ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan will honor its 2020 senior class during this weekend’s Wolverine Invitational at home in Canham Natatorium
The class of 2020 has helped the Wolverines to 90 wins over the last four seasons and a 21-1 conference record. They have three consecutive NCAA appearances and three CWPA championships during their time at Michigan.
Seniors Cameron Cordial, Skyler Pyle, Heidi Ritner and Rachel Sodokoff answered a few questions about their experience at U-M.
Q. Looking back on all your class has accomplished, what are you most proud of?
Cordial: I am so proud that we have stuck together. Our class has been through so many highs and lows together throughout the last four years, but I think that our ability to stick together and trust each other is what has led us to be successful. I am proud of the trust that we have established between each other and the lifelong friendships that we have formed.
Pyle: I am so proud that the four of us were able to commit ourselves to the team for all four years.
Sodokoff: I am always going to be proud of our championships, but more than anything I’m so proud of the four of us making it to this point. A lot of blood, sweat and tears go into getting to this point and facing just the everyday adversity that comes with being a student athlete here at Michigan. It’s an honor to have persevered on this amazing journey with strong women that encourage and push me to be the best version of myself every day.
Q. What areas have you grown individually in your four years on campus?
Pyle: I think the area I have grown most is professional development. When I came to Michigan, I had no idea what life after college was going to look like. Thanks to all of the wonderful career counseling resources, I have been lucky enough to gain experience in a variety of different areas and roles. I am excited for this next chapter.
Ritner: I think I’ve matured as a communicator, both with friends and family and also within a professional setting. I feel more confident than I have in the past, which helps when starting conversations with people I don’t know.
Sodokoff: A better question would almost be in what ways haven’t I grown? I feel as though Michigan has pushed me to grow and be a version of myself that freshman-year Rachel would aspire to be. My resilience has grown immensely. I feel as though these four years has forged and smoothed my edges and transformed me into a strong, capable women ready to start the next chapter of her life, rather than one who questions and fears the unknowns it holds.
Q. What are the little things that will be your fondest memories from Michigan?
Cordial: There are so many little memories that I will hold so close to my heart when I remember Michigan, whether it is late-night, random snowball fights, sledding on the golf course, having the whole team get together, dancing before home tournaments in the team room, or laughing so hard that we start crying. There are so many amazing memories that I have made while I have been at Michigan, and I will always cherish each and every one.
Pyle: Being able to see my best friends every day in practice is something that I will always cherish.
Ritner: One little think that I will miss (only at certain times!) is how peaceful it is on campus when it snows. I will also miss football game days where I get to spend the whole day with my teammates who are my closest friends. Probably most of all I will miss being able to say I’m part of the Michigan women’s water polo team.
Sodokoff: I think the little things that will be my fondest memories from Michigan will be those that are so imperfect that they are prefect and timeless. I know that’s horribly vague, but they are impossible to recognize as they come. Already they are starting to appear though. Freshman year spring term, being so bored out of our mind that we play rock, paper, scissors to aimlessly walk till we get lost. Sophomore year, Michigan State game in the pouring rain and the entire stadium singing “Mr. Brightside” collectively. Junior year, spontaneous four-hour breakfast with Julia Sellers to talk about anything and everything. Junior spring, going late-night swimming in the Huron River with six of my coolest friends for the heck of it. Senior year, sledding in piles of snow with my friends and teammates. Also, countless conversations around our dining room table crying, laughing, complaining, celebrating, sobbing, commiserating, venting, yelling and talking with some of my best friends on a daily basis.
Q. After being a part of three previous senior days, what are you feeling now that it is your time?
Cordial: It’s surreal. I have watched three graduating classes accomplish so much and always knew one day that would be me up there during our senior day game. I can’t believe that time is here. These past four years have gone by so incredibly fast, and I am so honored to be participating in senior day with my fellow seniors. I can’t wait to see what we all accomplish after Michigan.
Pyle: Even though it’s the second semester, I still can’t believe that my time at Michigan is coming to an end. It feels like just yesterday I was moving into my dorm room. I am feeling a bit nostalgic and extremely grateful for the experience I’ve had.
Ritner: It’s odd not to be planning the celebration for someone else! I haven’t pictured what it’s going to be like on my senior day, but it’s already here! It’s bittersweet because it’s been a long road, but I’m also sad for it to end.
Sodokoff: Bittersweet. It’s a double-edged sword, for sure. I’m so proud to have accomplished four years here as a student-athlete, and I’m ready to open that next chapter, but I will never be ready to say goodbye to my team and face the fact that I soon won’t wake up and see 22 girls all striding toward a singular goal. It’s a unique and incredible environment that is so hard to replicate, and I’m blessed to be a part of it. Further, I just don’t want to say goodbye to the girls that make me smile and laugh on a daily basis. They are the people I need to thank for me getting to this point. I am excited to see the future of my underclassman and who they grow up to be once we are gone, sad that I won’t have a direct impact on a daily basis. Proud that I will stand where my seniors stood when they inspired me to take the same path as them. Nervous, excited and scared for the legacy we are soon to leave behind.
Q. How exciting is it to have the CWPA Championship at home your senior year?
Cordial: More playing time at Canham is always such a blessing. Our team just knows how to play in our home pool. There is the aspect of comfort and security, and it is always a reminder of how we always have to protect our home. The chance to host CWPAs at home this year is unreal. I can’t wait for other teams to experience the atmosphere that is Canham. When the stands are filled and we do introductions, the energy here is always electric. I can’t wait to feel the buzz of those CWPA games, knowing that our whole team is working towards a final goal, and it is an honor to know that we are competing for the championship in our home pool.
Pyle: Being able to host conference championships in my senior year feels like a gift. I have never experienced three home tournaments in one year before, so I am feeling very lucky. The energy in Canham is awesome.
Ritner: It’s so nice to be able to sleep in my own bed before competition! It also feels good to have the same routine I have every day before practice and to also have the support of family that either come out to visit me at my home and to have my friends from school come support me.
Sodokoff: It feels like the stars have aligned and the heavens have opened. Season is always difficult with the amount we have to travel, but it’s harder to leave campus when I know my real goodbye to Ann Arbor is fast approaching. Therefore, it’s a blessing to get those few extra weekends in Ann Arbor to further cherish what has become my home over the last four years. Another blessing of this is I can finally have all my friends and family witness Team 20 at our conference championships. Their support will mean the world during my last CWPAs.
Q. What would your 2020 self tell your wide-eyed 2017 self if you could give advice?
Cordial: I would tell my 2017 self to slow down. Enjoy the little things, like game days, dinners with friends, classes, the weather, because it really does go by in the blink of an eye. Looking back to freshman year, it seems like ages ago, but when I really think about it, I realize just how fast everything has gone by. Savor every moment, and take a lot of photos to look back on.
Pyle: I would tell myself to enjoy every moment here because it goes by fast!
Sodokoff: Stop procrastinating. It didn’t work then, and it doesn’t work now. Plan your attack and stay with your initiatives. This one is still a work in progress, but I’m sure I’ll get there eventually.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
