By Sarah Turner, Sports editor
Ask any student-athlete on campus, and they will tell you that being one is a serious time
commitment.
Upon arrival at the University of Montevallo, most student-athletes are expecting to participate
only in one thing; athletics.
But some student-athletes have found a home within Greek organizations as well as on their
teams.
Most UM athletes initially came to call the bricks home through their sport.
“[Montevallo] just felt really different and very homey,” said Khila Corrothers, a sophomore on
the women’s track and field team. Off of the track, Corrothers is also an active member in Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
The story is the same for many others. Jillian Meyers, a senior on the women’s soccer team and a
member of Phi Mu, said that she liked the tight-knit feel of the campus.
Austin Buird, a sophomore on the wrestling team and a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity,
said he wanted to stay close to home after high school. Luckily enough, UM established their
wrestling program in the fall of 2023, right after he graduated.
A common theme across all three student-athletes is that they didn’t plan on joining a sorority or
fraternity prior to being a student at UM.
“I definitely did not think I would ever join a sorority,” said Meyers. She said she attended a few
open events with the chapter in the spring semester of her freshman year with some of her
teammates who were already members of Phi Mu. After that, she knew it was a perfect fit for
her.
Similarly, Buird also hadn’t really considered joining a fraternity until he got to UM. He did not
join ATO until the spring, after some convincing from his friends.
“First it was like my friends were doing it, so I wanted to do it,” said Buird, “but then I realized
the bigger picture, it’s a brotherhood and everyone’s there for each other.”
Corrothers had family members who had participated in Greek life before her, which ultimately
helped her make her decision.
“[AKA] felt like me, and not me trying to be someone else that I’m not,” she said.
Corrothers, Meyers and Buird all explained that the connections they’ve made through Greek life
have been invaluable to their college experience.
Meyers is especially grateful for the experience she has gained by holding leadership roles in Phi
Mu.
“[That] has been really cool, because I never thought I’d be in a sorority or have the time to be in
one,” said Meyers.
Corrothers explained there are a few similarities in being involved in a sorority and competing in
collegiate athletics. The unity across both groups is especially prevalent.
“Meeting other people who all do the same thing, we all have that thing in common,” said
Corrothers.
Everyone involved in both Greek life and athletics has a common goal of achieving something,
whether that’s winning a conference championship or raising a certain amount of money for a
philanthropy, and being a part of that is a similarity across all three athletes’ experiences.
Buird also explained the relationships he has formed in both ATO and the wrestling team are
very strong because he spends so much time with them.
Balancing school and sports is already difficult, but adding on commitments to a sorority or a
fraternity is on another level of time management.
But Corrothers, Meyers, and Buird all said that it’s not as difficult as some people might think.
For Corrothers, this means constantly being in communication with both her track coaches, as
well as her AKA advisors. Some days, she might have to practice earlier, or on her own, because
of an AKA event, as both commitments are equally important to her.
Meyers and Buird stressed that school comes first. They both have learned that sometimes they
will have to miss Greek events due to athletic commitments, but most times members of their
chapters will take their schedules into account when planning events.
The community that Montevallo provides is accessible to all, and it’s difficult to meet someone
who’s only involved in one organization.
Student-athletes involved in numerous other organizations are proving that you can do it all
when you belong at Montevallo.
Graphic made by Sarah Turner, Sports editor Greek life X sports: Doing it all
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