This article originally appeared in a print edition of the Monitor published 27 February 2026.

Toryn Podschwit (#1) is a senior Communications major who plays attack for the Jewell women’s lacrosse squad. The Hilltop Monitor interviewed Podschwit as part of a series featuring senior athletes at Jewell.

THM: What got you into lacrosse?

Podschwit: I played volleyball for my whole life, and was out of that phase [by] my sophomore year of high school. And so I had one of my older friends say, “Well, you should join the lacrosse club!” I just randomly joined, and it became my favorite thing ever, very fast.

What brought you to WJC?

I was with Kallie Muck [former head lacrosse coach]. I was the first ever recruit for Jewell lacrosse and the first commit, and was the first ever to score a goal in Jewell lacrosse history. I followed [Muck] to St. Mary’s, and then she got the job here and created the program. So I ended up coming here my freshman year.

Tell me more about your team culture.

Our culture is really, really amazing. It’s like a family. And even if we do bicker, it’s definitely sister vibes. There’s no hard feelings ever. The culture we’ve developed is very unique and one of a kind!

As one of the first on, how has it been bringing up that team culture?

In the beginning, we were really nervous; it was very easy to have the twelve girls you knew and no outsider stuff. When that first class [of recruits] came in, we were really nervous to see the new blood, but they turned out to be my best friends ever. Each person we’ve added has brought their own uniqueness to the culture, and it’s been amazing. Now it’s just excitement to see what everyone can add.

How do you prepare for a game?

I wake up, I have to go get my coffee and my breakfast burrito or an energy drink… (And your go-to coffee?) Hammerhand, so either an iced caramel macchiato or a vanilla iced latte—lover Hammerhand, and a breakfast burrito from La Puerta [?] on the corner, with extra hot sauce. Then I come to the training room, get my shins wrapped & knees done, hit some wall ball, do some shots on the field. [The team goes] to the locker room and we dance and we sing and we get all hyped up in there. It’s awesome.

Who on your team has it been good to see grow?

Faith Bowles (#2), she’s my little baby. She came in and I was nervous because we both wanted to be each other’s friend, but we slowly became best friends; we’re very similar. She used to be shy, and now she knows what she wants, she’s outspoken and she’s very confident in herself. So it’s very fun to see her on and off the field as my best friend.

What’s next after Jewell?

My plans after Jewell are to begin my career as a clinical navigator for a rehabilitation center. 

What else do you want the Monitor to know?

I would like the Hilltop to know that WJ LAX does not deserve the Yik Yak hate, and that we’re actually fun and awesome. I love being at Jewell and have been for four years. It’s a great spot because it’s small, but I can also be myself and have people who love me for me.

Toryn, thanks for your time.
This interview underwent minor edits for brevity and flow. If you know a student athlete the Monitor should interview, talk to us at hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/contact-us.

Were you invited to a Super Bowl party but don’t know who’s playing? Maybe your best friend is a huge fan of the Baltimore… Bills? Don’t know who Patrick Mahomes is and at this point you’re too afraid to ask? Look no further, this is the article for you. 

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest television events of the year. It’s the one day when it seems like everyone, even those who don’t care about football the other 364 days, suddenly come out with very strong opinions about what a bunch of millionaire men do or don’t do with a ball. I’m not here to turn you into a die-hard fan. If you’re tired of “Superb Owl” jokes, or saying you only watch for the commercials, or having nothing to talk to your friends about until the halftime show, then I’m here to help. 

These tips are applicable to most sports, but particularly to team sports, and can be adapted at your own discretion. Here are my top five things to say while watching a sporting event to convince others that you totally understand what’s going on: 

1. “Consistency”
How to use it:
“So long as we stay consistent…”
“If we can just stay consistent…”
“I’ve been saying it all season. It’s in the consistency.”
When to use it: When the conversation turns to discussing performance or strategy, also known as couch coaching or armchair quarterbacking. It’s particularly useful when the team your friends are cheering for messes up. This kind of talk is typically critical, but this is a good and versatile phrase to use. It’s also unique enough that you shouldn’t be suspected of simply parroting buzzwords. 

2. “Stay healthy”
How to use it:
“The players need to stay healthy.”
“We need to play smart and not get hurt.”
“There’s been a lot of injuries this season.”
Keep your tone light while still sounding like what you’re saying means something. Don’t be so serious as to let them think that you have strong feelings about a particular player or incident.
When to use it: Like talking about consistency, this is a good neutral option. You can throw this one out during small talk pretty much anytime. During a game, you can say this whenever someone on your team gets hurt. 

3. “Let’s hold on to it”
How to use it:
“Let’s see if we can hold on to the lead.”
“We need to hold on to the lead.”
“Alright, in the lead, let’s hold on to it.”
When to use it: This one requires you to be sure that the team you (or your friends) want to win is the one currently winning. Toss this out during the celebration moment after they’ve taken a lead, or when the other team scores and gets close to overtaking your team. This is a good one to use when your team is winning near the end of the game. 

4. “Big plays”
How to use it:
“Let’s see some big plays out there.”
“We’re playing too much small ball.”
“We need a big play. Make something happen.”
Repeatable. 
When to use it: When things are getting boring and your team isn’t doing great. At some point past the halfway mark, there’s bound to be a lull in the proceedings. This is a good thing to say to kindly pump some energy back into the room. You can also use this one anytime your team hasn’t done anything exciting in a while, especially when losing. Some games are just bad to watch, and this is a nice, optimistic contribution. 

5. Pick a non-score number on the screen and say it like it means something. 
How to use it: 
“Only eight minutes left!”
“Fourth-and-5.”
“52 passing yards already?”
Repeatable.
When to use it: This tip requires you to pay attention a bit to the function of the scoreboard. The score should be easy to find. Don’t say that one. There might also be a small number that keeps counting down separate from the game clock that starts at either 40 or 25. Don’t say that one either unless it’s about to hit zero. For all other numbers, you’re probably safe. The game time is a good one because it’s easy to find on the screen and will make it look like you’re staying invested in following the game. If you still aren’t sure, take note of what numbers everyone else is saying and use those. 

6. Extra: Just ask questions 
How to use it:
We all love to talk about the stuff we like. Sports fans love to talk about sports. Odds are that whoever you’re watching with won’t care if you don’t know a touchback from a technical foul, and if they do, they probably won’t be fun to watch a game with anyway.

Let yourself be curious, but don’t expect them to walk you through every single second. Ask about words you don’t understand, rules that you can’t figure out, or what a statistic is measuring. Try guessing what the referee is going to call or complain if they make a call against your team. Throw in your two cents about the slow-motion replay. 

Whatever you do, remember that at the end of the day, it’s just a game and games are supposed to be fun. Get out there and have a good time!