On December 31, 2024, Junior Abby Grace Flynt announced her commitment to further her academic and athletic career playing Division I lacrosse at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. After lots of research and phone calls, she finally found the college that felt like home.
“I felt it had everything I was looking for in a school and a lacrosse team,” Flynt mentioned.
Flynt is grateful for a strong support system including her teammates, coaches and family members who helped her through the difficult process.
“Rejection was tough for me, but using that as motivation to keep my head up has helped me reach my goal,” Flynt shared.
The recruitment process for athletes, especially in lacrosse, is tough because there is hard competition. Putting herself out there and experiencing rejection was hard for Flynt, but continuing to have confidence in her abilities helped her achieve her goals. She sacrificed being with friends, events and free time for tournaments, camps and endless practices.
“[I was] wanting to play in college so bad that I knew I had to work hard to get there,” Flynt noted. “Putting my mind to it and truly wanting it has given me motivation and discipline to keep working even after committing so I am prepared to play at Xavier.”
She stays dedicated outside of school by working out in the gym frequently to frequently stay in shape ahead of college.
Flynt has had many friends and teammates also decide to play at the collegiate level. This added onto the pressure of feeling like she had to also commit.
“Seeing other people commit put pressure on me because I felt like I had to commit soon, but taking my time and truly processing it was the best decision for me,” Flynt shared.
Flynt also shared advice for other athletes going through the recruitment process. She hopes to reassure others going through the process that committing on her own time and finding her perfect school made the wait worth it.
“Have confidence in yourself; don’t let other people make you feel like you’re not good enough or you can’t find the place for you,” Flynt mentioned. “Rejection and comparison is hard, but focusing on you and using anything and everything you can to motivate you is how you can reach your goal in playing in college.”
The hardwork and dedication paid off for Flynt and made the experience worth it. Her journey was far from easy, but she is excited to grow as an athlete during this upcoming chapter of her life at Xavier University.
