The College of New Jersey Logo

Apply     Visit     Give     |     Alumni     Parents     Offices     TCNJ Today     Three Bar Menu

A Powerful Team Player

Katherine Reuther knows the meaning of dedication and being a team player. These traits have helped her not only to succeed in her major field of Biomedical Engineering but has helped her excel on the field of competition. As a player for both varsity field hockey and varsity lacrosse at The College of New Jersey she is all too familiar with high pressure situations. According to Katherine, “When I would find myself getting nervous for a class presentation, I would think back to intense situations where the game was on the line and tons of people were watching me and I was able to pull through for my team. Remembering situations like that allow me to realize that I can get through anything I set my mind to.”

NCAA Division III schools like TCNJ offer students the opportunity to continue playing sports which they played in high school, while allowing them to strike a balance between academics and athletics. The College of New Jersey Athletics competes in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), which both Field Hockey and Lacrosse have found tremendous success in over the past year. As a mid-fielder Katherine helped Field Hockey to an impressive 16-3 record, placing first in the NJAC and falling just short of a national NCAA championship. TCNJ Lacrosse, where Katherine also played in the position of mid-fielder, was equally successful. They finished up the year with a No. 5 national ranking overall.

On the collegiate side Katherine has discovered a passion for Biomedical Engineering, partly due to her experience as an athlete. “I have witnessed many season ending injuries and have seen the heartache they could cause. I want to focus my studies on the prevention of these injuries.” As a senior design project she has helped develop an artificial pressure-controlled and battery powered glove with the aim of improving life for those that suffer from debilitating injuries and disorders that cause the loss of strength and dexterity in the human hand. Having recently graduated from TCNJ, Katherine will be attending the University of Pennsylvania to pursue her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, focusing on the field of soft tissue research and how to repair injuries to tendons and ligaments.

When considering her time at TCNJ on and off the field Katherine knew what was the most meaningful and rewarding of her experiences. “Although it was difficult to be both an engineering student and an athlete at times, I was able to accomplish a measure of success in both endeavors due to the support of my fellow students and dedicated faculty. The camaraderie that teammates share when working together to accomplish a goal is similar to the cooperation that is shared between an ‘engineering team,’ especially when we all pull together to accomplish something great and meaningful.”

Learn More