College sports and college recruiting have drastically changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's Sammy Mueller's story about how she is taking the opportunity to use her extra year of eligibility for an opportunity to continue her education.

Sammy Mueller was a four-year starting midfielder for the University of Virginia women's lacrosse team. Since the 2020 season was cut short, she plans to take her extra year of eligibility as a graduate student at Northwestern University. Mueller finished her career at UVA with 165 goals and 50 assists for 215 points, in addition to 171 ground balls, 84 caused turnovers, and 204 draw controls. She never skipped a beat as she was the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2017 and since then has earned All-American honors three years in a row. Mueller took a leap of faith and entered the transfer portal when her senior season was canceled this spring and, after considering her choices, decided that Northwestern was the best option both academically and athletically. She discusses how she was able to navigate the transfer process during such a difficult time and offers advice to athletes who may be trying to do the same. 

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* Originally published on November 12, 2020, by Lauren Gilbert