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Sarah Tritschler cuts the net after the 2017 NCAA Championship

The CMS-ence of Sarah Tritschler

CLAREMONT, Calif. - When the CMS volleyball team won the 2017 NCAA Division III national championship, current senior Sarah Tritschler might have had the worst view on the team for the dramatic match point.

But she wouldn't have had it any other way.

Tritschler was in the match in the back row for the Athenas as Margaux Arntson swung crosscourt for the winning kill with CMS leading 24-22 in the third set. Tritschler was on her toes behind the frontcourt players, not watching Arntson at all, but instead with her eyes on the Wittenberg blockers, ready to react to a possible re-direction coming her way.  In other words, just doing her job, right up until the end.

It doesn't matter what her exact view was at the time, anyway, the moment is something that will stay with her forever.



"Winning the national championship was probably one of the best days of my life," Tritschler said. "Mostly because it validates all those long years of hard work and going to club practices an hour away from home and waking up early to go to workouts. It all kind of culminated in that one day; that very, very special day."

Tritschler and the No. 5 Athenas are currently in the midst of trying to win another national title this fall. CMS stands at 20-3, including a dominant straight-set win over No. 1 and defending national champion Emory that gave a glimpse as to how high the team's ceiling could be this year. CMS is also trying to secure another SCIAC title, standing 11-1 heading into their Senior Day match on Friday night vs. Pomona-Pitzer (7 p.m. at Roberts Pavilion).

"It's been such a great experience," Tritschler said as she mulled over her Senior Day arriving. "I got to win the national championship with these girls, and I'm graduating with three other seniors who I love so much, so it'll just be a great day."

When graduation comes, Tritschler will earn a degree in psychology with a minor in data science from Claremont McKenna. She has spent her two previous summers earning a variety of professional experience, working as a venture capital intern this past summer and doing research in a psychology lab at the University of Texas two years ago.

A SCIAC All-Academic team selection every year of her career, Tritschler works as a research assistant in the Umanath Memory and Aging Lab at Claremont McKenna. She also serves as a vice president of the Claremont Programming Board, a student-run organization charged with the creation, organization, and implementation of inclusive programming for the students of Claremont McKenna.  

Naturally, volleyball has also been a big part of Tritschler's college experience, and that isn't just about the national championship ring that she can proudly display for life. It's also about the team camaraderie that she says will be the biggest thing she'll miss when she hands in her libero jersey for the last time.

"A big thing for our team this year was team chemistry, and our coaches have been very understanding in letting us develop that together," said Tritschler. "Just getting to create these relationships with girls that I absolutely adore in every way has been the biggest part of being an Athena for me."  

To learn more about the CMS-ence of Sarah Tritschler, click the play button above or visit our YouTube page.