General | 12/15/2022 1:08:00 PM

DENTON, Texas (Dec. 15, 2022) – Graduation represents a time of celebration—a celebration of personal triumphs, hard work and dreams achieved.

On December 16 and 17, graduates will walk across the stage in Kitty Magee Arena on the Denton campus of Texas Woman's University. Each student-athlete will don a student-athlete stole to honor and celebrate their time as an athlete at TWU. 

For the graduates, the diploma can represent various meanings and invoke countless memories, reminding the individual they can do hard things, achieve their dream or they can go after the career they want. While the diploma is unique to each graduate, the story of the diploma is also unique.

Every individual charted their own path and wrote their unique personal story while at TWU.

Within the athletic department, we are proud to have been a part of the journey of four student-athletes graduating this December.

Each of them has impacted the athletic department and the TWU community during their time here. While some enter the workforce and some are continuing their education, we want to take the time to celebrate each of the graduates and honor their time as a TWU Pioneer.
 
2022 DECEMBER GRADUATES

Alyssa Ayala

Wrestling
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a Minor in Education and Coaching Concentration

What do you love most about TWU?
I love the atmosphere, the trees and the buildings that hold a lot of history.

What was the greatest thing you learned as a TWU student-athlete?
The greatest thing I have learned is that no matter how tough it may be to manage school, practice and time for yourself it is only temporary. Being an athlete in college is not forever, and I have learned to overcome what feels impossible.

What is your favorite memory as a TWU student-athlete?
My favorite memories as an athlete are practicing and pushing myself to the limits. Wrestling practice is not a breeze— it's training your body to get through those six minutes in a match. It's a challenge, but fun at the same time.

What are your plans after graduation?
To be a motivating Physical Educator to students of all ages.

Mackenzie Balderas

Gymnastics
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
Cum Laude

What do you love most about TWU?
I love the opportunities that TWU gave me during my time here as a student and an athlete. I was given opportunities and resources to be the best version of myself in the classroom and on the competition floor.

What is your favorite memory as a TWU student-athlete?
During my time here at TWU, my favorite memory probably has to be when we won the MIC Conference title at home. It was the first of many goals we achieved as team and achieving that in front of our home crowd was just the most unforgettable feeling.

What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to work at Baylor Scott & White - the Heart Hospital here in Denton. I will be an Exercise Physiologist in their cardiac rehab program, helping patients recover from various heart procedures. I also plan on attending graduate school to receive my DPT in the hope of becoming a specialist in cardiovascular physical therapy.

Morgan Sherman

Soccer
Bachelor of General Studies with Health Studies and Criminal Justice Concentrations

What do you love most about TWU?
I love the atmosphere and environment of TWU and the culture it brings to its students. TWU feels like home and is a place where everyone feels like they belong to a community.

What was the greatest thing you learned as a TWU student-athlete?
The greatest thing I learned as a student-athlete was that your team means everything. Being a student-athlete showed me how your teammates are more than just teammates, but also your friends. They will be there for you always.

What is your favorite memory as a TWU student-athlete?
My favorite memory as a TWU student-athlete is our bus ride karaoke and times when we would blast music on the bus and sing together.

What are your plans after graduation?
My plans after graduation are to get my bachelor of science in nursing and attend TWU's nursing program.

Daisy Woodring

Gymnastics
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Summa Cum Laude

What do you love most about TWU?
I love all the people at TWU the most. Across the board from the athletic department, my coaches, teammates, professors, and staff of the Honors Program, the people make TWU the place that it is by the way they do their jobs well and show genuine care for the people here.

What was the greatest thing you learned as a TWU student-athlete?
The greatest thing I learned as a TWU student-athlete is that gymnastics is a big part of my life, but it is not my life. I have been so thankful for the opportunity to do gymnastics with an incredible team and program, but life is so much greater than sports and school.

What is your favorite memory as a TWU student-athlete?
My favorite memory as a TWU student-athlete was winning USAG nationals in 2022. It was a great feeling to win, but even greater to have done it with a team that believed in every single person there. There was no question in our passion for the sport and belief in each other.

What are your plans after graduation?
My plans after graduation are to continue in TWU's Master's program for Chemistry while doing my fifth year of gymnastics!