Meet Carthage Student-Athletes

“One of my biggest accomplishments at Carthage has to be creating strong, everlasting friendships with my teammates.”

“Being a Firebird gives me a purpose. I find a sense of unity in sharing that identity with others, and I am blessed to be a part of such a supportive community.”

“Every athlete at Carthage wants to see our teams succeed, and being in a community surrounded by competitive individuals helps me become more competitive myself.”

“A good chunk of the population at Carthage is made up of student-athletes, making it much easier to connect with others.”

“Being on the water polo team has helped me strengthen many of my skills, such as time management, teamwork, and grit!”

“My coaches and professors are very positive and supportive! I greatly appreciate their support and understanding as I play golf for Carthage.”

“I’ve learned how to stay focused, work through challenges, and be a part of a team, all of which will carry over into my future.” 

“Joining swimming in college was the best decision I made. It gave me an automatic community of people to connect with and something to be a part of that is bigger than myself.”

“My biggest accomplishment is the growth I have made as an athlete thanks to coaches David Neff and Dexter Molinaro. Every day, they work on helping each member of our team improve and become the best athletes we can be.”

“Whether my jersey is on or off, I am supported by everyone, not just as a teammate but as a friend as well.”

“Being a student-athlete has helped me become organized and improve my time management skills greatly.”

“I have been inspired by so many teammates and coaches to be the best version of myself.”

“Coaches and professors are really supportive of student-athletes. They make sure we can balance our personal well-being, academics, and athletic success.”

“My coaches and professors at Carthage have played a huge role in my success...Knowing I have people in my corner who care about my performance and well-being makes a big difference.”

“The student-athlete community is great. Knowing that there are so many people working toward one shared goal, even if it’s in different sports, makes everyone want to work harder and support each other’s successes.”

“The community is super supportive and friendly. Everyone basically knows each other and is there to lend support.”

“Being a Firebird is very special to me — I always feel supported and loved.”

“I wanted to have a built-in friend group I could call my team, and I have that here.”

“Knowing I have the opportunity to grow as an athlete and a student with supportive people behind me helps me stay organized and focused.”

“My biggest accomplishment at Carthage was getting named team captain my freshman year. It is one of the greatest honors that I’ve ever had in my life.”

“It’s always nice when I walk into class and my professor asks how the game went the night before. It really shows they care about their students.”

“My coaches are practically family, and I can tell them anything. They know what’s best for me as an athlete and listen when I have concerns.”

“It’s a tight-knit community, not just with my team, but with other teams as well. We learn to get through adversity together and build strong bonds with each other.”

“Carthage supports me as a student-athlete by supporting the team! The support from faculty, coaches, and other athletes is everything!”

“The great coaching staff here has provided invaluable experience, and the state-of-the-art facilities give me everything I need to improve and take my game to the next level.”

“The swim team is pretty much one big friend group that hangs out and supports each other, even outside of the pool.”

“I truly think every single home game is so memorable and honorable. Being able to play at Carthage for our fans and students is so inspiring.”

“Everyone knows everyone! I always have another athlete in my class who I have connected with before.”

“To me, being a Firebird means getting to compete for myself and my school; when I meet my goals, I feel a sense of pride that extends further than myself.”

“My professors cheer me on and stay up to date on how our matches are going and ask me follow-up questions in class about them, too.”

“As an international student, finding a place that felt like home was important — the Carthage community made me feel exactly that.”

“My professors help me by being understanding when I miss classes due to traveling for competitions.”

“One of the most rewarding moments has been seeing how my hard work in practice and the classroom has paid off.”

“There is a lot of spoken and unspoken respect among the student-athlete community...It takes a lot of energy and effort, but knowing you have a team and community doing it with you makes it a little easier.”

“I can focus on being a student and an athlete because of the flexibility of my professors and coaches.”

“I deeply value the bowling community, the guidance of coaches, and the exhilarating experience of stepping onto the approach to deliver a perfect pocket strike.”