Performing at the College Level

On May 12, 2025, GapWell hosted their first student-athlete webinar event focused on the unique challenges associated with making a successful transition from high school to college.

The webinar was moderated by former Major League Baseball & Yale University catcher Ryan Lavarnway, alongside three current student-athletes.

• Mary Grace Goyena, Georgetown '25, Co-Captain of the Women's Volleyball Team, who also planned and organized the event
  

• Keala Schubert, Colorado College '27, member of the Colorado College Women’s Swim Team
  

• Malachi Moore, Rochester University '27, member of the Men’s Basketball Team

Ultimately, the webinar’s aim was to help high school seniors committed to play collegiate sports better understand what being a student-athlete really looks like from different perspectives of people who have gone through it themselves.

What was your personal experience like in your transition from high school to college sports?

The challenges of transitioning to collegiate athletics are hardly limited to the physical aspects. Understanding the mental aspect of being in a new environment with new people, getting accustomed to new coaching styles, longer & more frequent practices, and balancing academics can also be very overwhelming.

One of the main points made by all of the panelists was to lean on your upperclassmen for guidance on how to navigate these challenges.

To hear more from these current & former student-athletes about their experiences, watch the full webinar!

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Written by Keala Schubert, who is a talented student contributor to the GapWell Guide. When she's not busy sharing advice that she wish she knew during her first year of college, she's focused on her academics as an environmental science major, competing on Colorado College's Swim & Dive Team, and mentoring first year students.