Each week during the 2022-23 academic year, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) will feature two student-athletes (one male and one female) from one of its eight institutions for a “Student-Athlete Spotlight” Q & A segment. The segments will be posted every Thursday and individuals are selected by the institution. The WIAC Student-Athlete Spotlights are presented by Culver's.


Name:  Molly Larsen         
Institution:  UW-La Crosse
Hometown (High School):  Tomah, Wis. (Tomah High School)
Year in School:  Fifth Year
Sport:  Women’s Golf
Major:  Therapeutic Recreation


Why did you choose UW-La Crosse?
I chose UWL because it is close to home, has one of the top programs in the nation for my major, and felt at home from the first time I stepped on campus. UWL has so much to offer both on campus and outside, between the bluffs for watching the sunset, the trails for hiking, and downtown for local shops and restaurants, it is an unbeatable campus.

What other clubs/organizations on campus are you involved in?
No clubs or organizations, but I do work two jobs while volunteering on top of being a full-time student athlete.

What causes do you care about?
Mental health among student athletes is one of my biggest passions in life!

What do you like most about competing in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and being a NCAA Division III student-athlete?
I like that the WIAC and Division III provide countless opportunities for its athletes in a highly competitive conference, while also allowing us to realize that we are students before we are athletes.
 
What is your favorite…
Menu item from Culver’s?  Fries with a side of cheese sauce
Flavor of the Day from Culver’s?  Raspberry cheesecake
Non-Athletic Spot on Campus?  Health Science Center Fourth Floor
Movie?  I am not a movie watcher, but I do love the series “Schitt’s Creek”
Holiday?  Christmas
Food?  Sushi
Musical Group/Artist?  Sam Smith
Professional Sports Athlete/Team?  Chicago Blackhawks
Vacation Spot?  Anywhere in Mexico, I go every January with my best friend.
 
What is your greatest sports moment? 
Tying for first-place in the WIAC Championship this year and playing in a sudden death playoff hole.
 
What is your favorite thing to do off the court/field with your teammates?
Catch up over dinner while watching the “Bachelorette/Bachelor”.
 
One word that describes your team?
GRIT.
 
One word that describes you?
Witty.
 
What is your dream job? 
Working with adolescents in behavioral health in-patient psychiatric or working in the golf world.
 
Three things on your "bucket list"?
---Graduate college.
---Be happy.
---Make money.
 
A non-athletic talent that you have is?
I can nap ANYWHERE at ANYTIME.

Do you have any pre-game/pre-event superstitions or rituals? If so, what are they?
Before every match, my mom always gives me a kiss on the cheek and gives me words of encouragement, while my dad and I plan my tee shot on the first hole after sharing a hug.