Editor’s note: This is part one of a multipart series.

At a recent ceremony at Whitehall High School, a number of student athletes revealed their future plans, setting in motion the next four years of the lives.

That list grew as the school year came to an end, and one of those students who will be pounding the books along with the polyurethane (if indeed the track surface at Goucher College is of that material) is Anna Gallina.

Gallina, who was mainly a middle distance runner at Whitehall during her track career, will continue in that same vein when she arrives on campus later this year. She’ll also run the 4x400 relay as well.

Goucher, located in Towson, MD., is a liberal arts college that offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees and require undergraduates to study aboard at least once before graduating. Gallina will be majoring in International Relations.

Initially, Gallina was on a trip to visit other schools. Goucher just happened to be a stop since it was nearby, but that excursion proved serendipitous once she returned home. Goucher had an appeal.

“I knew that’s where I wanted to go,” she said.

As a member of the women’s track team, she’ll be competing in the Landmark Conference. The Gophers are coached by John Caslin who has guided the program for 14 years.

Gallina is coming off a successful season. She was part of the Allentown School District Invitational 4x400 team that placed second, finishing in 4:14.22.

“That was exciting,” she said.

She also ran the 4x400 at the league championships and helped them climb into third place. That same team of Gallina, Amanda Crooks, Kylee and Kassidy Cunningham finished fourth at the District 11 3A Track and Field Championships.

With that postseason success, Gallina ended her career on a high note.

“This is probably my best season,” said Gallina who established a personal best at 1:03.01.

The senior said that being a student-athlete at Whitehall has taught her responsibility. She said it’s important “to keep everything in order.”

Gallina is looking forward to studying abroad and knows that the track team is very accommodating since it’s a requirement for graduation. She’ll be looking to land a job in government once she earns her degree.

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Emily Castro is headed to Stevenson University in the fall. Stevenson is located in Owings Mills, MD., and competes in Division III. They are part of the Middle Atlantic Conference and are aligned with the MAC Commonwealth portion of the conference.

Castro will be playing volleyball this fall for the Mustangs.

Stevenson offers both sand and beach volleyball in the spring as well as indoor volleyball in the fall. Castro said that she will be playing both.

The head coach of the Mustangs is Dave Trumbo. Trumbo has guided them to four consecutive MAC Commonwealth championships.

Last year they qualified for the NCAA Division III tourney opening against Randolph-Macon College. They didn’t advance any further, losing to the Yellow Jackets in four sets.

Castro said that she chose Stevenson because it afforded her the opportunity to play the sport she loves while working her way toward a degree in biology. She plans to get into the medical field, with aspirations on becoming a doctor.

Castro also liked its location, offering a place where she could feel independent, but at the same time it’s also easily accessible so family and friends can attend games.

“I love that it’s not too far from home, but it’s not that close, either,” said Castro.

The atmosphere was also welcoming.

“It felt like I was home there,” she said.

When she arrives at Stevenson, Castro said that the lessons she learned while a student-athlete at Whitehall will come in handy. Those include when things get hard, never give up. Additionally she stressed it’s important to keep your head up no matter the situation.

Castro enjoyed making an impact on the volleyball team her senior year. She was a valuable and versatile player who could attack the net both offensively and defensively.

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Cristal Fernandez is another volleyball player who is going to extend her career at the next level. Fernandez chose DeSales University which is also in the Middle Atlantic Conference competing in Division III. However, Fernandez will be aligned with the Freedom Conference of the MAC, but they’re still scheduled to play Stevenson University from the Commonwealth Conference on Oct. 1, 2016.

Fernandez chose DeSales for a variety of reasons. First, it’s a beautiful campus that’s situated near her home. They also offer a five-year Master’s program in criminal justice, her chosen field of study.

“My goal as an incoming freshman is to maintain at least a 3.5 GPA,” said Fernandez.

Fernandez, an emotional player on the court, said that defeating Notre Dame-Green Pond this season was a memory that will last. During her junior year, they needed to defeat the Crusaders in the last game of the season to qualify for districts, but ND-GP spoiled their plans, ending their season. This year they swept the Crusaders in three sets.

Fernandez was good at keeping the energy level up among her teammates. She said that will be something she brings to DeSales.

“One thing I will definitely bring to the DeSales court is my positive energy and drive,” said Fernandez.

Last year DeSales finished 22-11 and lost in the MAC Freedom Championship to Eastern University in three sets. They are coached by Michele Zabinski, who’s been at the helm for 11 seasons.

Both she and Castro will join successful teams whose futures are bright in the MAC.

Still, she wants to make sure she devotes time to her studies while she soaks in the college atmosphere.

“I look forward to my years at DeSales to grow both personally and professionally while maintaining an honor status,” said Fernandez.

***

Multisport athlete Ivanna Jones will be heading to Robert Morris University. Robert Morris is in Pittsburgh. The Colonials are a Division I school that competes in the Northeast Conference.

When Jones visited the campus, it immediately had an impact on her.

“It’s not too big, not too small, and it’s close to the city [downtown Pittsburgh], which I liked,” said Jones.

While Jones was a good soccer and basketball player, she chose track and field as the sport that would define her college athletic career. The track and field team is led by Caitlin Cotter who will be starting her second season as both the cross country and track and field head coach. Last season the Colonials finished fourth at the Northeast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Jones visited a number of schools and finally decided that Robert Morris had the most to offer.

“I liked it and it was a good fit for me,” said Jones.

Jones will be studying biology at Robert Morris.

This season she set two school records in track. She bested her own record in the long jump and set the triple jump record. The senior currently holds three records, all in the jumps. Those were all special moments, she said.

As a multisport athlete, Jones said that discipline was the most important lesson she learned while a student-athlete at Whitehall. That was followed by time management and teamwork.

As far as the most memorable moment, winning the district title in soccer her junior year will always stay with her as she journeys on in life.

“It was a great moment,” said Jones.