Moffett wouldn’t trade Stony Brook experience for anything in the world
Editor's note: East Lyme's Vann Moffett, a senior track and field athlete at Stony Brook University on Long Island, had his season abruptly ended earlier in March when spring sports were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second of a periodical series of essays written by local college student-athletes who suffered similar fates, Moffett expresses his thoughts on the situation.
If I had to describe my time at Stony Brook in one word, it would be "genuine."
My teammates and I share a genuine love for the sport and for each other that I would not trade for anything in the world.
If there is anything I learned at Stony Brook, it is the importance of team comradery. In the sport of running, it is difficult to find success on your own. I know that I wouldn't have accomplished half of the things I did without my teammates right there with me.
When the 2019-20 school year started, it was an exciting time for my teammates and me. We set high goals and expectations for ourselves and were ready to go out and try to achieve them.
All throughout the fall and winter seasons, we embraced the challenges that came with competing at the Division I level. There were times when training and racing were difficult, but we leaned on each other in those times, and got better from it.
One of the highlights of the year, and probably my career, was winning the America East team title in cross country this past year (our third in four years). Some of my best memories from Stony Brook have to do with team accomplishments rather than individual ones.
All of the training and racing from this past year was supposed to culminate in the outdoor season. Then the coronavirus pandemic happened.
I sensed the NCAA was going to cancel the spring seasons. Once individual conferences started canceling seasons, and even the professional sports leagues such as the NBA postponed their seasons, my teammates and I knew it was a matter of time.
When the NCAA made the official announcement, I didn't really know what to feel. I can't say that I was angry, rather I was disappointed in the missed opportunities.
There was so much to look forward to in the outdoor track season, especially being a senior. This was to be my last time competing for Stony Brook, and I wanted to go out on a high note.
I still plan to graduate in May, with degrees in both business management and history. However, I hope to be able to return to Stony Brook for my master's degree, and to complete my eligibility.
I feel like I have yet to accomplish everything I know I can, and I would regret giving up the opportunity to come back for another year.