On the morning of November 13 before school, Crest Lobby was filled with excitement for signing day. Signing day is a day for athletes to be with their friends and family to celebrate the athlete’s achievements by signing with their college of choice.

These athletes work day and night, trying to perfect their sport they play by working out, playing games, and constant recovery to get where they want to be. Many people, however, tend to overlook the reasons why these athletes choose their college.

Most of the time the athletes go on visits to the college. This visit allows the athlete to meet the coaches and players in person, to see how they fit into the campus life, and whether it is the right college for them.

Once baseball player John Loudon visited the United States Naval Academy, he found out quickly that it was the place for him. When asked about the visit and how it impacted his decision, he had this to say: “Yes, the official visit there is mainly why I committed to the United States Naval Academy. I was able to live a day in the life of a baseball player and midshipmen,” John said.

As students here at Marist, academics are even more important than sports. For soccer player and Marquette commit Mary Margret Fligg, several factors influenced her choice. “I wanted to go somewhere I had the chance to play as a freshman. I also loved the community and atmosphere they provided. I love how Marquette has an amazing balance between college soccer and academics,” Fligg said.

For both of these athletes, they both talked about how campus life and the community around them are what really sold them when visiting their college. Being able to connect with your future teammates allows team chemistry to build.