As part of the first ever Division III Week, Macalester Athletics is featuring student-athlete profiles to highlight the unique experiences of Macalester student-athletes. Each day a different attribute of the Division III identity will be featured with student-athletes who exemplify those characteristics. All student-athletes profiled were nominated by their coaches and peers to represent these attributes.

The Division III identity campaign defines what Division III stands for based on six attributes. The attribute in the spotlight for Monday, April 9, 2012, is Proportion. The campaign defines it as follows: Proportion - appropriate relation of academics with opportunities to pursue athletics and other passions.

Today's profile student-athletes who represent proportion are Patrick Piepkorn (Sr., Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) and Sarah Shoemaker (Fy., Saratoga, Calif./St. Francis). Please take some time to learn more about these outstanding Macalester student-athletes and their experiences at Macalester.

Other student-athletes who were nominated to represent proportion are as follows:
Andrew Matsumoto - Men's Basketball
Chris Lowen - Men's Soccer
Maggie Molter - Women's Soccer
Paco Venneri - Men's Swimming and Diving
Chloe DeLisle - Women's Swimming and Diving
Suzanne Oh - Women's Swimming and Diving, Water Polo
Taylor Tinkham - Volleyball

Patrick Piepkorn
Men's Basketball
Senior - Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice

Campus organizations and leadership roles: Chair of the Macalester Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), MIAC SAAC Board Member, Macalester Basketball Captain, Omincron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society Member

Volunteer and community involvement: Organized Campus Wide Food Drive for Second Harvest Heartland Food Bank, Relay for Life Participant and team captain

Internship experience: Management Services Intern with Securian Financial Group, Marketing Intern with Adjuvant Call Scheduler

SAAC Co-advisor Sara Eisenhauer says: "Patrick has done an outstanding job this year leading the Macalester SAAC group and emphasizing the importance of SAAC's role with the athletics and Macalester community. He has worked through challenges as a leader and always does it with a smile on his face."

What is your greatest memory so far of being a student-athlete at Macalester?
I cannot decide which my greatest memory as a student-athlete at Macalester is between charging the field after our football team won in overtime my sophomore year or earning our first home victory against Carleton in a very close basketball game on my birthday my senior year.

Why did you choose to compete at the Division III level?
I chose to compete at the Division III level, particularly at Macalester, because I was able to play both football and basketball and receive a great education.

How has being a student-athlete at Macalester helped you grow as an individual?
Being a student-athlete at Mac, has helped me to be a more appreciative person as well as help me to be a more confident, outgoing person. Without the financial help of other Macalester alumni before me and the guidance and care from my parents and coaches and mentors at Macalester, I would not be where I am today.

Why is it important as a student-athlete to be involved in activities and causes outside of your commitment to athletics?
Being involved in activities outside athletics is important because it helps to make me a better rounded person and allows me to have many different friends with many different interests other than just organized sports.

How has your involvement in a variety of activities/commitments while at Macalester prepared you for life after Mac?
Being involved in many things at once at Macalester has taught me the value of managing my time and priorities as well as shown me the importance of doing what I enjoy doing most because there is a limited amount of time in a day, in a college and in a lifetime. I might as well manage the time I do have and spend that time doing things that I enjoy and that better me and those around me.


Sarah Shoemaker
Water Polo, Women's Swimming and Diving
First Year - Saratoga, Calif./St. Francis

Campus organizations and leadership roles: Participant in the first year leadership program "Pluralism and Unity"

 Head Water Polo Coach Jennie Charlesworth says: "Sarah is a leader amongst her team and helps to create a great team environment."

What is your greatest memory so far of being a student-athlete at Macalester?
My best memory so far was with the swim team at the Grinnell Invitational. We went into the first day of prelims in a bit of a funk, but managed to totally change the collective mood by finals that night. I have never cheered so loud for so long in my life! We were one of the smallest teams there but also one of the loudest. Swimming is an individual sport, but it makes a real difference to have your teammates supporting you at the edge of the pool. I think everyone swam faster because of all that positive energy.

Why did you choose to compete at the Division III level?
I chose to compete at the Division III level because I love the water. Swimming and water polo have always been a huge part of my life, and I saw these sports as a great opportunity to meet other people who love them too. I knew that moving to Minnesota would be a new and challenging experience, but I feel grounded in the sports community at Mac. Plus, getting to train in a gorgeous facility with college level coaches and trainers isn't something I wanted to pass up.


How has being a student-athlete at Macalester helped you grow as an individual?
My communication skills with authority figures have grown as a student-athlete. In high school, my friends and I went straight from class to practice with teachers and coaches who all knew our schedule. If I went home sick, my parents would remind me to email to my coach. But in college, everyone is doing their own thing. I am the one and only person responsible for communicating with professors and coaches about what I'm doing and what I need. If I'm missing class for a tournament, everything is much easier if I let my professor know early. If I'm sick or injured it's always better to keep my coach updated than just dealing with it on my own.

Why is it important as a student-athlete to be involved in activities and causes outside of your commitment to athletics?
It's important to have some variety in your day! Everything can't be just about sports. There needs to be other places in life to get a feeling of competence or achievement. I find that when I've just finished a big paper or had a great discussion in Pluralism and Unity, I actually do much better at practice. I'm better able to appreciate my sport as a break from the rest of my day, a special mental and physical exercise that challenges but doesn't define me.

What has your first year being involved in a variety of activities/commitments while at Macalester taught you about finding balance as a student-athlete?
In a perfect world, I'd be able to do everything (go for it at every practice, ace every test, make every social commitment, learn lots of fancy yoga) but it isn't really possible. I've learned that balance is not just being successful in lots of different areas. It's about choosing your own priorities and sticking to them. A big priority for me is honoring my commitment to my coaches and teammates. I find it really motivating to think about how my effort in practice can positively effect my team. I also place a lot of value on personal time. I make a conscious effort to find moments to myself, to talk to friends outside of sports, and to stay in contact with friends and family from home. It's easy to feel like there is always something is you SHOULD be doing. But balance comes from picking just a few things that are really important to you and making room for them no matter how busy the day.