Athletes of the Week: Andrew Notter and Jenna LeNay continue their winning streak

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Andrew Notter (senior) on the Branca Patio at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Sep 4, 2024. Renee Ye/The Occidental

Andrew Notter

Occidental men’s soccer played against Willamette resulting in a 4-1 victory Sept. 1. Andrew Notter (senior) scored two goals contributing to Occidental’s success.

Notter said his passion for soccer comes from his father, who grew up playing the sport.

“I guess I just wanted to follow in his footsteps a little bit. It was the main sport that I played ever since I was little, and I love it,” Notter said.

Notter said he played on the academy team De Anza Force during high school before going on to play at the collegiate level. He attributes his success to the rigor of the team and the coaches.

Upon entering his first year at Occidental, Notter said he tore his ACL.

“It was a bummer. I couldn’t show our coaches and the rest of my teammates what I could do on the field right when I first got here, but they were all very gracious and good to me,” Notter said. “I got super close with all the guys during that first year to the point that when I could start getting to play, I was already comfortable around them,”

According to men’s soccer head coach Rod LaFaurie, Notter’s focus makes him a strong athlete.

“He’s really intelligent, he understands the game well,” LaFaurie said. “I think the strength of his mind and understanding of the game are very helpful for us.”

Based on the team’s performance against Willamette, Notter said he expects a good season ahead.

“We don’t have too many out-of-conference games, so each of those games really matters a lot for us in terms of getting a bid to the NCAA Tournament,” Notter said.

Notter said that he will miss the camaraderie of the team and spending time with his best friends. His advice to anyone interested in playing soccer is to go for it.

“I think Rod puts in so much work into the team,” Notter said. “He really cares about it and he really cares about bringing good people and good players to the team. I just think that the whole atmosphere and environment of our team is awesome and super fun to be around.”

The team has two more non-conference games against Soka University and Cal Tech Sept. 14 and Sept. 18, respectively.

Jenna LeNay

Jenna LeNay (junior) recently broke a long standing record at the 2024 Oxy Invitational. LeNay ran the 10k, her time standing at 36:02:30. The previous 10K record held by Cynthia Rodgers, since 1983, stood at 36:13:93.

LeNay said she began running around age 10, tagging along with her mother who had started training for half-marathons. It wasn’t until high school, though, that she said she began to focus on running as a sport for herself.

LeNay said one of the main differences between high school and collegiate level running is the training volume.

“I’m running 60 miles a week now instead of 40 when I was in high school and just different types of workouts because we do longer distances but overall, the same vibes,” LeNay said.

According to LeNay, she had a great time competing at the 2024 Oxy Invitational. LeNay said she hopes to break her own record this upcoming season.

Jenna LeNay (sophomore) in front of Gilman Fountain at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Sep 5, 2024. Renee Ye/The Occidental

“It was a lot of fun. It was something that I didn’t expect to do because I was hoping to break the 5K record before I did the 10K,” LeNay said.

According to LeNay, it is important to maintain a positive attitude when preparing for a race.

“Whether you are running an 8:00 minute pace or 5:30, if that’s your race pace, it’s going to be hard,” LeNay said. “Being able to find the positive or at least the neutral within the race is a big step towards being successful.”

According to track and cross country coach Robert Bartlett, Jenna’s positivity and work ethic is infectious.

“I don’t necessarily think she’s even conscious of it, but I think that the ripple effect of her energy has a really positive effect on the people around her,” Bartlett said.

According to LeNay, she has developed several skills over the past seasons.

“The skills I have acquired are being able to listen to myself, but also at the same time pushing myself past what I think I can do, which is an interesting balance,” LeNay said.

LeNay said she is excited for the season and aspires to both set the 5K record in track and become an All-American in cross country. She said she looks forward to seeing all the things the team will accomplish.

“For me, it’s just a really fun outlet, doing things with my friends,” LeNay said. “I guess just starting off is the hardest part, keeping yourself accountable. You have to have fun with it and balance it as well.”

Contact Zaru Shcheglov at shcheglov@oxy.edu

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