Among other programs, Roosevelt has always been known for its athletics. This year, the athletics department has produced some incredible athletes, who have committed to continue their passions in new locations around the U.S in their pursuit of athletics in higher education.
Roosevelt senior Ella Hwang expresses her excitement and happiness over her recruitment to the University of San Francisco, where she will be playing D1 soccer, a sport she first took up when she was just 6 years old. The sport takes up a big part of her life, with practices three to four times a week and games on weekends.
Her recruiting process was unusual. Hwang was able to reach out to schools, but they often didn’t get back to her for weeks on end. “It was kind of like a one-way street,” she says. Hwang did a lot of research beforehand, but once she visited USF, she knew that it was the place for her, especially considering their need for a defender, the position she plays.
Hwang worked hard in high school to maintain strong grades, which put her in a position to be highly considered. She says, “After you are recruited, they still want to see that your grades are still high, and you’re still working hard and not slacking off.”
As of right now, Hwang is interested in majoring in international business, but is still in the process of making her decision. The University of San Francisco is a smaller school, but located close to the city. She’s most looking forward to the independence she’ll gain and the opportunity to continue to play soccer on the collegiate level.
Eva Atkins and Ella Hwang, pictured above, look forward to continuing their athletic careers in college
Eva Atkins is another senior who underwent the recruiting process during high school. Atkins is committed to Columbia University, located in New York, where she was recruited earlier in the summer for volleyball.
She’s been playing the sport for about 7 years now and shared that it is a significant part of her life. “During club season, I spend ten to 12 hours a week playing, and probably twelve hours during high school season,” Atkins says.
When asked about the challenges of balancing academics and volleyball, she says, “Definitely at the beginning it was difficult; I think now it’s just about prioritizing school work and sports above everything else.” Atkins says that once those two things are out of the way, she’ll be able to make time for and enjoy the other things in her life.
Atkins was recruited at the end of her junior year. She had hoped to end up on the east coast, but wasn’t clear on if going D1 was going to be the path she would go down. Then she met Columbia’s coach, Allison Keeley, at a tournament. Within a month, she was committed.
Academic-wise, Atkins has had to work hard and maintain a high GPA during the recruitment season; after her application was in, the academic department was able to give her a green light. She plans to major in political science, and is looking forward to her relocation to New York, and to creating new relationships and friendships with people in a place she’s never been. She is thrilled to play volleyball and show her talent in front of a new crowd.
Though The Roosevelt News was given the opportunity to take an inside look at Atkins’ and Hwang’s journeys, they are not the only athletes pursuing athletics in higher education. Among others, senior Claire Archer has committed to Yale University for cross country and junior Anna Menti is committed to Loyola Mount University for soccer.
No doubt, Roosevelt will see more commitments down the road, as many of the school’s athletes continue to choose to enter the world of collegiate-level sports.
