Matt Olszewski
Senior Sports Writer
On Saturday, Oct. 17, President Sarah Bolton announced that the College would be changing to remote learning for the rest of the semester, and that all athletic practices would be cancelled. Amidst all of this stress and chaos on and off campus regarding COVID-19, it is important to remember the accomplishments of athletes that have excelled on and off the field. Ashley Boersma ’21, a women’s lacrosse player, is one of those athletes. Boersma is from Ada, Mich., and plays midfielder for the College’s women’s lacrosse team.
Before entering college, Boersma was selected as an United States Lacrosse All-Academic as a junior and senior in high school. She also earned a varsity letter in basketball, cross country, lacrosse and volleyball. As a first year, Boersma played in fifteen games, starting in seven of them. She was one of the nine Fighting Scots to score goals in the double digits.
As a sophomore, she ranked in the top fifteen in the whole NCAC for goals (41), points (57) and draw controls (46). She was one of eight Scots with at least 20 goals, and she was also named to the NCAC Academic Honor Roll.
Last season — her junior year — all spring sports teams had their season cut short in March due to COVID-19, but Boersma still thrived on and off the field. She started in all five games for the Fighting Scots, led the team with 20 points, eight assists and scored twelve goals throughout the brief season. She was also named to the NCAC Academic Honor Roll for a third time in her college career.
This past summer, Boersma, like many others, unfortunately experienced a change in her original plans. “I had an internship lined up at a neuro rehabilitation center, but mine, like many others, got canceled so I helped my family with many home renovations that have been on our “to-do” list,” she said.
Now, as a senior, she is currently working on her Independent Study (I.S.). “My I.S. investigates whether there are differences in first and second language working memory capacities and if there is a correlation between working memory capacity and the developmental period in which one acquires a second language,” she said. “In school, I grew up learning Spanish and English at the same time, and I have always been interested in the advantages of bilingualism.”
Boersma was also asked about a few things Wooster-related. Her favorite place on campus is Knowlton Café, as she loves hanging with friends, getting something to eat or drink and doing homework there. She was also asked about her favorite thing at Wooster,. “I love the people and the feeling of community I get while walking through campus. I am thankful for having a strong support system on and off the field.”
Lastly, a fun fact about Boersma is that she has a twin sister, and her younger brothers are also twins!