Posted: Jun 04, 2024
Edmund Thomas and Lucy Stahl have been namedChristendom's Thomas S. Vander Woude Athletic Memorial Scholarshipwinners for the Class of 2028. Recognized for both their athletic ability and how they have shown Christ-like leadership through sports and in the classroom, both Thomas and Stahl will play "for the love of the game and the glory of God" when they arrive on campus this fall.
Christendom's Thomas S. Vander Woude scholar-athlete scholarship is named after thecollege's late Director of Athletics who sacrificed his life for his son in 2008. Since his passing, the college has awarded incoming freshman student-athletes with the scholar-athlete scholarship, continuing Vander Woude's legacy of forming student-athletes into Christ-like leaders both in sports and in the classroom.
In the case of Thomas, his commitment to success both on the field and in the classroom is what drew him to Christendom in the first place. A native of Portland, Texas, Thomas attended high school at Incarnate Word Academy, where he was able to compete in football, basketball, and baseball.
After years of competition and study at Incarnate Word, Thomas wanted a similar level of academic and athletic rigor at the collegiate level, but without having to compromise his Catholic faith. He saw Christendom as the best place to pursue these goals and is eager to begin this fall.
"I chose to study at Christendom because of the unique opportunities Christendom affords its students," says Thomas. "As a faithful Catholic college in which every class is taught from a Catholic worldview, Christendom stands apart from other American schools. Here, students can grow in their Catholic faith while learning new subjects, surrounded by like-minded people as they are led by a knowledgeable Catholic professor. In addition, playing sports at Christendom will allow me to pursue athletic success without being forced to sacrifice academic achievement. I thoroughly enjoy playing basketball and baseball, and playing those sports at Christendom will allow me to continue developing my athletic abilities while using my talents to glorify God."
Like Thomas, Stahl is also originally from Texas, before recently moving to Linden, Virginia. She studied with Seton Home Study for high school, all while competing extensively in volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Stahl has also participated in numerous triathlons — a testament to her perseverance and love of athletics.
Stahl is the latest member of her family to attend Christendom, following in the footsteps of her sister, Samantha '21, her brother, Johnathan '23, and her sisters Virginia '24 and Margaret '25. From the moment her family got involved with Christendom, Stahl saw the school as the ideal place where she could grow, not only athletically but also in her education and her Catholic faith.
"Ever since my family has been involved with Christendom, I knew that it would be the place that would give me the opportunity to grow in mind, body, and spirit," says Stahl. "I have always tried to challenge myself and push myself to be better. I try to do this not only in athletics but also in my education and Catholic faith. This has been a goal of mine ever since I first saw my older siblings playing sports and continuing their education at Christendom."
Because of her siblings, Stahl has been attending Christendom athletics games for years. Over and over again, she has been impressed not only with the amount of heart on display but also with how the student-athletes finish each game by giving all glory to God. Seeing this display of faith inspired her to want to become a Christendom Crusader herself — a title she will excitedly take on starting this fall.
"As the games end, Christendom Crusaders give all the glory to God, which is truly inspiring as a young student-athlete myself, says Stahl. "They also take being a student-athlete very seriously by making sure to put their academic success before their athletic success. Seeing all the student-athletes put in the hard work and dedication inspires me to want to become a Crusader. I know with the rigorous education, outstanding athletics, and most importantly, a very nurturing Catholic community, Christendom College is the best place to reach my full potential as a student-athlete and a child of God. "
