5 minute read
Stand Out Women
Messiah's Champion Female Athletes Get Their Turn in the Spotlight
BY MARK LEACH
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Standout athletes can sometimes get overshadowed by the successes of their teams. Some of these athletes are once-in-a-lifetime players who are currently shattering program records and penciling themselves in the record books.
Senior basketball player Leah Springer is one of these standout players. As an athlete who grew up close to campus, Springer knew about Messiah College from a young age.
“I felt pulled to Messiah but hoped God would lead me to another place,” Springer said. “I wanted to go to a school farther from home, that wasn’t Christian so I could be a light.”
Leah Springer on the court at the Messiah v Arcadia game
Photography by Messiah College Athletic Communications
Prior to the spring of her senior year of high school, Springer had several options to play basketball at other schools that were much larger than Messiah. Eventually, after committing to play for Coach Mike Miller, Springer said that “committing to Messiah in April of my senior year was one of the best decisions of my life.”
Springer became a Falcon, making an immediate impact on the court. She increased her point average after her freshman year and played in every game during her sophomore year. Springer was honored to Second Team All-MAC Commonwealth while also winning the MAC Commonwealth Championship with her team in the past three seasons. Springer was presented with one of the biggest challenges she has faced in her entire basketball career in 2018. She tore her ACL over the summer, causing her to miss her entire junior season. As hard as it was, Springer was able to expand on the process of it all: her rehabilitation, the support from teammates, friends and family, as well as her faith in God.
After fully recovering from the ACL injury, Springer picked up her play on the court as if she never left off. This season, she has been averaging a career-high 18 points per game. She, along with her teammates and coaches, looks to win the conference for a fourth straight year and earn yet another NCAA tournament bid.
Springer was able to cement her legacy in the Messiah College record books by scoring her 1,000th point on February 12, 2020. She became the 24th player in Messiah’s history to reach that milestone.
Springer with coach Mike Miller
Photography by Messiah College Athletic Communications
Also familiar with setting records is dual-athlete sophomore Esther Seeland. Having made a name for herself as a two-sport athlete on the women’s soccer team in the fall and the track and field team in the winter and spring, Seeland is no stranger to pushing herself. She went from appearing in 21 soccer games as a freshman to being the starting defender on the national championship team in December 2019.
Seeland also made her presence known quickly on the track where she won the 800m and the mile at 2019’s MAC Indoor Championships. She was also a part of the first place 4x800m relay team. All of these feats earned her the 2019 MAC Indoor Rookie of the Year award before earning All-American honors in the outdoor season at the MAC Outdoor Championships. She would go on to win the National Championship in the 800m.
Coming into college, Seeland had no plans to run track. Though she knew she could compete at a high level, she had no idea what was in store for her. Choosing to be on both teams allowed her an experience unlike any other. “It's really been awesome to see things unfold over my time here so far and I'm excited to see what the future has in store,” Seeland said.
While the balance of two sports is difficult, she is grateful that Messiah has given her the opportunity to compete year-round.
I'm surrounded by two different teams that are both unique and special and yet so very different,” Seeland said. “And I'm supported by two coaches who are willing to do whatever it takes to make my experience here what I want it to be.”
Senior Taylor Wiederrecht is also familiar with being a two-sport athlete. For her, the commitment started much earlier.
“I played field hockey and ran track all through middle school and high school, but fell in love with the sports in high school,” Wiederrecht said.
With early success comes early confidence in skill, training, work ethic and future success in competitions, which is exactly what Wiederrecht detailed as she set specific goals as the years went on. Wanting to win the 400m at conference pushed her to train harder and allowed her to qualify for nationals individually in track.
Taylor jumps her all-time highest: 1.72m (5' 7.75")!
Photography by Messiah College Athletic Communications
Wiederrecht was able to be a part of some incredible stretches of success both on the team and on her own. In fact, she had some unexpected accomplishments in the process.
“I had no expectations coming into college with sports, more so just to have fun and enjoy playing college sports,” Wiederrecht said. “So being a national champion my freshman year was amazing and set the tone for the rest of my athletic career.”
Celebration after a personal record breaking high jump
Photography by Messiah College Athletic Communications
Wiederrecht also won a national championship with her field hockey team when she was a freshman. She has become an every-game starter in 2019 and was tied for second on the team in goals and assists. “I now have very high goals set because my coaches encourage me to set high goals, because those are the goals that are going to feel amazing when they are broken,” Wiederrecht said.
“The culture of athletic teams here is just so different than anywhere else,” Seeland said. “It's about more than just times and numbers and wins [...] It has been really special to be surrounded by teammates and coaches who love God first and pursue excellence for His glory.”
Sporting a smile on day one of the outdoor NCAA Championships
Photography by Messiah College Athletic Communications
