By: David Walter
Reporter
Pacific Lutheran University brought home 4 conference titles to commemorate a remarkable fall season for PLU athletics.
The teams that earned the hardware this fall were the men’s and women’s soccer team, volleyball team, and cross country team.
“It was a really exciting fall for the department” said sports communication director Mark Albanese.
“Not only in winning a share of four of the six Northwest Conference Championships, but also the continued academic success and community involvement.”
Although the Lutes had a very successful season on the field, they also lived up to the expectation of being student-athletes off the field.
“The department had a cumulative 3.28 GPA and was recognized by the NCAA for our efforts with Special Olympics in addition to the amazing success on the field of play” said Albanese.
Winning the Northwest Conference Title was a dream come true for this year’s cross country team. Chris Nussbaum, a current student-athlete on the cross country team described how much it meant to him personally and as a team to win the NWC title.
“Winning the conference championship was a huge deal, it was the focal point of our entire season” said Nussbaum. “Our team made it a priority this year to spend more time with each other. This allowed us to build chemistry which reflected in our races. By engaging in team-oriented activities both inside and outside of practice, it made us become more resilient while racing.”
Even though the team bonded closer together, they also had to fight through ups and downs, adversities, and injuries. “A few members of the team went into the race dealing with sickness, and injuries which would test both the physical and mental toughness of the guys that participated in the championship race” he said.
“Specifically with how the conference meet went, we dealt with a lot of adversity but managed to pull off the win.”
Nussbaum knew that this team had the potential to be great as long as the hard work was put into it. They wanted to represent PLU in the best way possible while making their mark and enjoying the moment while it lasts.
Chris also mentioned that the coaches played a major role into their success on the field. “The coaches were the ones we attribute all our success to because they reinforced and instilled the winning atmosphere within the cross-country program.”
Overall, the it was a successful fall season for PLU athletics. The countless hours in the weight room, and on the practice field paid off for the athletes when it mattered most. Being successful both on the field and in the classroom defines the true meaning of a student-athlete.
Pacific Lutheran University aims to create lifelong leaders through athletics united in teamwork, excellence, and service. Not only does the athletic department want the athletes to experience growth on the field, but also grow off the field by giving back to the people of the community.
“You learn how to lead, how to contribute your individual talent and strengths (not necessarily running related) to a collective goal, and partake in creating long lasting friendships that will never cease to go away” Nussbaum said.
“At the end of the day, you don’t remember the place you finish in, you remember the experiences and moments you share with the people you create those moments with.”
