Senior Spotlight
3/31/2020
Winter teams were entering postseason play and spring sports were ramping up their competitive season when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the sports world.
Countless hours of preparation were left to not. Dreams were stalled or at the very least, put on hold. And for some, athletic careers have come to a premature end.
Despite the inability for us to share the stories of the competitive success of our 2020 spring sport seniors, we would like to share a little insight into who these remarkable young men and women are, their advice for future Bears and what they loved most about the University of Northern Colorado.
Thank you to all our great student-athletes for their dedication to academics and athletics.
Once a Bear, Always a Bear!
Our student-athletes, in particular those in our spring sports who had their seasons canceled, continue to inspire us by how they are handling this unprecedented situation. Our seniors have been impacted the most and we hope that this recognition can provide the reverence we hold for their time as Bears and their resiliency and leadership during this difficult time.Director of Athletics Darren Dunn
RILEY BENNYWORTH | HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF.
Major: Sports and Exercise Science
Minor: Psychology
Favorite memory while playing your sport at UNC: Being able to travel with the team to cool places outside of Colorado.
What’s next for you?
I am planning on going to Physician Assistant school.
Three words to describe your experience as a student-athlete
1. Opportunity
2. Grateful
3. Joyous
What advice would you give an incoming freshman about being a student-athlete?
Advice to incoming freshman would be to take in the whole college experience and not take it for granted. The years go by in a blink of an eye so just soak up every bit of knowledge and experience you can get.
What will you miss most about UNC?
I will definitely miss my teammates and all the friends I’ve made throughout the years. Along with that, I’ll miss my senior year of outdoor track.
Rarely does one meet a student-athlete of the likes of Riley Bennyworth, from day one she has demonstrated to me and others what it means to be a UNC Bear. Her commitment to excellence and her work ethic was second to none. She is the epitome of what it means to be a team player. She is truly a team first student- athlete. She has definitely made UNC proud.Head Coach Wayne Angle
TAYLOR LIBBY | IOWA CITY, IOWA
Major: Journalism
Minor: Coaching
Favorite memory while playing your sport at UNC: Playing in the championship game at the Big Sky Tournament
Most influential professor while at UNC: My media management professor Shawn Montano who wanted to hear about my experiences at another university to help the journalism program here.
What’s next for you?
I am looking to get into a sports marketing job in college athletics or professional level
Three words to describe your experience as a student-athlete
1. Empowering
2. Enjoyable
3. Unforgettable
What advice would you give an incoming freshman about being a student athlete?
Compete everyday like it could be your last moment on the field with your family, you never know whether injuries or other circumstances could take that away from you, enjoy the ride and have fun
What will you miss most about UNC?
The people who made it feel like a home
Taylor had a great attitude despite not being able to play the game she loved due to injury. She became an important asset to younger players as a student manager/coach. We will undoubtedly miss her positive attitude next year.Head Coach Ben Garcia
NICK WADE | UPMINSTER ESSEX, UNITED KINGDOM
Major: Business Administration (Management)
Favorite memory while playing your sport at UNC: Our comeback win over SMU.
Most influential professor while at UNC: Professor Milan Larson
What’s next for you?
Travel and get a job
Three words to describe your experience as a student-athlete
1. Eye-opening
2. Unforgettable
3. Incredible
What advice would you give an incoming freshman about being a student-athlete?
Take all the help you can get as early as possible and maximize use of the resources available to you.
What will you miss most about UNC?
My team.
Nick will be missed as his energy on the court had a great effect on his teammates. He was a team player and always wanted what was best for the entire group. I am proud of how he balanced his tennis and academics and will have a great degree from our business school.Head Coach Ben Gendron
COBY WELCH | HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLO.
Major: Communication
Minor: Psychology
Favorite memory while playing your sport at UNC: Traveling to tournaments with my best friends.
Most influential professor while at UNC: Roger Prenzlow
What’s next for you?
Professional golf
Three words to describe your experience as a student-athlete
1.Fulfilling
2.Rewarding
3.Brotherhood
What advice would you give an incoming freshman about being a student-athlete?
Embrace the journey. Never walk away disappointed. Enjoy your time it will be gone before you know it.
