Athlete Awards
4
Madeline Stehly
- Award:
- Student-Athlete Spotlight
- Week:
- 3/28/2019
- Sport:
- Field Hockey
- Bio:
- View Full Bio
Why did you choose Millersville?
I have family friends in the area and they learned I wanted to come to the East Coast, play field hockey, and be a teacher. Millersville had all those things so they told me to check it out. I did and never looked back.
Why did you choose your major?
I have always wanted to be a teacher but never knew what grade or subject. I took chemistry in high school and was pretty good at it. When it got closer to when I needed to choose a major for college, I became a teacher’s aide in a chemistry class my senior year of high school and loved teaching and helping kids learn chemistry. That’s when I knew I wanted to teach high school chemistry. Chemistry is like a puzzle with the perks of possible explosions, fire, reactions, you know, the cool stuff.
What is your favorite memory as a Millersville student-athlete?
There are so many wonderful memories. One of my favorites though is from the 2017 season when we beat St. Anselm in shootouts in below freezing temperatures in New Hampshire. It advanced us into the Final Four in Louisville, Kentucky. We overcame so much adversity to get there and we were considered the underdogs. The other team thought the cold would bug us but that night we didn’t let anything bug us. Once we won, it was very emotional to know we were advancing to the Final Four.
What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring athletes?
Just go for it. It’s so easy to just do what you’ve always done but to succeed and get better you must put yourself out there. You just have to go for it and not look back.
What is one of your pre game rituals?
I always wear a thick headband. I’ve done it since I started playing in fifth grade. Also, when I step on the field right before the game starts, I do two torso twists, stretch out my shoulders, and make the sign of the cross. I guess that’s two things I do.
What is one word you would use to describe being part of your team? Why?
This isn’t one word but the words I would use to describe my team is all in. Being a part of the field hockey team is a process. We have practice, meetings, games, travel, lifting, fundraisers, tournaments, and so much more. If you aren’t all in then you will not transform as a person and athlete. Even though there is a lot of things, we grow as a team and as individual people through it all.
What do you normally do on your off days, if you get any?
My days off are not that exciting. If it’s on a weekday, I try to get a lot of homework done. If it’s on the weekend, there’s a lot of sleep and relaxing, and of course homework. I’m kind of a nerd.
How has participating in athletics at Millersville impacted you?
There are some things you can only learn as an athlete. I am gracious to Millersville Athletics for the lessons I’ve learned. It’s forced me to be disciplined, to time manage, to work hard, to work on a team, and so many other lessons I am probably unaware of but are there in what I do and how I work. It’s shaped a part of me.
What is a typical day for you when you are in-season?
My day is much like any other athletes just more busy because of my major. I’ll get up, usually for an 8am class, do a devotional reading, eat, go to class, lunch, depending on the day probably go to a lab, go to practice or a game, go home, eat, homework, bed. I also try to do homework whenever I can throughout the day so I don’t have as much at night.
What is the best thing about being a student-athlete at Millersville?
The best part is the camaraderie with all the other athletes here on campus. We are each other's biggest fans and supporters. I was recently asked if there’s competition in the fall season to be the team to win a championship. I said no because we all push each other to be the best team and we want each other to succeed. It’s a really special dynamic.
If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
I would love to have dinner with Saint Pope John Paul II. He was in charge of the Catholic Church in such a trying time in history. He was so wise and faithful and I would love to sit with him and learn from him.
What is your go-to karaoke song?
We’ve done karaoke on the bus and I’ve always chosen an easy song that everyone knows. It would be anything Taylor Swift but her old stuff like "Love Story" or "Our Song."
I have family friends in the area and they learned I wanted to come to the East Coast, play field hockey, and be a teacher. Millersville had all those things so they told me to check it out. I did and never looked back.
Why did you choose your major?
I have always wanted to be a teacher but never knew what grade or subject. I took chemistry in high school and was pretty good at it. When it got closer to when I needed to choose a major for college, I became a teacher’s aide in a chemistry class my senior year of high school and loved teaching and helping kids learn chemistry. That’s when I knew I wanted to teach high school chemistry. Chemistry is like a puzzle with the perks of possible explosions, fire, reactions, you know, the cool stuff.
What is your favorite memory as a Millersville student-athlete?
There are so many wonderful memories. One of my favorites though is from the 2017 season when we beat St. Anselm in shootouts in below freezing temperatures in New Hampshire. It advanced us into the Final Four in Louisville, Kentucky. We overcame so much adversity to get there and we were considered the underdogs. The other team thought the cold would bug us but that night we didn’t let anything bug us. Once we won, it was very emotional to know we were advancing to the Final Four.
What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring athletes?
Just go for it. It’s so easy to just do what you’ve always done but to succeed and get better you must put yourself out there. You just have to go for it and not look back.
What is one of your pre game rituals?
I always wear a thick headband. I’ve done it since I started playing in fifth grade. Also, when I step on the field right before the game starts, I do two torso twists, stretch out my shoulders, and make the sign of the cross. I guess that’s two things I do.
What is one word you would use to describe being part of your team? Why?
This isn’t one word but the words I would use to describe my team is all in. Being a part of the field hockey team is a process. We have practice, meetings, games, travel, lifting, fundraisers, tournaments, and so much more. If you aren’t all in then you will not transform as a person and athlete. Even though there is a lot of things, we grow as a team and as individual people through it all.
What do you normally do on your off days, if you get any?
My days off are not that exciting. If it’s on a weekday, I try to get a lot of homework done. If it’s on the weekend, there’s a lot of sleep and relaxing, and of course homework. I’m kind of a nerd.
How has participating in athletics at Millersville impacted you?
There are some things you can only learn as an athlete. I am gracious to Millersville Athletics for the lessons I’ve learned. It’s forced me to be disciplined, to time manage, to work hard, to work on a team, and so many other lessons I am probably unaware of but are there in what I do and how I work. It’s shaped a part of me.
What is a typical day for you when you are in-season?
My day is much like any other athletes just more busy because of my major. I’ll get up, usually for an 8am class, do a devotional reading, eat, go to class, lunch, depending on the day probably go to a lab, go to practice or a game, go home, eat, homework, bed. I also try to do homework whenever I can throughout the day so I don’t have as much at night.
What is the best thing about being a student-athlete at Millersville?
The best part is the camaraderie with all the other athletes here on campus. We are each other's biggest fans and supporters. I was recently asked if there’s competition in the fall season to be the team to win a championship. I said no because we all push each other to be the best team and we want each other to succeed. It’s a really special dynamic.
If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
I would love to have dinner with Saint Pope John Paul II. He was in charge of the Catholic Church in such a trying time in history. He was so wise and faithful and I would love to sit with him and learn from him.
What is your go-to karaoke song?
We’ve done karaoke on the bus and I’ve always chosen an easy song that everyone knows. It would be anything Taylor Swift but her old stuff like "Love Story" or "Our Song."
Date | Athlete | Sport |
|---|---|---|
| 5/2/2019 | Kay Liebl | Women's Soccer |
| 4/25/2019 | Sam Waldman | Softball |
| 4/18/2019 | Collin Shank | Football |
| 4/11/2019 | Sara Burney | Women's Lacrosse |
| 4/4/2019 | Peter Landis | Men's Tennis |
| 3/28/2019 | Madeline Stehly | Field Hockey |
| 3/21/2019 | Evan Morrill | Wrestling |
| 3/14/2019 | Gabriella Licata | Women's Swimming |
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