Written by Katherine Clatterbuck
In the midst of 2020, senior athletes are holding on to the final season of their beloved sports. While practices and the college experience may look different this year, our Maroons are making the best of every moment.
Megan Wheeler is a guard for the women’s basketball team. Attracted to Roanoke College by the Cregger Center and the feeling of community from the team, Wheeler has assisted in the transformation of the team in its past three seasons. Wheeler chooses toast with peanut butter and banana as her pre-game meal and enjoys warming up with the song “Basketball” by Lil Bow Wow. Wheeler led the team as one of the 2019-2020 captains last season. When asked about her greatest accomplishment during her time at Roanoke, Wheeler discussed the success of the women’s basketball program. From one of the worst teams in the conference her freshman year to a competitive force in recent seasons, Wheeler has been a leader of this team’s transformation.
A forward for the men’s basketball team, Max Menzel chose to come to Roanoke because of the emphasis on team unity and success. Getting ready for games with chicken parmigiana and listening to “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by Kanye West, Menzel works hard to be a part of something bigger than himself. When asked about his greatest accomplishment at Roanoke, Menzel stated, “My greatest accomplishment so far has been making it through three seasons of college basketball. College basketball isn’t for everyone, and it takes an immense amount of time and preparation outside of academics. However, the life skills and friendships you gain make all the hours spent in the gym worth it.”
Jayla Faison is a guard for the women’s basketball team. Her go to pre-game meal is pasta and salad and her hype song is “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Faison chose Roanoke College because of the resources Roanoke provides to make her a better player. The 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons led the team to a semi-finals finish in the ODAC championships as the team strives for a winning season. Faison commented on this growth in the team as her greatest accomplishment as she is proud of the work her teammates and herself have done in the past three years.
Wheeler, Menzel, and Faison are great examples of the dedication our athletes put into their teams on and off the court. Good luck to all of our athletes in their seasons ahead in the midst of this unprecedented year.
