Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Spring Senior Scholar-Athlete Spotlight: Shayne Antolini
5/28/2020 10:15:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Gavin McFarlin- Associate SID
Thirty-three seniors were on Davidson Wildcat rosters as this spring began, and though their 2020 seasons were abbreviated, their contributions to their respective teams, the overall athletics program and college itself make them worthy of recognition. We continue with today's featured member of the class of 2020 as part of the Senior Spring Scholar-Athlete Spotlight.
Name: Shayne Antolini
Sport you competed in: Women's Lacrosse
What was your major/minor: Political science major and an interdisciplinary minor in communications studies
What was your favorite class and why: My favorite class was Politics of Reproduction with Dr. Roberts. She has a way of making the material engaging and interesting, as well as making the class fun. Our class ended up becoming a close group by the end of the semester too.
Where did you complete your studies this semester: My hometown of Babylon, N.Y.
Though it was cut short, what will you remember most about your senior season: Probably our huge win over ODU. I remember having so much fun the entire game, both on the field and on the sideline. Seeing so many people score and have an impact was so exciting and I just felt like it was a well-deserved win for all of us.
If you had to choose, what was the defining moment of your athletic career: Probably getting my career high of points at La Salle my freshman year. It was just one of those games where I felt so confident and comfortable the entire game, which was the first time in my career that I felt that way and led me to be more comfortable going into playoffs and my sophomore year.
What was your favorite trip you took as a team and why?: I would say our trip to Richmond for the conference tournament my sophomore year. We beat VCU in the first round, who we had lost to 2 weeks earlier and the next day, in over 100 degree heat, we gave an extremely hard fight with our small, tired roster. We also had a lot of
time for team bonding off the field and got to visit this gorgeous park and play random games one last time with the team.
What makes a Davidson scholar-athlete different: I think it's the ability to work extremely hard and not look for anything in return. Scholar-athletes at Davidson work hard in the classroom, then pause for a few hours to work hard on the field, then re-continue their studies into the night. This is all while receiving no form of privilege in return, simply doing it to embrace the grind as a scholar-athlete at an elite school.
You can invite any three people to dinner, who is joining you: Right now, I would love one more dinner with my class/teammates Shannon, Delaney, and Claudia.
Most memorable college moment outside of competition: Any time spent in my apartment with all my roommates are memories I will never forget. Us five always had fun together, even just laying around doing nothing.
What lessons from sports has helped you deal with the unusual situation of the spring semester: How to handle adversity and manage any unforeseen challenges. As an athlete, I have learned that nothing goes exactly according to plan, so this is not the first time I, or my teammates, have been in an unusual situation.
What are you most proud of from your time as a Wildcat: The relationships I have made while at Davidson and through playing lacrosse. I have made so many lifelong friendships that will follow me through life that I am proud to have gained and grateful to have.
Who do you want to thank for their support: My parents and siblings for being my biggest supporters through everything, my coaches throughout the years who helped me develop me into a player I never thought I would become, and my fellow senior lacrosse players who have been through every up and down with me from the beginning.
What's next for you: Continue to apply to/interview for jobs and hopefully stay in New York to work.
Name: Shayne Antolini
Sport you competed in: Women's Lacrosse
What was your major/minor: Political science major and an interdisciplinary minor in communications studies
What was your favorite class and why: My favorite class was Politics of Reproduction with Dr. Roberts. She has a way of making the material engaging and interesting, as well as making the class fun. Our class ended up becoming a close group by the end of the semester too.
Where did you complete your studies this semester: My hometown of Babylon, N.Y.
Though it was cut short, what will you remember most about your senior season: Probably our huge win over ODU. I remember having so much fun the entire game, both on the field and on the sideline. Seeing so many people score and have an impact was so exciting and I just felt like it was a well-deserved win for all of us.
If you had to choose, what was the defining moment of your athletic career: Probably getting my career high of points at La Salle my freshman year. It was just one of those games where I felt so confident and comfortable the entire game, which was the first time in my career that I felt that way and led me to be more comfortable going into playoffs and my sophomore year.
What was your favorite trip you took as a team and why?: I would say our trip to Richmond for the conference tournament my sophomore year. We beat VCU in the first round, who we had lost to 2 weeks earlier and the next day, in over 100 degree heat, we gave an extremely hard fight with our small, tired roster. We also had a lot of
time for team bonding off the field and got to visit this gorgeous park and play random games one last time with the team.
What makes a Davidson scholar-athlete different: I think it's the ability to work extremely hard and not look for anything in return. Scholar-athletes at Davidson work hard in the classroom, then pause for a few hours to work hard on the field, then re-continue their studies into the night. This is all while receiving no form of privilege in return, simply doing it to embrace the grind as a scholar-athlete at an elite school.
You can invite any three people to dinner, who is joining you: Right now, I would love one more dinner with my class/teammates Shannon, Delaney, and Claudia.
Most memorable college moment outside of competition: Any time spent in my apartment with all my roommates are memories I will never forget. Us five always had fun together, even just laying around doing nothing.
What lessons from sports has helped you deal with the unusual situation of the spring semester: How to handle adversity and manage any unforeseen challenges. As an athlete, I have learned that nothing goes exactly according to plan, so this is not the first time I, or my teammates, have been in an unusual situation.
What are you most proud of from your time as a Wildcat: The relationships I have made while at Davidson and through playing lacrosse. I have made so many lifelong friendships that will follow me through life that I am proud to have gained and grateful to have.
Who do you want to thank for their support: My parents and siblings for being my biggest supporters through everything, my coaches throughout the years who helped me develop me into a player I never thought I would become, and my fellow senior lacrosse players who have been through every up and down with me from the beginning.
What's next for you: Continue to apply to/interview for jobs and hopefully stay in New York to work.
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