Saferino Dour
Men’s Volleyball
Sophomore | Buffalo, N.Y.
With the limited hours of practice allotted to us this semester, I found that taking part in the campus community through clubs and activities was a simple and fun way to relieve stress, while also maintaining contact with other students. One of my greatest experiences this fall was becoming an editor for the Iconoclast, our student-run literary magazine. The process of creating a magazine with a small group of my peers was exciting and pushed me to be more structured and responsible. This not only helped me succeed in the classroom, but it gave me the light to persevere off the court in this dark time.
David Schwinger
Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Freshman | Buffalo, N.Y.
I engaged myself in both my athletics and my academics with a rhapsodic demeanor. Constantly, I was spending time in the student-athlete academic center, perfecting my crafts with an abundance of help and support from my professors and even the athletic department! It became evident to me that effort speaks more boisterously than natural talent this semester!
Savannah Warner
Women’s Triathlon/Track & Field
Senior | Elma, N.Y.
I made fall of 2020 successful by starting off in a new sport, triathlon, and beginning the graduate portion for my doctorate of physical therapy. I spent a lot of time studying this semester through getting help with my professors and tutors. Big shout out to Dr. Gary Styn for all he did for me, especially the last couple weeks before finals when he helped me learn anatomy almost every single day.
Amanda Bushway
Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Senior | East Aurora, N.Y.
Although we were not able to compete, our coach, Pete Gratien, was creative in creating fun ways to “compete” against each other through different distances and time trials, both on the road and on the track. These events allowed each of us to be competitive and test our fitness, work together as a team to achieve goals, and most importantly, see our potential as a team moving forward.
Katie Titus
Women’s Basketball
Junior | Penfield, N.Y.
Instead of looking at this semester as a loss, I tried to use it as a stepping stone and an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Getting more involved on campus made this goal of mine much easier. This fall, I served as an executive board member on the student-athlete advisory committee, was a member of the education club, became a Team IMPACT representative, and completed a remote internship with a non-profit organization. By engaging in campus life, I was able to find a sense of community.
Kassandra Nolet
Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Senior | Fort Erie, Ontario
Writing down specific goals that I wanted to achieve in each of my classes helped motivate me to manifest and work hard to achieve good grades.
Betty Jones
Women’s Track & Field
Senior | Camillus, N.Y.
Daemen made it possible for me to continue to attend my clinical rotations and attend my in-person classes and labs. By doing so, while my experience was far from “normal,” I feel that I learned the necessary tools and information that I need for my field of study. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the endless opportunities at Daemen.
Sam D’Agostino
Women’s Soccer
Senior | Mississauga, Ontario
I made an effort to focus on all the positive things coming out of the difficult time. I was able to practice with my teammates and be the leader I’ve always dreamt of being. I also completed my undergraduate research thesis, which was something I spent the last year and a half working on. All those things aside, I got to spend time with my friends, regardless if it was socially distant practices or lunch dates, I was able to be at school.
Andrew Sischo
Men’s Basketball
Graduate Student | Guilderland, N.Y.
This fall semester was one of the most interesting semesters I have ever completed. From having to get tested weekly to not knowing if, or when, we would play as a team, there were a lot of unknowns that we went through. But, the ability of our professors and the athletics.
Georgia Wicker
Women’s Volleyball
Senior | Woodstock, Ill.
I focused on more of the small things that I didn’t have time to think about before. I think that a big part in making my Fall 2020 successful was taking a step back and thinking about what I can do each day to get better in school, volleyball, and everyday life.
Avery Cambria
Women’s Soccer
Sophomore | Dixon, Calif.
With the help of my professors, coaches, and teammates, I found success this semester.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought about challenges never seen before in small college athletics, including right here at Daemen College. If we are able to return our 17 varsity programs to competition in 2021, new health and safety protocols, including COVID-19 testing as mandated by the NCAA, presents a huge unbudgeted expense that has the potential to exceed $100,000.
The Daemen Wildcats Gotta Play Fund is critical to our ability to provide a first-class student athlete experience. Featuring various donation levels, 100 percent of raised funds will go towards closing the funding gap that COVID-19 has forced upon us. You can learn how to support this vital fund and participate in a “virtual sellout” of Lumsden Gym by visiting our website or calling 716.839.8385.
