Pamela London '14 debates Division III athletics, Whitman vs. Whitworth rivalry in Seattle Times op-ed

Pamela London '14 has written an opinion piece for The Seattle Times titled "Whitman vs. Whitworth: Why DIII Athletics is Big Time, Too."

London, who plays forward on Whitman's varsity soccer team, argues that the rivalries in DIII collegiate athletics can be just as competitive as those at DI or DII schools, pointing to the intense rivalry between Whitman and Whitworth. Since the 1970s, these two NWC schools have been locked in an ongoing "Battle of the Whits."

"We may not have 20,000-seat arenas and 60,000-seat football stadiums, but the Whitman-Whitworth rivalry challenges any rivalry I have seen. Give me a soccer ball, two goals and my teammates around me facing off against Whitworth any time."
—Pamela London '14

She describes a particularly memorable men's basketball game two years ago in which Whitman defeated the No. 1-ranked Whitworth team in the home finale:

"When the final buzzer sounded, hundreds of students rushed the court, a quintessential college experience in which I never thought I would participate," London writes. "That night, I didn't feel like I had missed out on anything by going to a DIII school. Watching a game like that, and playing in all the soccer games I have against Whitworth, has proven that I can get the DI athletic experience without being a DI athlete."

A history major from Shoreline, Wash., London has served as a sports editor and writer for Whitman's student newspaper, The Pioneer, and hopes to pursue a career in journalism. She is currently studying abroad at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.