What will you miss most about UNC?
Traveling and hanging out with my team and making new golf memories.
Coby goes out as one of the most decorated Bear golfers of all time. He was the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year in 2017 and a two-time first team Big Sky Conference player. Also, he was the top-ranked player this season in the conference at the unfortunate conclusion of our season. Further, Coby has been a great student-athlete representing UNC. His all-time highlight was winning the CU/Mark Simpson Invitational as a freshman. It has been fun, as a coach, watching Coby mature into a very good collegiate player, graduate with good grades, help lead this program to two Big Sky Championships, be a great teammate and make two NCAA Tournament appearances.
SARINA CHHABRA | DALLAS, TEXAS
Major: Communication Studies
Minor: Business
Favorite memory while playing your sport at UNC: Going to the BNP tournament in Palm Springs, CA with my team.
Most influential professor while at UNC: Dr. Dallas Everhart
What’s next for you?
Public Relations/Media in Los Angeles
Three words to describe your experience as a student-athlete
1. Memorable
2. Laughter/Goofiness
3. Competitiveness
What advice would you give an incoming freshman about being a student-athlete?
You’ll get used to the cow poop smell real quick ;)
What will you miss most about UNC?
Playing the game I love with my teammates. We have grown really close as a team and I will miss competing and bonding over the sport we love together. That feeling of being a part of a family.
Sarina has brought such strong empathy, kindness and love to our program during her time wearing the Blue and Gold. She is a very classy person and competitor with the highest level of sportsmanship. Sarina possesses extremely high standards that have positively influenced her teammates. She will make a positive dent in the world as she leaves behind a beautiful legacy for others to follow at UNC.Head Coach Chad Stoloff
McKAYLA BAUER | GREELEY, COLO.
Major: Criminal Justice
Favorite memory while playing your sport at UNC: My junior year in California we were at the Irvine invitational and after one of our pre-meets we got to go to the beach to watch the sunset then it turned into everyone getting into the ocean while others were racing each other on the beach. Coaches involved too to see who was the fastest also.
Most influential professor while at UNC: Dr. Iannacchione because after taking his intro to Crime class I became a Criminal Justice major and Price because it was never a dull time with his personality and all his stories. I truly cannot pick one because each professor in my degree has influenced me in different aspects of my life. I am so thankful for all of my professors in my degree.
What’s next for you?
I would like to pursue a job in forensics, specifically working to become a bloodstain pattern analysis.
Three words to describe your experience as a student-athlete
1. Hectic
2. Rewarding
3. Time management
What advice would you give an incoming freshman about being a student-athlete?
DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. You never know when it is your last practice, last meet, or last time with the people around you.
What will you miss most about UNC?
Living with my best friend Riley and being so close to my friends all the time.
In the short time that I have worked with Mckayla, three things, in particular, stood out to me and those were her dedication, attitude and commitment to the UNC Bears team. Mckayla's hard work and early mornings were paying off and I was extremely excited to see where she was going this outdoor season, which was unfortunately cut short. However, I know that because of her work ethics and discipline she will continue to succeed.Assistant Coach Leevan Sands
RAFFA MORA | GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND
Major: Communications
Minor: Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality
Favorite memory while playing your sport at UNC: Making the conference tournament freshman year.
Most influential professor while at UNC: Dr. Keaton, Professor of Communications
What's next for you?
GA for women's tennis - masters in sport administration
Three words to describe your experience as a student-athlete
1. Incredible
2. Intense
3. Incomparable
What advice would you give an incoming freshman about being a student-athlete?
Make the most of every moment and every workout. It goes way to quickly and you will miss it when it's gone.
What will you miss most about UNC?
The people - the UNC community, athletic staff and all the athletes, everyone that has shown their support love and how tight-knit it is. So grateful for all the memories.
Raffa has brought a passion and enthusiasm for the game and our team to our program during her time wearing the Blue and Gold. Her unbridled energy for the team is infectious! She loves to compete and embraces the challenge and joy of competition. I believe she has really grown tremendously in her time at UNC to become a very strong leader.Head Coach Chad Stoloff
