A Jersey Blues Testimonial - Soccer And Basketball Alum Lauren Bowler
Lincroft, NJ - 2014 graduate and two-year, two-sport outstanding Jersey Blues student-athlete, Lauren Bowler, narrates her initial experience with Brookdale as the athletics department welcomed her with open arms and left her with incredible memories.
Lincroft, NJ - 2014 graduate and two-year, two-sport outstanding Jersey Blues student-athlete, Lauren Bowler, narrates her initial experience with Brookdale as the athletics department welcomed her with open arms and left her with incredible memories.
As a stellar defender for the Brookdale women's soccer team, Bowler (Red Bank Regional High School), earned herself First Team All-Region, Defensive MVP of the Region XIX Tournament, and was a member of the first in school's history National Championship team in 2013. As a guard on the basketball court for two years, Lauren totaled 341 points, 271 rebounds, 212 assists, and 123 steals. In 2014, the team won the Region XIX Championship and Bowler earned Tournament MVP before heading off to Nationals.
"Brookdale Community College and my time as a student-athlete there completely changed the trajectory of my life. I had just started my second year at the University of Massachusetts, and felt lost. I had an overwhelming sense that I did not belong there. It took all of my courage to email the Brookdale soccer coach and ask if there was any chance that I could join the team, knowing it was a long shot. Coach Katie Amundson changed my life with a simple, "It is not too late to play." She, and the entire athletics department, welcomed me with open arms. They helped me set up my classes and gave me the opportunity to be part of something truly special.
During my time at Brookdale, I had the incredible experience of winning a national championship with the soccer team and finishing third in the nation with the basketball team, both memories that I will remember forever. Beyond sports, Brookdale also helped me find my academic focus - teaching. Classes were challenging, but rewarding and set me up for my future. My teachers and coaches gave me all the tools I needed to have a successful academic and athletic career at Stockton University.
The friendships I made along the way are lifelong, and the lessons I learned will stay with me forever. I found a home at Brookdale, and without my time there, I wouldn't be the athlete or the person I am today. And for that, I am eternally grateful."