Shaundra Wiederholt was looking for a way to connect on campus when she joined the Women’s Lacrosse Club, and it ended up being so much more — growing her Husker support system.
When Wiederholt, a senior psychology major, joined the club her sophomore year, she barely knew what lacrosse was.
“I was walking around the Big Red Welcome Street Festival and found the lacrosse team booth," she said. "Being from a small town, I'd never really heard much about lacrosse, let alone played it. The president at the time told me they’d never played before college either, so I thought ‘okay, what’s it going to hurt to sign up?’”
Wiederholt was eager to dive into something that would help her meet new people but was nervous about trying something completely new. After her first few practices, she quickly saw a sport — and team — she could build her community around.
“I’d played other sports in high school, but this was a really big learning experience for me. A lot of the people who were teaching me were also still learning alongside me, which was a relief,” she said. “That’s a really nice thing with the club sports: there's always someone who’s willing to help you.”
Wiederholt also found that lacrosse was a fun way to meet Huskers with different interests and backgrounds.
“We’ve had lots of students from out of state come play on the team, and now more people from Nebraska are growing up around the sport, too,” she said. “It was nice to find something on campus where I could meet so many different people and feel so connected with them.”
Today, Wiederholt is entering her senior year as co-president of the team that’s come to be a crucial part of her Husker experience. As an orientation leader with New Student Enrollment, she tells incoming Huskers that taking a chance on something new could make a big impact.
"It’s super important to build your community here on campus, and I feel like joining clubs can be a great way to do that," she said. "There are so many people here who want to talk to you and want to get to know you, and when you step outside of your comfort zone — even if it’s just attending one meeting — you'll find people you connect with.”
