Make Mansfield Yours Homepage

Make Mansfield Yours is a weekly feature on GoMounties.com that highlights a current Mansfield University student-athlete or alumni on why they chose Mansfield and what makes the university special to them. The feature aligns with NCAA Division II's brand of Make It Yours that allows student-athletes to shape their athletic and academic experience to be exactly what they want it to be.

Alison Tagliaferri
Class of 2006
Accounting & Marketing
Softball, Women's Basketball

Why did you choose Mansfield University?
I chose Mansfield for so many reasons. It was one of only a few schools that would allow me to play two sports, which was something that was very important to me. It was close to home, but far enough away that I could be on my own. Being a smaller school, I knew that I would be able to build relationships with professors and I would not just be a number in a class. Mansfield felt like family to me when I visited and that's exactly what it will always be.

What makes Mansfield University special to you?
The lifelong relationships I built at Mansfield are why it will always feel like home to me. My teammates, coaches, administration and members of the community have supported me in every step of my life since graduation. They have guided and encouraged me through countless phases of my career just as they did when I was a student-athlete. Those relationships have molded me into the person I am today and make me want to continue to improve each and every day.

How did your experiences at Mansfield University benefit your career/personal life following graduation?
There are not a lot of places where you can play two sports, have two majors, and still get to experience college to the fullest. Mansfield University and Division II made that a reality for me. I was still able to participate in different clubs/organizations and campus activities despite my schedule. I also had plenty of time for friends and socializing. The most important thing I learned from my experience at Mansfield is that anything is possible. If something is important to you, then you can find the time to put in the work and get it done. A lot of people thought I was crazy trying to be successful at two sports and still get it done in the classroom. I would not have had it any other way. I learned that hard work, dedication, and sacrifice can allow you to accomplish anything you set your mind to.

Favorite memory at Mansfield
There are literally too many to mention. Knowing and experiencing the support of Helen Lutes as a female athlete at Mansfield is something that I will always cherish. To say that the woman who paved the way for me to be able to compete in collegiate athletics was a part of my life? There are not words for that. Winning the ECAC Championship in softball and being able to have Coach Gallagher introduce me into the Hall of Fame are two things I will never forget. Being a member of the first Women's Basketball team to ever make PSAC Playoffs in the history of the program is one of the memories I am most proud of.

Advice you would give to a current Mansfield student-athlete
Make every day count! Your career will literally fly by. Give your ALL at every practice, lift, film session, etc. You will never get that time back. Don't let yourself look back on your career and think about how you could have done more. Cherish your teammates and the time spent with them and do not let outside factors get in the way of those relationships. Love and appreciate your coaches and all they do for you. Love them even on the days you might not want to because everything they are teaching you will some day make sense. Most of all, have fun because I guarantee you that once it is over....You'd give anything to go back.


If you are a current or former Mansfield University student-athlete and would like to be featured on Make Mansfield Yours, please fill out the submission form