Forever Wildcats

By Molly McAteer
Special to UNHWildcats.com

As the 2022-23 academic year concluded with an amazing Commencement Weekend, the graduating Wildcat student-athletes reminisced on their time in Durham.

Graduation comes up quickly for many and bittersweet feelings are shared throughout. From sunny days to snowy practices, these student-athletes reflected on their athletic careers whether it was during competition or shared times with their teammates.

UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

These graduating student-athletes have been a part of many milestones that will forever be remembered.

Field hockey student-athlete Jaiden Wittel (Stroudsburg, Pa.) recalled the moment when the team moved on to the semifinals of the America East Championship.

"The most unforgettable moment during my UNH athletic career was advancing to the semifinals of the America East Championship in a shootout. The excitement we all felt together is something that I will never forget."

Jonny Wolf (Hopkinton, Mass.) from men's soccer mentioned how it felt being on the team when the program won its first championship.

"My most unforgettable sports moment was winning our team's first championship. Celebrating that win with the fans on the field was something I've never experienced before and something I'll always cherish."

LIFE LESSONS

Being a student-athlete comes with a lot of life skills and lessons that are instilled in their everyday lives.

Women's cross country and track and field student-athlete Violet Sullivan (Brentwood, N.H.) spoke about the many obstacles that she overcame while being a part of the program.

"The most important lesson that I have learned is the importance of never giving up when faced with adversity. Whether dealing with injury, illness, challenging classes and extracurriculars or throw in a pandemic, these are the moments that lead to opportunity if you put the work in and take chances. They may sometimes even be the catalyst needed to take an even better path than originally planned."

I AM A CHAMPION

Many Wildcat teams made history this past year and these graduating student-athletes now can call themselves champions.

Football student-athlete Niko Kvietkus (Southington, Conn.) led his team to the NCAA Tournament and won the CAA Championship for first time since 2014. He recalled what he felt during the 42-41 overtime win at Maine to clinch the title.

"Honestly, I initially felt relieved. As a captain, I felt responsible for leaving UNH better than I found it. Therefore, the last five years of hard work and dedication all boiled down to our last regular season game. It was life or death. It wasn't until 30 minutes after the game that the magnitude of the situation hit me."

Cat Sheppard (Nesconset, N.Y.) from women's soccer had a strong presence in goal her past five years and made history when the team won the America East Championship.

"After being with the team for five years, I often thought about what it would be like to win the championship. When the time came at the end of my fifth year and we finally did it, it was like all the stars aligned and our hard work paid off. The feeling of pure elation and disbelief washed over me as I hugged my teammates and realized that we had achieved something truly special."

LEADING THE TEAM TO SUCCESS

Men's hockey captain Chase Stevenson (West Kelowna, British Columbia) felt very fortunate for the opportunity he had to lead his teammates this past season.

"The UNH men's hockey program means so much to me, and I was truly grateful every time I got to put the uniform on. I learned so much this year about myself and how to lead a group of men. It was not an easy task, and I did not always get it right, but I tried to lead through hard work and my dedication to team success. I will forever look back on this season with a smile on my face due to the exceptional people we had in that locker room."

Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) led the women's hockey team this past season and has a sense of thankfulness for her teammates.

"It was an honor to lead my teammates over the past few years. I am very grateful to have had their support!"

APPRECIATION FOR THE COMMUNITY

Lisa Olsson (Stockholm, Sweden) from alpine ski greatly appreciated the support of the alumni and fans.

"Wearing the Wildcat logo makes people that you don't know personally greet and cheer you on wherever you're racing. That's a very special feeling when you show up far away from home and without knowing anyone. The UNH ski team has very strong community support and I'm incredibly grateful to everyone that's part of that community and made my time here at UNH possible."

Gymnastics senior Jacy Whitehead (Houston, Texas) is also very grateful for the resources and staff members at UNH that allowed her to succeed during her past four years on the team.

"The faculty and staff here at UNH have gone above and beyond in helping me to stay engaged and caught up with my studies during the season, so that I have never felt that I had to choose between being a good student or being a college athlete."

REFLECTING ON YOUR TIME

From early mornings in the field house to celebrations with teammates, lacrosse senior Katie Taranto (Brewster, N.Y.) spoke about what advice she would give to her freshman self.

"One thing I would say to my freshman self is cherish every moment, including the ones that don't seem worth enjoying like 6 a.m. practice or a hard day of conditioning. Find the good things in those moments like being out on the field with all your best friends or knowing how lucky you are that you can play the sport you love every day. Make every moment count because your first practice and game day turns into your last before you know it."

The Class of 2023 made great strides during their time at UNH and wore the uniform with pride. They represented what being a Wildcat truly means and we thank them for their commitment to the athletic department and to the university.

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Players Mentioned

Ava Boutilier

Niko Kvietkus

Molly McAteer

Lisa Olsson

Cat Sheppard

Chase Stevenson

Violet Sullivan

Katie Taranto

Jacy Whitehead

Jaiden Wittel

Jonny Wolf

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