Student Athletes Share their Excitement and Greatest Accomplishments

Haley Borja

Swim athlete Haley Borja smiles for a photo during the signing event. (Dani Crossen)

Q: What part of this opportunity are you most excited for?

A: It's where my dad went. It’s also a really good liberal arts and free-thinking school— [I’m excited for] meeting so many new awesome athletes.

Q: What have you been doing throughout this year to succeed in your specific sport?

A: I’ve just been trying to balance school and swim as well as working out on my own, but also taking time for myself, taking rest days, taking time when I need to and prioritizing school when it matters most.

—Haley Borja

Ava Day

Softball athlete Ava Day signs Seattle Universities’ recruitment paper. (Dani Crossen)

Q: What part of this opportunity are you the most excited about?

A: I'm really excited to be able to go play at the next level with such a great team and people I have met through the sport, and I’m really excited because not only am I going to do that, but I get to study the career choice that I want to pursue.

Q: What goals did you have this year when you started this sport, and what did you accomplish?

A: I’ve been traveling since early fall and it's definitely been hard, just the recruiting process is stressful [and] just choosing where you want to go. I've competed in a lot of recruiting tournaments with my travel team, and so just talking to coaches and emailing them constantly.

—Ava Day

Claire Herring

Track and cross-country athlete Claire Herring looks up to smile after signing the University of Portland’s recruitment paper. (Dani Crossen)

Q: What part of this opportunity are you the most excited about?

A: I’m excited to be on a D1 team and have 20 other girls around me all working towards the same goal.

Q: What has it been like to play cross-country throughout this school year?

A: It has been really fun. I really enjoy hanging out with the team and running with the team. Everyone’s work ethic is super good, and it's just a really great environment.

—Claire Herring

Aziza Meyer

Swim athlete Aziza Meyer signs the University of Hawaii’s recruitment paper. (Dani Crossen)

Q: What part of this opportunity are you the most excited about?

A: I'm excited to be on a team where everyone shows up every day and is striving to reach their goals.

Q: What would you say is your biggest accomplishment this year?

A: Being a co-captain alongside Haley Borja, and both going to the collegiate level.

—Aziza Meyer

Taylor Palmer

Track and cross-country athlete Taylor Palmer signs Utah State Universities’ recruitment paper. (Dani Crossen)

Q: What part of this opportunity are you the most excited about?

A: I’m excited to train with girls and a team that all want to work super hard and so I can get to be my fastest and to be the best I can be and see how far I can go within my sport—and start trying to break records at the collegiate level.

Q: What goals did you have this year when you started this sport, and what did you accomplish?

A: During cross country, I really wanted to run in the 18—and also do well and place at state. And so, I was able to place at state, I think I got eighth or seventh. And all throughout the season, I ran in the 18, so I was super proud of that.

—Taylor Palmer

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