The following is a spotlight on Kayla Flanders, Saint Joseph's University's 2023 nominee for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award. The Atlantic 10 institutions nominated a total of 17 outstanding student-athletes for the award (READ MORE). The A-10 will spotlight each of the institutional nominees.

Kayla Flanders Profile

Kayla Flanders is a four-year letterwinner and captain in the Saint Joseph's defensive backfield

Hawk Hill, including the John P. McNulty Scholarship, the Elks Most Valuable Scholarship, the Goldwater Scholarship, and the International Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst

Research Scholarship. She also has been inducted into Sigma Xi, Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Sigma Nu, academic and honor societies. In 2022, she recieved the DAAD-Rise Research Intern Fellowship, a summer research internship in Germany, and in 2023 she earned a Dean's Merit Scholarship to attend Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University.

that played in 48 games and earned 41 starts, helping the Hawks make three Atlantic 10

Flanders served her community as President of the Gift of Life organ donation program, tutored and mentored at SJU, volunteered

Championship appearances.

A two-time Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer All-Academic selection, and CSC Academic All-District honoree, she has earned multiple academic scholarships during her tenure on

with both the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and her soccer teammates. She was also the treasurer of the Molloy Chemical Society at Saint Joseph's.

Q & A

What was the hardest obstacle you faced as a student-athlete?

I walked onto the SJU women’s soccer team so I didn’t know for sure if playing collegiate soccer was going to be a part of my future. While trusting that with hard work, discipline, and learning from my teammates and coaches I would get a chance to make a difference for our team was challenging, it was also the most rewarding obstacle I have ever overcome.

What hard goals have you set and/or accomplish?

I am an aspiring intellectual property (patent) lawyer and in my undergraduate years I set many tough goals: to get into my dream law school, graduate with a 4.0, present my research at national conferences, and to be the first author on a published scientific paper. These are all goals I’ve been very fortunate to accomplish with hard work and support at SJU.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Developing lifelong relationships with my teammates is the accomplishment I am most proud of. I was honored to be a co-captain during my senior year and be asked to be a role model for my younger teammates so that they come to me for advice on soccer, school, and life issues. The bonds forged on the soccer field, from pushing ourselves during conditioning to defending the net for a win with everything we have, have grown into friendships I am beyond proud and grateful to have.

What was your favorite class/professor and why?

My favorite class was a technical watercolor course called Scientific Illustration where I was challenged to combine the detail oriented, scientific analysis I’ve learned in my STEM courses with my favorite painting medium, watercolors, to create lifelike paintings of animals and plants in nature. It was beyond fun to combine two of my greatest academic passions: science and art!

What is one thing you would go back and do differently if you could?

While at the time I felt like I could just go go go forever, I would prioritize sleep and taking care of my body more during my soccer career. Training and competing six days a week on top of rigorous academic studies and other involvement takes its toll and now as different parts of my body are showing wear and tear, I’ve learned that being very intentional about taking care of my body is one of the most important ways to invest my time. You take for granted being able to run 10 miles in a game and I would definitely trade some cups of coffee and all-nighters for a glass of water and a longer night of sleep.

What would you consider the top moment of your college career?

My parents were my biggest supporters on my journey to play Division 1 soccer and standing at the midfield before the start of every game and listening to the national anthem, I would always see them in the stands, proud and excited for the game. The best moment of my college career is that minute before the game, being grateful to play and for my family’s enthusiasm.

What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

I was chosen for the prestigious DAAD Rise Professional Scholarship and moved to Germany, twice, for two summers completely on my own to work as a Chemist at a Chemistry university or company. It was quite scary to find somewhere to live, sort through all the technical paperwork not knowing any German, and figure out how to make my life my own in a foreign country. It wasn’t part of any study abroad program organized by my University, so it was completely up to me to make new friends and take care of myself. [KF1] It was a decision that required the most courage, but also helped me grow the most. I traveled all over Europe, met amazing new friends, and have the confidence in myself to live in another country on my own.