Delaney Earl has made a huge impact at Otterbein University while being a student athlete, with the help of her teammates, coaches, peers, and family.
“My journey here at Otterbein is one that I truly would not trade for the world. In being a student athlete, more is definitely demanded of me to succeed," Earl said. "I have loved playing college soccer while being a student because I think it has made me more disciplined and determined to succeed.”
Earl's family has always been a huge support system in her life, whether that be in or outside of soccer. Her parents have never missed a game, even with her sister having almost the same schedule as her. Her sister is a senior in high school and Earl is hopeful that she follows in her Otterbein footsteps next year.
“My family’s support outside of soccer is even stronger than the support in soccer. My parents have always wanted me and my sister to succeed and you can tell how obvious it is in the way that they raised us," Earl said. "Our family is extremely close, which is also why it made it so hard for me to try to go far from home. No matter what I do, my family is always the first group of people behind me pushing me and supporting me to do my best and succeed in the end."
“I came to Otterbein because the second I visited it felt like home. I remember when I came to a soccer practice and immediately felt like I was a part of the team," Earl said. "I also chose Otterbein because of the great Business Program they offer. Finally, Otterbein is only 15 minutes away from my house, so my family has always been able to come to my games which is something I love."
Earl fell in love with soccer around the age of four. When she was younger, she enjoyed being around her peers and doing fun activities. As she grew older and ventured into other sports, she started to realize that soccer was truly her strong area.
“I grew up fortunate enough to be on a very successful team with teammates who had strong and fun personalities," Earl said. "I've created relationships with teammates as if they are my family and they have deepened my love for the sport. Overall, I think I just really love the competitiveness in soccer and the winning aspect and that is why I love it as much as I do."
Earl is a double major in marketing as well as business administration and management. After graduation she plans to go into sales, whether it be real estate or medical sales. She hopes to gain her real-estate license after she graduates in the spring.
Earl plans to take a light load of classes in the spring as she finishes her career here at Otterbein. Along with that, she wants to shadow many people in different fields of sales to see what interests her the most for when she graduates.
