Tyler Koors, Katie Pleiman and Randi Windemuller talk about their experiences at Xavier University.
“Xavier has grown from a regional, to superregional, and now a national institute as has the soccer program. Winning our first NCAA Tournament game last year was a great sign of progress. But what I think is even more impressive last season was being the least cautioned team in the NCAA, being second in the nation in assists and having 22 guys with a 3.0 grade-point average.”
“With a greater pedigree in the Big East also comes a greater demand for resources. Most Olympic sports like us spend most of the fiscal year over budget and rely on AFO as both a luxury and a necessity. Your help is vital as a means to survive the year, grow our program and to promote The Xavier Way to an even bigger audience.”
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“When it came to choosing a college, it came down to Xavier or Georgetown. But once I heard Coach Fleming's vision and the qualities he valued, I decided to cancel my visit to Georgetown and committed to Xavier. One of the things my parent's are most proud of is that my academic scholarship is actually larger than my athletic scholarship, though it would be impossible for me to attend college without both. I am definitely loving my time here.”
“Transitioning from high school to college soccer, my role has changed from being an offensive minded mid-fielder to a defensive back fielder. But accepting that assignment is part of being a team member and was definitely part of our success last season. The majority of the lessons Coach Fleming teaches is not just about soccer, but will also help us with our future lives. Plus our practice is so hard, that games come easy! And I want to carry that work-ethic into the real world.”
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“I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to play soccer at Xavier. My goal all through high school, and what I think we all work toward as student athletes, is getting a scholarship when we go to college. I think I was personally very lucky that Xavier was able to reward me for both my athletic and academic achievements. A lot schools just don't do that. And it probably would not have been possible for me to attend Xavier without scholarships I was rewarded.”
“I've played most of my career on defense, but I enjoy playing midfield, trying something new and challenging myself. After graduation, I want to get a couple years of work under my belt, but I'd love to eventually return to school and get my MBA. Both my parents went to Xavier and they'd love it if I spent a couple more years here. Plus both my grandparents went to XU, so you could say Xavier is in my blood. The scholarships just made it easier for me to concentrate on school and being successful on the field and in the classroom.”
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“There's a space we all share and that space is Xavier and the continued growth and excellence that Xavier produces. I became a better athlete when I got here. I grew as a person. This environment was a perfect situation for me. Not a lot of guys get that perfect fit. But this was a perfect fit for me.”
“Academically it helped because I was able to be in small classrooms and have an academic adviser who cared about me as an athlete and as a student and wanted to develop me as a person. I was pushed and challenged by coach and by Sister Rose Ann. When you need help, key people all over campus are there to help you. I just want everyone to know we all share a common ground and that's the continued success of this program, this University and all the things associated with it.”
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“My academic scholarship and partial tennis scholarship made it possible for me to come to Xavier. I just wanted go somewhere where I felt I was needed and wanted, and the scholarship was a deciding factor for me. If we didn't have the scholarships, there are a lot of guys on my team who could not have come here. It allows our team to become competitive with other larger schools that have a lot more money.”
“All donations to the AFO are huge. They help us become more respected and more reputable by showing that our teams are doing well and are well-represented on the road. When we're traveling, other players and teams are looking at us and it reflects well and people want to come to Xavier so they can experience that as well.”
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“Having a scholarship at Xavier has allowed me to grow as a player, but also more importantly as a person. I am so grateful for what this opportunity has allowed me to experience and all the wonderful people I have met.”
“Because of this scholarship, I am able to receive a degree from a prestigious school which would have otherwise been impossible. Go X!”
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“I started supporting the AFO in the 1980s when my son went here and I had come back for my MBA. Then I had the funds to do it. I loved Xavier basketball and I had the ability to give because of what Xavier gave me. I was successful in the insurance business because of the education I got from Xavier.”
“Now the reward for us in giving is to help Xavier continue to prosper on the athletic side because it not only brings a lot of athletes into basketball but also other sports like swimming and tennis that aren't all funded with scholarships. When you give to the AFO, it's nice to know the players can take a chartered plane home and be back in their dorm by 1 in the morning and in class the next day. It makes a real difference to the kids.”
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“I played soccer for three years, and one of the things athletics teaches you is to balance school and athletic responsibilities. Time management becomes one of the keys. My nephew plays tennis now for Xavier, and we talked a lot about that before he started.”
“Now my wife (Anne '88, '93) and I are truly blessed in life, and so we have always felt a connection to the athletic program, and just giving back to Xavier is more of our focus. We both benefited greatly from our educational experience there, and we both are still connected with season tickets to basketball and soccer, and now we're connected to the tennis team as well. We're not looking for something in return, but it's more that we feel blessed and we should give back.”
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“I take great pride in being able to give back to Xavier and help all student-athletes achieve greatness. It is an incredibly competitive time in college athletics and the All For One Club plays a vital role in helping Xavier's teams pursue excellence as they represent the university.”
“As an alumnae and former student-athlete, I experienced firsthand the kind of education and experience that Xavier provides. I know that my contribution allows others to get the same quality experience that I had.”
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“Not only have I grown so much as a player, but also as a person, and that is why I feel so incredibly blessed to be a student athlete on scholarship at Xavier.”
“I feel even more blessed that I have an extra year at Xavier with my red shirt because now I am able to get my masters and further my education at such a prestigious school. After I graduate, I hope to be working in the advertising and media field either in Cincinnati or St. Louis.”
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“I look on my scholarship as a motivator. You have to train hard to be a Division I athlete, and there were times I thought about quitting, but the passion I feel for track is indescribable. It's like a close family. We have to go through some struggles not being a fully funded program. But we can still compete, and last year we finished the highest ever.”
“I've learned that I have a lot more heart than I expected, and it has challenged me to be a better person. I enjoy going to practice every day and being successful in everything I do. You can't run if you don't do well in class. They go hand in hand. So I use every day to get better, and it's instilling a work ethic that in everything I do, I strive to do my best.”
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Men's Soccer Coach
Class of 2015
Class of 2015
Class of 2003
Class of 2014
Class of 2015
Class of '63, '87
Class of 1987
Class of 2003
Class of 2013
Class of 2013
