We started with a $25,000 Challenge Gift that sparked our Play in May Campaign. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Aztec Nation, we’ve raised an additional $21,600 over the past month. We’re proud to announce that the Play in May Campaign has brought over $46,000 to the Lacrosse Excellence Fund. To bring you closer to the heart of our program, we sat down with redshirt sophomore midfielder, Keira Doyle-Odenbach, who shares a behind-the-scenes look at daily life as an Aztec and how donor support helps make our postseason goals possible.
1. What does being an Aztec Lacrosse student-athlete at SDSU mean to you personally?
Being an Aztec Lacrosse student-athlete at SDSU means I place the utmost importance on excelling in both the classroom and on the field. I am a representative of my team, my coaches, all of athletics, and my family, whether I am in the classroom or on the field.
2. What does a typical day look like for you balancing academics, lacrosse, and life as a student-athlete?
My typical day starts with a team lift or run, I then go to class around 9 am, and then head back to the athletics facilities to prepare for practice, whether that be stretching or getting treatment before practice. Some days I have a class or lab after practice, but on the days I don’t, I head home, watch the practice film from that day, work on schoolwork, and hang out with my roommates.
3. How has being part of this program helped you grow as a student, athlete, and person?
Being part of this program has helped me grow as a student because our coaches and athletics staff understand the importance of a good education and how far it can take you in life. With our class, Aztecs Going Pro, we are getting the tools to excel in the workforce at a young age. As an athlete, being part of the SDSU Lacrosse program has helped me step into a leadership role and be someone my teammates can rely on. My coaches have taught me the importance of enjoying my sport while still competing at a high level. As a person, this program has helped me grow into someone who can take different challenges head-on and use my support system because I know I always have my teammates and coaches to support me.
4. What makes this team and its culture special to you?
What makes this team and our culture so special is how close we are to each other. We place a lot of value on making our team of 29 girls from all over the country a family and always supporting each other. Being a family and not just a team creates an environment where everyone can succeed, and everyone is happy for their teammates’ accomplishments.
5. What is the team working toward next, and why is this an important moment for the program?
Our team is working towards navigating a new season with a young group of girls and a tough schedule. As we navigate learning new concepts and overcoming challenges, we are ultimately working towards playing in May. We set our sights early this year on playing in the second ever Big12 conference tournament and getting to the NCAA tournament. This is an important moment for our program because we will not back down from challenges that may seem bigger than us. We show up every day to work hard and overcome obstacles.
6. What does the campaign phrase “Play in May” mean to you personally and as a team? For context, Play in May is the lax fundraising campaign slogan.
The phrase “Play in May” is more than just a saying to me. Growing up watching sports and seeing different teams go to the NCAA tournament and getting to show how hard they worked to be on that stage, I knew I wanted to do that with my team someday. As a team, the phrase “Play in May” is our driving goal this year. Playing in May is one of the biggest accomplishments for any collegiate sport as it signals their hard work, grit, and drive to win at the highest level, all of which are qualities that our team has.