Danielle Ivancich - Penn State Altoona
A few pieces of advice; keep all your options open, don’t settle, research the schools, try to meet some of the players and coaches, and follow your heart. It also helps to have an idea of what you might want to major in or what division you want to play at, because it can really help narrow your choices down.
Right from the beginning I knew I only wanted to play division III, so NCSA only sent my profile to division III schools. The school I choose, Penn State Altoona was not a priority for me at first, mostly because I knew nothing about it. I was talking to a few other schools more seriously. However, after visiting and talking to the coaches I was drawn to the school. I took a chance on a new and developing program and now I am a part of a Conference Championship team and went to the NCAA tournament. If someone told me during the recruiting process that I would be here in two years, I would have never believed it.
It is never an easy task juggling school, sports, and friends but if you have the chance to be a college athlete don’t pass it up. It is a huge time commitment, but you will never regret the memories and the friends you make. Most of my best college friends are on the soccer team. You get to be a part of something that such a small amount of college students get to experience. We travel and get to go to places I’ve never been, and see other colleges. Obviously, academics are the most important part of college and most coaches understand that.
