Pomona College celebrates Sagehen Athletics Giving Day on March 4–5, highlighting the generosity that powers student-athlete success on and off the field.
Generosity fuels more than wins — it prepares student-athletes to carry Pomona’s spirit beyond the playing field.
Support from Pomona alumni, families, faculty and friends provides Sagehens with training, wellness resources and equipment to excel in competition.
As Pomona College prepares to celebrate Sagehen Athletics Giving Day on March 4-5, student-athletes are reflecting on how a culture of generosity fuels far more than wins and records.
Support from Pomona-Pitzer alumni, families, faculty, staff and friends helps provide high-performance training, equipment and comprehensive health and wellness resources — tools that prepare Sagehens to excel in competition, lead in the classroom and graduate ready to carry Pomona’s spirit far beyond the playing field. Here’s what our student-athletes had to say about their experiences.
High Performance On and Off the Field
For Kalani Pickett ’27, a junior on the Pomona-Pitzer football team and All-SCIAC Second Team selection, athletics and academics are not competing priorities. The same discipline required to break down game film shows up in late-night study sessions. The resilience built in training is carried into every corner of campus life.
“Being surrounded by teammates who are just as motivated in the classroom as they are on the field creates a culture where competitiveness, discipline and ambition reinforce each other,” Pickett says. “Everyone here is willing to be the best — not just in football but in preparing for life.”
Gifts made during Sagehens Athletics Giving Day ensure that student-athletes like Pickett can pursue excellence without compromise.
A Community That Lifts One Another
Freshman men’s track and field standout Dashawn Williams ’29, who placed first in the 400-meter dash during a February meet, says what impresses him most in his first season is the power of the Sagehen community.
“As a scholar athlete, I am consistently reminded of how great it is to be a part of a community that wants to watch one another grow and succeed,” Williams says. “I feel lifted up by the coaches who push me, the teammates I train with, and the families and alumni not only to cheer us on, but give back.”
Hailing from Chicago, Williams adds that Pomona has quickly become his home away from home, and the community surrounding him has become a second family.
Ready for Whatever Comes Next
For senior Kylie Liu ’26, who was named First Team All-SCIAC and SCIAC All-American for women’s softball, the impact of Sagehen Athletics reaches far beyond the diamond.
She says competing at a high-level while balancing rigorous academics — and traveling across the country with her team — has prepared her for life after graduation this spring.
“The wins and losses, the team travel, the everyday moments in training — all those experiences have shaped me,” says Liu. "Because of my experience on the Pomona-Pitzer softball team, I know I am equipped to handle anything that comes my way.”
On March 4-5, Sagehens everywhere are invited to invest in today’s scholar-athletes, helping make these formative experiences possible.
Make your gift this Giving Day to one of our 21 varsity teams, club sports or the Athletic Wellness Fund today.