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 Wednesday, April 11, 2012, is
Passion. The campaign defines it as follows:
Passion - playing for the love of the game, competition, fun and self-improvement.
Today's profile student-athletes who represent passion are
Maggie Wood (Sr., Oregon, Wis./Madison Edgewood) and
Carl Biggers (Sr., Verona, Wis./Verona Area). 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 passion are as follows:
Andrew Lund - Men's Soccer
Clark Jacobsen - Men's Swimming and Diving
Becca Galey - Women's Swimming and Diving
Women's Basketball
Senior - Oregon, Wis./Madison Edgewood
Campus organizations and leadership roles: I have been a part of SAAC for four years, my freshman and sophomore years were spent as a teamrepresentative and my junior year I was the Secretary and this year I am the Vice Chair.
Study Abroad and Internship experience: I studied abroad in the fall of 2010 at the University of Sydney in Australia. While it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, a highlight of my journey was being a part of the Sydney University Basketball Club and winning a national championship at the Australian University Games in Perth.
Every May and June for the past 4 years I have interned at the NYU School of Tourism, Hospitality and Sports Management. I have had the opportunity to work at annual International Hospitality Investment Conference that NYU hosts each June. Initially, I was assisting in the Exposition Center Trade Show, overseeing the patrons and sponsors of the event, and in my last two years I was running that portion of the event.
Head Women's Basketball Coach Ellen Thompson says: "Maggie has been an upstanding member of our program for 4 years. She is passionate about basketball, Macalester, SAAC and just about anything she is involved in. I really enjoyed coaching her because she was a 'no excuses' type of player. She dealt with injuries all four years, but never let that stop her from achieving her goals. She had her best season this year and was a great leader for our program."
What is your greatest memory so far of being a student-athlete at Macalester?
My greatest memory of being a student-athlete at Macalester was the MIAC playoff game against Saint Thomas my sophomore year in front of an 800-person crowd. While we lost in a close game, it ended a season of a team that not only achieved what no Macalester women's basketball team has accomplished before, but also set the standard for how MAC basketball will continue to compete in the future.
Why did you choose to compete at the Division III level?
Division III presents wonderful opportunities both athletically and academically. I wanted to attend a challenging academic institution, continue a strong athletic career on a competitive basketball program and maintain social and professional opportunities outside of the classroom and basketball court. Attending a Division III school like Macalester allowed me not only continue this balance but also presented me with opportunities as an athlete and student that I would not have otherwise experienced.
What inspires you to remain dedicated to your program and Macalester as a student-athlete?
Every time I step on the court, it seems as if nothing else matters but the game. While this might sound cliche, basketball is something I can completely invest all my energy into without another worry. It is the dedication and hard work that my teammates bring to practice every day that pushes me to compete at my highest level.
When it comes to my academic experience as a student-athlete at Macalester, I know the professors are committed to enhancing my academic experience. As result of their dedication to extend my accomplishments, I make an effort to put forth equivalent hard work and energy into their classes.
Carl Biggers
Men's Cross Country, Men's Track and Field
Senior- Verona, Wis./Verona Area
Background information: I'm an Economics major and Chinese minor, I studied abroad Yunnan province in China spring of my junior year, and I worked for the Chinese company Eastonk Inc. in Yunnan the summer after my junior year. I had an internship with Matt Entenza during the MN gubernatorial campaign and also had an internship with U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold in Wisconsin. I was the Fall 2011 Cross Country captain, and I'm the men's distance captain for track and field. I was on the "
2012 Men's Indoor Track All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team." I am a tour guide for Mac and an alumni mentor for SIT study abroad. My career goal is working for the U.S. State Department in China as an economic foreign service officer within the next two years.
Head Men's Cross Country Coach Matt Haugen says: "Carl has captained the MAC cross country and track teams his senior season. He is a vocal leader in practice, he ignites his teams on competition day, and he takes advantage of email to push his teammates to higher levels of commitment and performance."
What is your greatest memory so far of being a student-athlete at Macalester?
Seeing my cross-country team change and grow, and being able to be a part of that, brings out strong feelings. The simple concept of the 'team' is also, I would argue, the most powerful concept in collegiate athletics, and I will never forget being a part of the MAC PACK (Mac cross country).
Why did you choose to compete at the Division III level?
Balance. Students who land at Macalester do so for a broad variety of reasons and interests, and this makes the work-study balance very essential to becoming a successful student-athlete. I couldn't pursue my other interests if I didn't compete at this level, and I would lose a huge part of my life if I stopped running entirely.
How has being a student-athlete at Macalester helped you grow as an individual?
My sport gives me a focus for my energy, a place for me to calm myself and find a center. Our guys don't see running as a commitment ; rather, they view running as essential to the balance of their day and to their mental well-being. Learning more about living a balanced lifestyle is one of the first gains a Macalester student-athlete realizes.
What inspires you to remain dedicated to your program(s) and Macalester as a student-athlete?
My team, easily. Every athlete out there has some innate desire to compete and train, but being part of a team increases that tenfold. And at Mac, it's great to know that your teammates are in the same boat as you academically. You'll never consistently have the most classwork out of your teammates, and the ones who are swamped are still able to carve out a block of time to practice. Thinking about it like that makes it incredibly easy to stay dedicated to the program. If you slip, you let down your team, and not just yourself. Conversely, if you double your efforts, those gains accrue to everyone around you. So much can be gained or lost through small changes in individual effort.
Being a student-athlete anywhere is learning to accept that you are part of something larger, and that even small changes in your actions have large impacts on others. In that light, dedication is easy, since it springs naturally from cohesion. Team cohesion is the true determinant of dedication, and my team, the MAC PACK, has it in spades. That's why it's easy to remain dedicated.
What do you love most about being a member of your program and being a Mac student-athlete?
I would be remiss if I didn't mention Mac's excellent coaching staff. As a special shout-out, Coach Matt Haugen, you are the best. There would be no MAC PACK (Mac cross country) without him. If I had to pick my single favorite thing about running for Mac...it would be that moment when we all circle up before practice, and I realize that I am part of a like-minded group of gentlemen who are my best teammates and friends. Knowing that I'm a part of a team as tight and cohesive as the MAC PACK is a wonderful feeling.
