WASHINGTON - Gallaudet University athletics is proud to participate in the 12th annual NCAA Division III Week (April 10-16) in an effort to celebrate the impact athletics and Bison student-athletes have on our campus and the surrounding community. GU is joining 439 Division III institutions and 44 voting conferences in this week's celebration.

To help focus on the many student-athletes that represent Gallaudet athletics we will spotlight two different student-athletes each day this week. You will learn more about them as they express their feelings on what it is like to be a Division III student-athlete here at Gallaudet. Interviews were conducted by the Gallaudet Sports Information Office.

Senior Darren Drolsbaugh (Lansdale, Pa.) is a fifth-year student-athlete for the baseball program. Drolsbaugh majors in risk management and insurance and is expected to graduate in May 2023.

In My Own Words: Darren Drolsbaugh

Q: What is it like to be a student-athlete in college?
DD: The best thing about being a student-athlete in college is that I have the opportunity to play baseball again and compete at a high level. I learned a lot more about baseball and developed skills where a student may not gain in a classroom setting. It is very busy to be a student-athlete; balancing education, work, sports, and other organizations is doable if you have good time management. 
 
Q: What is it like to be a student-athlete at Gallaudet University?
DD: Generally, it's a good place to become a leader and push others to be a better version of themselves. It's also important to have a good circle of teammates or friends who push you to do better and want the best for you. If you take the right path down the road, anything is possible. 
 
Q: What are your goals after graduation, what do you hope to do in life?
DD: I want to coach for Gallaudet baseball and to pursue an underwriter job at Philadelphia Insurance Company. I would also like to set up baseball programs or camps to develop deaf baseball players at the high school level. Hopefully that will spark a passion for baseball in deaf schools and have more baseball teams set up to improve Hoy Tournament experience.
 
Q: You are a senior and have been playing for Gallaudet baseball for many years. When you have a moment to reflect on your career here what will you remember and think about?
DD: I have many here are a few; I'll remember the first time I saw my nametag in the locker room. It has always been a dream of mine to play baseball for Gallaudet and learn from Coach Pride. The long offseason. Every season made me want to work harder. Super Bowl parties with the team and watching the Eagles play in two of them! The 12-game "junior" season before COVID hit; I remember how everyone felt, especially the seniors who graduated and didn't get the chance to finish their last season. Same feeling goes out for every other sports team who had their seasons cut short. Seeing the Little League Stadiums in Williamsport, Pa., for the first time in 2022. Also, Coach Pride ran a 40-yard dash in one of the museum exhibits, I've never seen him sprint so hard before! He clocked at 2.85 seconds. I wouldn't be on the field as much without Kat, Teri, Mariko, Tom, and Ilana-- thank you for keeping me healthy! I'll forever appreciate every teammate and coach I've met here. Each and every one of you are the reason for who I am today. Thank you all for being a family to me!

Division III Week Student-Athlete Spotlight: In My Words
Sunday: Abdullah Alghamdi (Men's Swimming) | Lilan Nelson (Women's Track and Field)
Saturday: Kylar Sicoli (Football) | Olivia Anderson (Women's Cross Country)
Friday: Vershon Carter (Men's Soccer) | Hannah Puent (Women's Basketball) | Azarriyah McKinnon (Cheerleading)
Thursday: Joshua Bourne (Men's Track and Field) | Reza Mosher (Women's Soccer)
Wednesday: Darren Drolsbaugh (Baseball) | Amanda Chemutai (Women's Swimming)
Tuesday: Kyle D'Amore (Men's Cross Country | Danyeal Davis (Softball)
Monday: Enow Otto Jr. (Men's Basketball) | Citrine Lummer (Women's Volleyball)
 
About Division III Week
Division III Week is a positive opportunity for all individuals associated with Division III to observe and celebrate the impact of athletics and of student-athletes on the campus and surrounding community. During the week, every Division III school and conference office is encouraged to conduct a type of outreach activity that falls into one of three categories: academic accomplishment; athletic experience; or leadership/community service/campus involvement. For more information log onto https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2013/11/15/division-iii-week.aspx.
 
About Gallaudet
Gallaudet University, federally chartered in 1864, is a bilingual, diverse, multicultural institution of higher education that ensures the intellectual and professional advancement of deaf and hard of hearing individuals through American Sign Language and English. Gallaudet maintains a proud tradition of research and scholarly activity and prepares its graduates for career opportunities in a highly competitive, technological, and rapidly changing world. For more information about Gallaudet University please log onto www.gallaudet.edu and visit the Bison athletics homepage at www.gallaudetbison.com.