COMMITTED CORNER COMMITTED CORNER Malia Thompson, Rowing, University of Texas

by SOPHIE STONE

Senior Malia Thompson committed to row at the University of Texas at Austin in November 2022. As a child, Thompson played a variety of sports, from soccer to tennis to basketball. She had trouble finding one sport she enjoyed enough to pursue at the collegiate level. Thompson played volleyball for Menlo during her freshman, sophomore and junior years of high school until one of her volleyball teammates introduced her to rowing. “At the time I was really into volleyball,” Thompson said. “Then, after I realized that I really wasn't enjoying playing volleyball, I was like, ‘I might as well just try rowing,’ and I ended up really liking it.” and after that I started reaching out to schools,” Thompson said.

Division I schools usually recruit 12 students per class for their rowing team, and by the time Thompson started her recruiting process in October, most Division I schools had already completed their 2023 recruiting class. “Starting a sport during senior year is pretty intimidating because most people have started years ago. [...] It was kind of discouraging,” Thompson said. However, the University of Texas at Austin still had space on their roster.

Overall, Vogel was confident in his decision. “They have strong academics, it’s a really strong DIII program, and it checked all the boxes. I had this gut feeling, and I followed it.”

This season Vogel is trying to accomplish a few goals, one of which he’s already done. Vogel has already surpassed 1,000 points in his Menlo varsity career, which was an individual goal of his. He also hopes to make a deep run in the state playoffs with the team.

When he’s out with his teammates and shooting around, he likes to keep it loose. “When I get too stressed, I play worse. I like to just have fun and remember that basketball is just a game.”

Vogel is extremely excited to play the game he loves in college. “I would say I’m really excited to just have a built-in family when you’re there. Everyone has each other’s backs, and that feeling is just unmatched.”

Thompson has been rowing at NorCal Crew in Redwood City with 70 other girls since August 2022. Because she started rowing so late, Thompson originally didn’t consider being recruited by a college as an option. “Then my coach told me, ‘I think you can [get recruited] if you really want it [...],

Thompson had UT Austin on her college list before she even began thinking about being recruited. When she visited in February 2022, the school’s location and size appealed to her. “Going to a small [high] school made me realize that I would have more fun at a bigger school,” Thompson said. “I just loved the vibe of the campus and everyone seemed really cool and it was a great community.”