challenged you academically and athletically? "Academically, Huntingdon has challenged me because the class sizes are small enough to where the professor knows you and you are held accountable to go to class and learn. Athletically, the soccer program has been through highs and lows during my time here. We struggled during my first two seasons, but that pushed us to be the hardest workers and to stick together and we had successful seasons during my final two years."
As a student-athlete, what is your impression of Division III now compared to your first season? "My impression of Division III now compared to my first season is that just because it is Division III, that does not mean it is any less competitive (than other divisions). It is all about what you put into it and what you take out of it. I believe our team has worked just as hard as any other team out there and it's all about the heart and drive you have to see your team succeed."