Menlo Alumni Find Success in Collegiate Sports

by LIZZIE FREEHILL

On Menlo’s teams, many studentathletes decide they want to pursue collegiate athletics, and some go on to be the top in the country.

Sophie Jones (‘19) played Division I soccer at Duke University and was recently signed by the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League draft in January 2023. Jones was the 2018-19 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year and then went on to be a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection. Cole Kastner (‘20) is a junior defenseman on the University of Virginia lacrosse team where he was named the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Simone Adam (‘22) concluded her first season playing volleyball at Johns Hopkins University as the Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year.

Kastner, Jones and Adam are all grateful not only for the ability to play their sports at the collegiate, and even professional level, but to excel in them as for the classroom but also knowing, ‘I’m not gonna have that much time. How can I manage [my time]?’ and being able to be proactive and speak with teachers in that environment really made the transition pretty smooth,” Jones said. been exciting, but not without difficulties and adversities.

Adam also felt well-prepared to be a competitive college athlete when graduating from Menlo. One aspect of athletics that she felt particularly ready for was the weight room. “Not a lot of high schools have what we have in terms of a strength program, so I just feel like I was extra prepared on that front,” Adam said.

Kastner had a similar experience. “I would say one of the most important aspects of my mental experience and probably what I’m most grateful for from being a student-athlete at Menlo is [...] just knowing that at any given time, in the winter playing basketball in the spring playing lacrosse, I had [multiple] fantastic coaches, [...] two fantastic teams, tons of good friends and great people to be around, while simultaneously balancing what was pretty rigorous school work,” Kastner said.

Kastner and Adam have also enjoyed keeping up with their Menlo teammates as they pursue collegiate athletics. “Just getting to, like, follow their success has been cool just because we’re all kind of going through it together,” Adam said. Adam also said that she was excited because she almost got to play against her friend and former teammate Kami Israelski (‘22) in the NCAA tournament.

11 games into her freshman year at Duke, Jones tore her ACL. The injury caused her to sit out for nine months and then do physical therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Jones, this injury was the low point of her collegiate experience, but what came after was “worth it.” well. Part of this success — who they are as student-athletes in particular — began in their time at Menlo.

Balancing academics and athletics during their time at Menlo prepared these alumni for the challenge of playing for DI and DIII athletics while also succeeding academically at top universities. Jones, in pursuing her goal to play DI soccer and competing at the highest level, missed quite a bit of school when she was traveling for soccer. “[Menlo] really prepared me academically. I think the combination of feeling like I was prepared

“I’m so grateful that me and four of my buddies from my grade in the 2020 class have all been pursuing playing college lacrosse and trying to succeed at the next level,” Kastner said. “To always get to come home, or when I’m with those guys, to be able to continue to push each other and try to progress and become better lacrosse players, athletes, people or whatever it may be is such a fantastic part of my life, and I think part of all of our lives.”

Jones’, Kastner’s and Adam’s experiences as collegiate athletes have all

Throughout the rest of her career at Duke, Jones started in 75 straight games according to Duke Athletics. During this time, the Blue Devil soccer team made it to the Elite Eight three times, and Jones scored the game-winning goal in an NCAA tournament game. In addition to her feats on the soccer field, Jones’ experience playing college soccer was further enhanced by her love for the university and her teammates.

“I mean, [playing college soccer] was a dream come true,” Jones said. “I feel like growing up so close to Stanford, I was going to college soccer games ever since I can remember, so that was always kind of just something I’d hoped to achieve. So to be able to take that next step was super fun and honestly just a great challenge and it made me a better player.”

Jones has been training with the

Chicago Red Stars for a few months now and is about to begin her first season as a professional soccer player. “Getting to play with these players that are so amazing has been a highlight, and I already feel like I’m improving every day just because I’m surrounded by such amazing people,” Jones said. “And it’s just been super fun to just kind of realize that dream of being like a pro athlete.” Jonese hopes to play for as long as she can while still having fun doing it.

Adam played in all 32 of Hopkins’ matches as a freshman outside hitter where she accumulated 414 kills, 97 digs and 45 blocks according to Johns Hopkins athletics. Adam attributes much of her playing to being “lucky” because a number of players graduated in 2022.

Adam’s team made it to the NCAA DIII quarterfinals, which was a highlight of her freshman season. “I’d say getting to travel with the team was just really awesome,” Adam said. “I know we did that in high school, too, but there’s something about, especially traveling for the NCAA tournament, there’s just kind of a big spectacle, and it was just a really cool experience.”

Looking back on her first season at Hopkins, Adam is happy with the school she chose. “I love my team and I’ve really enjoyed it and it's been a lot of fun, so yeah, definitely I’m where I should be,” Adam said.

Kastner’s time at UVA thus far has not only included being the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, but also winning the 2021 NCAA championship, scoring a goal while playing defense and accumulating the ACC Defensive Player of the Week twice in one season.

Kastner also keeps in mind a mindset that his parents instilled in him, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” which he believes has allowed him to be successful. According to Kastner, he is lucky to have been put in a good position and to have a support system of parents, coaches and friends, so he tries to make the most of it.

Kastner also advises Menlo athletes to enjoy the memories and relationships “My number one thing is just to play multiple sports,” Kastner said. “It might seem a little counterintuitive at first, but when you play multiple sports, like I was able to play basketball and lacrosse, there’s so much incredible cross-training, there are so many different skills and different ways of communication. All these things end up applying to whatever sport you want to pursue at the next level.”