By: Katelyn Clooney
Staff Writer
For some student-athletes, playing sports takes priority over academics.
For Lucy Gillett, the starting goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team, this is not the case.
Gillett, who recently transferred to Springfield from Division I Hofstra University, feels she made the right decision to join the Pride.
“My transfer has been great,” said Gillett.
The junior from Rockville Centre, N.Y., which is located just 15 minutes from Hofstra, eventually decided to attend Springfield because of what she heard of the elite Physical Education program Springfield has to offer.
“As I decided to transfer, I did not think of it as me leaving Division I,” commented Gillett. “I decided I would choose a school based on education, and that’s I did.”
Gillett, who admitted that she and her coach at Hofstra experienced their differences, also stated she did not really enjoy being there.
During a recruiting trip to Springfield that Gillett recalled as being a memorable one, the junior quickly realized the friendliness of the women’s soccer team and envisioned having a lot of fun being a part of the team.
So far, Gillett has been a huge part of Springfield’s early season success.
She has started in five of their first seven games and has posted a goals against average of 1.16.
Gillett has also earned three shutouts thus far, one of which came in a double-overtime victory against UMass Dartmouth.
Off the field, Gillett is enjoying Springfield just as mcuh.
“I don’t feel like I am in a new place,” stated Gillett. “I have been taken in by the team and made some great friends in the few weeks that I have been here.”
The Pride have started their season 5-2 and will head to Cambridge, Mass. on Saturday to face a tough MIT team.
Gillett hopes that the Pride can defend their NEWMAC Championship from last season, but also has a higher goal: to go deep into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Regardless of how well she defends on the field, though, Gillett’s main focus will always be academics.
The Physical Education major feels that at Springfield, she has finally found the right fit for her.
“It is a very different place than Hofstra,” Gillett stated. “But I can definitely say it is much better.”