de>GETTYSBURG, Pa. Gettysburg College joins its fellow Division III counterparts across the nation in recognizing the outstanding contributions and efforts of its athletic program as part of Division III Week from April 5-10. To kick off the event, we take a look at the unique experiences and opportunities student-athletes have been able to take advantage of during their time wearing the orange and blue.
Gettysburg’s academic curriculum and bevy of experiential learning experiences give student-athletes many different avenues to pursue, both on and off the field. The support of faculty and staff allow some student-athletes to not only engage in one varsity sport, but multiple sports over the course of their collegiate tenures.
Gettysburg and Division III allow student-athletes opportunities to get a high-level education and continue competing in the sports they love. There are no athletic scholarships at Division III, but the passion is equal to any other level in the NCAA.
Gettysburg also helps student-athletes expand their horizons, opening the door to experiences that will ultimately shape career paths. These experiences include internships with local, regional, and national organizations, study abroad trips around the world, and senior capstone projects built on hard work and determination.
The stories below reveal some of the unique opportunities student-athletes through the decades have discovered at Gettysburg College.
Multiple Opportunities to Shine
Student-athletes have an opportunity to compete in multiple sports while at Gettysburg. For some individuals like former FBI agent and current football/track and field assistant coach Kirby Scott ’77, Gettysburg opened doors that would not have been found at other institutions. Scott was an All-American in both football and track and field, and he is one of many former and current Bullets who have enjoyed success and the opportunity to engage in multiple sports at Gettysburg. The Bullets field hockey team has seen its share of multi-sport student-athletes, including a group of talented women that led the program to the school’s first national title in 1980.
Kirby Scott ’77: The Gettysburg Great Scott
Field Hockey’s Multi-Sport Superstars
For the Love of the ‘Burg
For some student-athletes, Gettysburg became or is the home they don’t want to leave. Men’s lacrosse All-American Mitch Wykoff ’20 saw his senior season cut short by the pandemic, but now he’s representing Division III as a star contributor for one of the best Division I lacrosse programs in the nation. Star long-distance swimmer Duncan Proxmire ’21 is still competing despite taking a gap year, and he has every intention of returning to Gettysburg to help the swimming program resume its position atop the Centennial Conference. For runner Amy Cantrell ’22, Gettysburg wasn’t her first stop on her collegiate journey, but it will be her last.
Mitch Wykoff ’20: Back In Orange
Duncan Proxmire ’21: Going the Distance
Amy Cantrell ’22: Journey to Gettysburg
The Gettysburg Experience
The list of experiences available to students at Gettysburg seems endless, and more opportunities develop every day through the various organizations and programs on campus. Those opportunities include student teaching in the local community like football’s Justin Lessel ’21. Student-athletes at some schools might feel restricted from studying abroad, but not at Gettysburg. Swimmer Megan Keene ’21 went to Tanzania during her junior year and has used that experience as a launching pad for additional opportunities. Being on the Battlefield is a unique experience for any student-athlete and it afforded wrestler Sean Thompson ’21 the chance to apply for an internship through Gettysburg’s Civil War Institute. Gabby Dunning ’21 won a national title with the women’s lacrosse team in 2018 and now she’s wrapping up a senior capstone project that is the culmination of four years of rigorous study.
Justin Lessel ’21: Seizing the Day
Megan Keene ’21: A Keen Eye for Adventure
Sean Thompson ’21: Leading Through History
Gabby Dunning ’21: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
This story was originally posted on the Gettysburg College Website.