In Their Words
Mary Consol ’13, G’16
Women’s Volleyball Alumna
What was your reason for attending Springfield College?
I was very drawn to the culture of the school and campus. My parents, Thomas Consol ’79, G’83, and Carol D’Alessio Consol ’79, met at Springfield. What ultimately made me decide though, was the volleyball program, and Coach Dearing in particular. I really felt like—on his team—I would not only be an athlete, but I would be challenged, and cared for as a human being as well.
Why do you support Springfield College Athletics and women’s volleyball?
I was blessed to have two of the best coaches in the country, Joel Dearing and Moira Long. The challenges and growth I experienced as a volleyball player were huge, but the growth I experienced as a person under their leadership is what keeps me giving back. Coach Dearing truly cared about what type of people we were, and Coach Long was so motivated to help us become strong women. The lessons they taught me still stick with me today, both in practice and in life. I understand how lucky we were as athletes in the Springfield College program. We were granted a lot of opportunities, whether travel, fresh gear, game day meals, or overall support.
Ryan Quesenberry ’15
Men’s Volleyball Alumnus
Why do you support Springfield College Athletics and men’s volleyball?
I want the athletes to have great experiences like my teammates and I did. During my four years at Springfield College, the men’s volleyball team went to Hawaii, Russia, and three times to California, which we couldn’t have done without the support of the school and the athletics department. So, I want to do what I can so other athletes can travel too, and have the same types of experiences that my teams did.
How do you think coaches can use philanthropic support to advance the student-athlete experience?
I think coaches rely on support from alumni and parents to take their programs to parts of the country they haven’t been before, to compete and gain exposure for their program as well as the school. Being a small regional college, it’s important for teams to travel all over because the next great Springfield College athlete or 4.0 student might search Springfield College after watching one of our teams compete outside of New England and decide that’s where they want to go to college.
