“I think athletics effect retention at every college.”

clubs and organizations, but I will say that I miss the comradery of a team,” Amanda Robotti, elementary education major, said.

While some students have had to drop sports to allow more free time, others say the heavy involvement benefits them.

“Sports are what tied me to Cabrini. Jackie [field hockey coach] and the team kept me grounded and helped to keep me out of trouble,” Bridget Bergen, 2009 alumna, said.

According to Giunta, it is a myth that student-athletes have bad grades. Student-athletes at Cabrini have to maintain a certain grade point average in order to play on the field.

“Athletics helps to teach students life skills. Skills that they will one day need in the workforce such as leadership, teamwork, perseverance and hard work. These are life lessons that they will not only need professionally, but socially as well,” Guinta said.

Some students who don’t participate in college athletics say they feel disconnected from the campus community on the weekends.

“On the weekends I do not feel as involved as student-athletes here,” Sam Stiles, junior educational studies major, said. “Not so much on the week days because that is full of personal school schedules, but on the weekends I do feel that the campus is more geared toward athletes and their schedules.”

Giunta says retention is a result of student involvement. Student athletics, being one of the student involvement opportunities, has proved to be a positive aspect of student engagement.

“Everyone wants to get a student attached to a group. This ties into retention, groups and clubs allow students to have fun and when you are having fun hopefully that is what will keep students here,” Giunta said.