Super Seniors: Student-Athletes Making Their Fifth Year Count

This year, five Blues student-athletes who started college in 2020 opted to use their extra year of NCAA eligibility to stay on at Whitman College and pursue unique opportunities—on the court, on the field and in the classroom. 

Korin Baker ’25

Her first year on Whitman’s women’s basketball team was a very confusing time for Korin Baker ’25, says the forward from Wauconda, Washington. “I felt like I was finally a college athlete, but I wasn't allowed to train.” Her extra year at Whitman, however, came with an unexpected bonus: the opportunity to play basketball alongside her sister, guard Emma Lena Baker ’28.

“Getting to watch her play and play alongside her is a gift I never thought I would get,” Baker says.

Baker has also leveraged this extra time at Whitman to enrich her academic journey. She changed her major from Biology to Brain, Behavior and Cognition, a new neuroscience program in its second year. She’s now gaining more research experience and taking classes to help her prepare for a nursing degree.

Lindsay Drango ’25

Baker’s teammate Lindsay Drango ’25 (a forward from Lake Oswego, Oregon) also took advantage of her fifth year to major in Brain, Behavior and Cognition—a program she hopes to apply to a career as an anesthesiology assistant.

She’s seen new opportunities on the court too.

“In my sport, this extra year has allowed me to grow technically and improve on my leadership skills,” she says. “Now that I get one more year to play basketball with all my best friends, I wouldn't change any of it.”

Eric Gantt ’24

Men’s soccer defender Eric Gantt ’24 says, “When I look back on the delay, I’m not as upset as I was in the moment.” It gave Gantt time at home in Meridian, Idaho, with his mom and grandparents during a time his family needed him most, he says.

The Biology major used his bonus fall semester at Whitman—officially graduating in December 2024—to earn his personal training and nutritional coach certifications, important steps toward his future career goals.

And he’s been able to step into a leadership role on the men’s soccer team, helping to mentor his younger teammates as they navigate their first years as student-athletes. 

Grant Hunt ’25

With his extra year of eligibility, Grant Hunt ’25 (a guard from Redmond, Washington) decided to take the opportunity to double major in Economics and Religion.

“It has allowed him to continue playing and representing Whitman men’s basketball,” says Head Men's Basketball Coach John Lamanna. “Grant will be a five-year starter for our program, and he is one of the top returning players in the Northwest Conference. On the basketball floor, Grant’s fifth year will provide him an opportunity to lead Whitman as we pursue our third consecutive conference championship.”

Beck Maguire ’25

Men’s baseball infielder Beck Maguire ’25 from Boise, Idaho, isn’t sleeping on his fifth year either. “I’ve been fortunate to really advance my experiences outside the classroom,” he says, including studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and volunteering in Walla Walla, including at Providence St. Mary Regional Cancer Center and SOS Health Clinic. 

He’s grateful to have an extra year to play and compete in the sport he loves, he says—and this coming season, to have “another shot at the conference championship.”