It was a rousing welcome for the hundreds of Panther student-athletes who will compete during the 2022-2023 school year.
On Friday night in Callaway Auditorium, the LC student-athletes along with coaches, other members of the athletics staff, and faculty members, got together for a start-of-the-school-year get-together.
There were a handful of speakers, including President Dr. Susanna Baxter and Director of Athletics Terlynn Olds, and each of the head coaches was introduced while their chosen "walk-up" song was playing.
The evening was basically a pep rally, not for one sport or event, but for an entire athletics program that includes 15 varsity teams that will compete during the 2022-2023 school year.
Terlynn Olds oversees the school's athletics programs, and she's excited to see what the next nine months or so holds.
"We've done a lot," said Olds, who became the Director of Athletics in the summer of 2021. "We've had some highs, and God knows we've had some lows. At the end of the day, we're still standing. We're still standing, bigger, stronger, and better than ever. So, we've got a lot to build on. I am so excited to see the new faces. I am so excited to see the returners. I am honored that in a short period of time I've been able to connect with so many of you here on the individual teams. We've got a lot to be excited about."
The Panther teams will compete in one of the three sports seasons.
The sports year begins with the fall seasons, and that includes football, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's cross country, and golf.
The men's and women's basketball teams compete during the winter season, and during a busy spring season the featured sports are baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis, golf, and beach volleyball.
Dr. Baxter, President since 2020, encouraged the hundreds of student-athletes gathered to be outstanding representatives of the school.
"You represent us everywhere you go, and we take that very seriously," Baxter said. "We want you to have fun, we want you to be disciplined, we want you to listen to your coaches, and we want to win, and we want to provide you with the support to do that. It's important for us that you win both on the field, and off the field, so in the classroom as well."
Baxter, as has been the case since her arrival, will be a regular presence at athletic events.
"I can not wait to watch you all excel this year," she said. "I'm excited for what the season will bring, and I wish you nothing but the best of luck this year."
Dr. Brian Peterson, who in May became the Vice President for Academic Affairs, told the student-athletes "you're more than your sport. You're more than your major. You're more than your internship or your research project. You are everything that you're going to do while you're here."
Peterson, an Iowa native who watched the Panthers play in the NCAA Division III baseball World Series, said "I am so looking forward to watching all of you play. I love watching sports."
Dr. Justin Thurman, an Associate Professor of English and the Faculty Athletic Representative, let the student-athletes know help will also be readily available for them.
"If you need any motivation, any support, I encourage you to reach out to your coaches, to your teammates, to your faculty," Thurman said. "We're here to help you win, and we want you to win everywhere, not just on the field."
Echoing that sentiment, Olds assured the student-athletes that everyone at the school is committed to their success.
"We have a strong support group. We have so many people that want us to be successful," Olds said. "We are lucky to be at an institution that you have so many folks that want to see you be successful."
As a former student-athlete in college, Olds is fully aware of the commitment that lifestyle requires, and she encouraged everyone to give maximum effort in everything they do.
"Not everyone has what it takes to be a collegiate athlete," Olds said. "It takes a different mindset, and a different level of commitment. As your AD, I'm asking you to maintain that high standard both on the field, on the pitch, on the court, and the same thing in the classroom."
Olds added that "we are a very diverse group of individuals in this room, and that's what makes athletics beautiful. We have people from all walks of life in here. You'll have people that will be at your wedding, be there for your highs, and be there for your lows. That's the beauty of being in athletics. We're going to embrace each other. We're going to support each other. We're going to respect our opponents, the opposing coaches, officials, all those things. We're going to do things the right way."
Sports Information Director Kevin Eckleberry can be reached at mecklebe@lagrange.edu.
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