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Wynter Bess

Elevating the Student Athlete Experience

Join Penn State Abington’s close-knit student athlete community, which is dedicated to academic and athletic excellence and developing leadership skills on the field, in the classroom, and for your future profession.

Academics and athletics go hand in hand for Abington student athletes. Being an athlete means working hard, contributing to a team and displaying perseverance, discipline, motivation and a desire to succeed. Student athletes compete in the NCAA Division III with 13 intercollegiate sports. Intramural and club programs abound, too. 

Erin Foley, director of athletics, intramurals, and recreation, was a two-sport athlete when she was a student at Abington. 

“My experience at Abington was transformative and helped shape my future. I wanted to impact lives in a positive way through sport, which is what we are doing today. We are a community of caring individuals who make this a welcoming and inclusive environment for young student athletes. It’s a family, and you get to know other athletes and professors and learn to communicate with people who come from different backgrounds,” she said. 

Recent graduate Jamie Marino played soccer while maintaining top grades in finance and accounting and serving on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which monitors and discusses issues that affect students. She now works at Comcast in finance. 

“Developing student athletes on and off the field is something we hold near and dear to our hearts at Abington. We develop skills outside of sports that get students ready for real life. In the hiring process at Comcast, being a student athlete made an impact because it showed grit, drive, passion, and work ethic,” Marino said. 

There's no better feeling than being part of a team. Tirelessly working to reach a common goal, whether that's winning a game or getting through practice, builds your confidence and camaraderie. Student athletes learn how to manage time for academic work in addition to attending team practices and games. But the payoff is worth it. It will contribute to some of the greatest memories of your life.  

Mike Litz, Class of 2020, played tennis and served on the NCAA Division III SAAC and is now a risk analyst at Chubb, a global insurance company.  

“Abington helped me grow as a leader and positioned me for success. I’m beyond thankful for the well-rounded experience, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without being an Abington student athlete,” he said.