More than two dozen graduating senior student-athletes plan to return to Hawk Hill for the 2021 spring sports season, according to St. Joe’s Director of Athletics Jill Bodensteiner. 

Due to the cancellation of the 2020 spring sports season by the NCAA due to the coronavirus pandemic, senior student-athletes that compete in spring sports were granted the option of exercising an extra year of eligibility. 

Bodensteiner said athletic aid for the returning seniors will be provided by reallocating existing athletic funds, according to the university website. Athletic aid for incoming freshmen athletes and underclassmen athletes will not be affected.

David Bryant ’20, a sprinter and captain of the St. Joe’s men’s track and field team said that he was looking forward to finishing his career during the outdoor season when the NCAA announced the cancellation of the spring season on March 12.

 “When I found out the [outdoor] season got canceled, I was devastated,” Bryant said. “My teammates were devastated, too.”

Bryant, a business intelligence major and finance minor, said that although he had career plans for after graduation, his desire to compete compelled him to return.

“I realized I had some unfinished business as far as track is concerned,” Bryant said. “I felt like I could help my team if I came back for one more year, and help my team achieve some goals that we haven’t reached yet.”

Bryant said that he is optimistic about next season and looks to do “great things” at the conference meet. Specifically, he looks to lead the 4×100-meter relay team to a berth in the IC4A D1 Outdoor Track & Field Championship while he earns his master’s degree from the Haub School of Business.

Sarah Ostaszewski ’20, a catcher on the St. Joe’s softball team, said her decision to return for another season was difficult. However, like Bryant, high aspirations for herself and her teammates were the foundation for her return.

“I wanted to make sure I was coming back for the right reasons,” Ostaszewski said. “But putting in all the work as an undergraduate, then not being able to finish, it takes a toll on you, so it was best for me to come back and finish what we started.”

Ostaszewski credited her parents and friends with being most integral in the decision-making process, but said the connections she made with the coaches allowed her to feel comfortable with her decision.

 “for me to make the decision to come back because of [the staff] shows their impact on me in that short time,” Ostaszewski said. 

As a graduate student earning her master’s degree in marketing, she looks forward to competing during the spring 2021 season with a greater sense of appreciation.

“I have a whole new other perspective,” Ostaszewski said. “I’m going to come back with the mindset that every game I’m going to be playing is my last.”

Graduate student Fransesco Mowrey will return to compete for the St. Joe’s men’s tennis team.  A Second Team All-Conference performer on the LaSalle University tennis team from 2016-2019, Mowrey attended St. Joe’s in the 2019-20 academic year to earn his master of business administration and play on the tennis team. 

Joining Mowrey in returning are Luis Janko ’20 and Eshan Kanetkar ’20.

“The guys on the team are really excited to have [three seniors] back,” Mowrey said. “The team is looking really good for next year and hopefully we can contend for an [Atlantic 10] Championship.”

Mowrey said he was appreciative to have an extra year of eligibility. Some universities, most notably the University of Wisconsin-Madison, denied spring student-athletes the chance to return in 2021.

“I’m thankful and feel lucky that St. Joe’s and [Jill Bodensteiner] are letting the seniors come back and compete for another year,” Mowrey said.