Students Represent Inter national Teams, Reflect on DIII Experience

Second-year women’s basketball player Gina Lombard currently leads the team in points, an especially notable accomplishment considering this is her first collegiate season. Lombard, a Massachusetts native, is one of the starting five players and has contributed greatly to the team’s successes this year. The team is currently tied for first place in conference standings with a 8–0 record. Gina plays a crucial role in the program’s record-breaking year.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Zoe Kuzbari Sports Editor

How has the season been going so far? You currently lead the team in points– how does that feel?

So far, the season has been going really well. We’ve been really successful, and we’re all just excited to keep building on what we’re doing every day. As for leading the team in points, it definitely is a nice feeling to see all the work I put in pay off, but it’s more important to me that we continue to win and that I play the role my team needs me to each game in order to continue to be successful.

You’ve started every game this season. Were you expecting to be playing this much in your first collegiate season?

I didn’t really know what to expect when it came to playing time. It was important to me when choosing a school in the recruiting process that I went somewhere I could make an immediate impact. I knew I would be playing a lot of minutes considering we’re a really young team and most of our players are [first- and second-years] but I didn’t necessarily expect to be playing as much as I am.

What do you consider the team’s successes to be so far, and what do you attribute them to?

Our team has been doing a lot of really great things this season, but I think the biggest thing that we do each and every day is push each other to be our best. We came into the season with a chip on our shoulders knowing we had a lot to prove, and we haven’t lost that edge. Our team is really close, and we make a constant effort to improve our team dynamic and make each other the best people, teammates, and basketball players that we can be. I’d also attribute a lot of our success to our coaches. They’ve prepared us extremely well for the season both mentally and physically, and it’s really exciting to see it pay off for both us and them because they work just as hard as we do.

What made you choose Oberlin? How has your experience been at the College so far?

I chose Oberlin because I wanted a great school where I’d be able to continue my academic career but also still get to play basketball at a high level. Throughout the recruiting process, the coaches here made me feel like I was part of a family, and the second I got on campus for my visit, the team felt like my best friends. Oberlin just seemed like a perfect fit for what I was looking for, and my experience has lived up to my expectations.

Second-year women’s basketball player Gina Lombard poses for media day. Courtesy of Gina Lombard

How long have you been playing basketball? What made you get into the sport and decide you wanted to play in college?

I’ve been playing basketball since I was six years old. I first got into the sport when I would go to the Boys and Girls Club growing up, and then I joined a basketball league. My first basketball coach made me fall in love with the sport, and ever since then, it’s been a huge part of my life. I’ve wanted to play in college since I found out that was even an option, and I’m so grateful that I get the opportunity to live out that dream now.

How have you found balancing school and season? With no season last year and in-person classes this year, has the transition been hard?

Balancing school and the season has been challenging at times. Some weeks are worse than others depending on the time of the semester, but honestly, having a commitment every day makes me use my free time better. Having online classes and no season last year definitely gave me more free time, but that just made it easier to procrastinate, so I’ve kind of liked the structure this year. The transition from no season to being in season has been a bit hard with constantly being busy and feeling like I have a hundred things going on at a time, but being able to play basketball and have fun with my team to relieve some of that stress makes it a lot easier.

What’s your major? Are there things on campus other than athletics that you are involved in or what to get involved in?

I’m a Neuroscience major. I haven’t been involved in much outside of basketball and school, but after the season and with more free time, I’ve made it a goal to find a club or a group on campus that I want to join.

Oberlin Athletes Play Internationally Athletics and Art Intersect at Maker’s

Fourth-year softball player V Dagnino, who is experienced in playing competitive softball, decided to try Market out for the Peruvian national team during their first year.

“I was always playing softball competitively, and prior to freshman year of high school [I’d] always played within my city, the northern part of the Bay,” they said. “Freshman year of high school I started to try out for more competitive teams further away. I tried out for this extremely competitive team and made it.”

Dagnino had been introduced to many coaches, and happened to meet one who had played for the Peruvian national team.

“It was amazing seeing another Peruvian softball athlete,” they said. “I went to go talk with her … and learned how to contact [the team].”

Having recently obtained residency papers 11 years after their parents had relocated to the United States, Dagnino was permitted to travel to and practice in Peru. Before Dagnino knew it, they were traveling to Brazil to play in an exhibition game.

However, despite having an amazing experience, Dagnino has since retired from the national team.

“I’ve played world cups [and] pan-American qualifiers from the time I was 13 to the time of [my first] year of college, but [I] stopped to focus on other things,” they said. “Who doesn’t want to travel for free, to experience other things, to play the sport you love for the country you love? But no one really talks about how hard it can be at the age of 13.”

The pressure of the sport, along with the taboo of LGBTQ+ and gender equality issues on the Peruvian team, caused Dagnino to gravitate toward playing Division III at Oberlin. “I chose [Division] III because I was always the underdog; I was always overlooked,” they said. “But when I came to visit [Oberlin] I just fell in love with the atmosphere and it being so inclusive.” Regardless of some of the drawbacks, Dagnino reflects on how lucky they are to have had this oncein-a-lifetime experience. “My family made the effort to come see me play,” they said. “It was my dad’s favorite memory; similarly, for my grandfather. Just the support was overwhelming.” Dagnino also spoke on the lasting impact of not only playing on the national team, but also in being able to see the world. “My dad always said, ‘The best thing you can offer to a kid, parent to kid, is great education and travel,’” they said. “You never fully understand what’s out there. You never know the experiences of poverty, LGBTQ+, and gender issues until you see them. It’s influenced how I want to pursue my future, working with people and towards equal rights.” These athletes’ experiences in sports have allowed them to appreciate people’s differences around the world, affected who they are today, and helped guide them toward who they want to be. At Oberlin, after having experienced the big stage, they have all found a community that fosters not only the competitiveness of their sports but also a passion for learning.

Continued from page 16 Continued from page 16 Review. “It was also cool seeing people I didn’t know made art and be proud of their products.”

Currently, the Rhinos are working to create a holiday calendar, a project that Das O’Toole believes combines the interests of her teammates who are also involved in art.

“Right now, we’re working on a naked holiday calendar, which has been a fun way for people who are artsy to create something that also involves rugby,” Das O’Toole said. “In terms of community, everyone on club sports teams is super supportive, and the same is true for the art community as well. … It’s nice to see how my friends work to support each other both on the team and off the field.”

At other schools, there is sometimes the stereotype that student-athletes are not involved in the rest of campus culture, but Das O’Toole believes that there is no basis for this myth at Oberlin.

“The average Oberlin student does so many things and has so many facets to their personality, including student-athletes,” she said. “Most athletes I know have an artistic outlet, and on the flip side, most people at Oberlin have a physical outlet like biking or running. We’re lucky to have all of these opportunities, and people’s interests often intersect. The rugby team is really supportive of all teammates and their different outlets. No one at Oberlin can fit into one box or be defined by one activity … because everyone does so much.”