 Marin Pennell-
2017 Kevin Higgins College
Scholarship Grant Recipient
San Diego, CA (December 31, 2017) - Rugby helped shape
the life of 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient, Marin Pennell. It
taught her the positivity of strength and power, that communication is key, and
confidence is necessary to be successful in anything you do. She translated
those themes into her daily life and reaped the rewards.
Pennell was a four-year member of the Summit
High School Girls Rugby Club in Breckenridge, Colorado at both the junior
varsity and varsity level. In fall 2014, she was a member of the Summit High
School State Championship team and won the Most Improved Player award. Marin
and the Summit High School Girls Rugby team would continue on to win back to
back to back Colorado state championships.
Pennell, a scrum half, played in competitive
tournaments like the CRC 7s High School Nationals and the Las Vegas High School
7s Tournament. She hit her stride in the
second half of her career, earning Coach’s Awards honors for her growth and
leadership, and the Summit High School Girl’s Rugby Tiger Award for her
embodiment of team values and sportsmanship on and off the field in 2015 and
2016. In addition, she also served as team captain during the 2016-2017 season.
She was selected as an All-Regional team member of the Flatirons Rugby team and
attended the Girl’s High School All-American Camp in Phoenix, AZ in 2016 and
2017.
Marin graduated from Summit High School with a
3.9 grade point average. She was a member of her high school’s varsity soccer
team and served as captain for two consecutive seasons. When she wasn’t found
on a pitch, she was on the ice playing hockey with her local girl’s club. She
was highly involved in extra-curricular activities including volunteering at
local kindergarten classrooms in her community once a week and coaching rugby
clinics at middle schools with a local after-school program. Marin was a member
of multiple community service based organizations, like the Octagon Club,
Interact Club, and Ecological Ethics Union. She was committed to her academic
achievements as an active Spanish Honors Society and National Honors Society
member.
“Marin lives a balanced lifestyle. She is
dedicated to sports, especially rugby. She volunteers in the community, she enjoys
her many friends and she takes on leadership positions in addition to her
rigorous academic course load,” said one of her Summit High School teachers,
Nanci Morse.
Marin is continuing her academic and athletic
career at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. She aspires to work with
children through the use of languages like American Sign Language and Spanish,
saying “I believe that I can make a positive impact on children of all
backgrounds and I hope to do this in a classroom setting as a teacher or a
social worker.” She would love to one day become a rugby coach and give back to
the sport that molded her into who she is today.
“Marin's maturity and
easy demeanor have helped her seamlessly make the transition from high
school to college," said her Dartmouth Head Coach, Katie Dowty. “She is a
year younger than her classmates, but you would never know it. She plays
big, connects well with everyone around her and doesn't sweat the
small stuff. She made a big jump not only into the top level of NCAA rugby this
year, but also transitioned brilliantly to flanker with her
usual selfless and open-minded attitude. As a player with a high work rate
who loves to tackle, she has thrived in her new position. The addition of
Marin's play-making abilities in our pack has helped us play the dynamic
style of rugby that we love. As a young freshman who made such an immediate
impact, I look forward to watching Marin become a leader on our team over the
next 4 years.”
Congratulations Marin, on being selected as a
2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient.
Read about Emma Conrad, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Denecia Fernandes, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Jonathon Hackett, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Labi Koi-Larbi, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Loren Lewis, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Patrick Madden, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Vicente Rivas, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Nick Snyder, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient. Read about Charity Tenney, 2017 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship recipient.
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