University of Memphis Athletics
Tigers, Always And Forever
Feb 23, 2017 | Rifle, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
Fister, Rodriguez Sala celebrate tremendous collegiate careers.
*NOTE: This feature story on Tigers seniors Amy Fister (rifle) and Martina Rodriguez Sala (women's cross country/track and field) first appeared in the Nov. 25 Memphis Football GameDay Program vs. Houston. Both are heading into their respective conference championships events (rifle: Great American Rifle Championships; women's track and field: The American Indoor Championships) this weekend.
At the University of Memphis, it is said, "Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger."
In May of 2017, Amy Fister of the rifle squad and Martina Rodriguez Sala of the women's cross country/track and field team will walk across the stage at FedExForum and receive their diplomas. And no matter what the future holds, both will always be Memphis Tigers.
Four years ago, Fister and Rodriguez Sala were looking at colleges and both ended up at Memphis. However, each came from different places and cultures. Fister grew up in Kutztown, Pa., which located an hour outside of Philadelphia. For Rodriguez Sala, her hometown of Olot, Spain, is just over an hour outside of Barcelona, the site of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.
"While in high school, I shot in a couple of international and Junior Olympic matches," said Fister. "As I traveled around shooting in competitions, I learned about collegiate shooting, and I said, 'That's it. That's what I want to do.'"
Rodriguez Sala said, "There are many athletes in Europe that want to come to America and attend college. Coming from overseas, you really don't know much about the schools, so sometimes it is luck. Sometimes you pick whatever your gut feels."
Luck or gut feelings, Memphis is fortunate that Fister and Rodriguez Sala chose to be Tigers. Both have been model student-athletes in their respective sports.
On the range, Fister has been one of the Tigers' most consistent shooters in her career. She has steadily improved her scores and had a 10-point aggregate score jump from her sophomore (1155.2) to junior (1165.6) campaigns. The three-time All-Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) honoree entered the Tigers rifle program with a solid shooting record and hasn't disappointed.
"Amy has always been a tremendous smallbore shooter," head coach Butch Woolbright said. "She also became one of our better shooters in air rifle. Amy has been one of our most consistent shooters, and she still is."
Woolbright hopes her consistency helps Memphis make a return trip to the NCAA Championships as it did in 2014, Fister's first season with the program. That 2014 squad placed fourth overall at the NCAA Championships, and Fister was a big reason for the Tigers' high finish, shooting a 1162 aggregate score and placing 20th in smallbore (579) at the event. Fister also represented Memphis in smallbore at the 2015 and 2016 NCAA Championships.
"It was exciting, and we worked hard to get there," Fister said of the 2014 squad. "In the preseason, we set our team goals, one of which was to make it to the NCAA (Championships). We worked hard and pushed each other, and that's how we made it. The strong 'team' feel around the program is what attracted me here. The city was awesome, the coach was awesome, but ultimately, it was the team."
Rodriguez Sala has proven just as successful on the course and track. During the 2015-16 track and field campaigns, she set three school records in the indoor mile and indoor 3000 meters and outdoor 1500 meters. Rodriguez Sala won the 2016 American Athletic Conference indoor mile title and earned a spot in the outdoor 1500 meters at the NCAA East Preliminaries.
But, all that was a precursor to the outstanding 2016 cross country season she just completed. Rodriguez Sala earned All-NCAA South Region and All-American Athletic Conference honors with top-10 finishes in both races. Her sixth-place region and third-place conference performances were the highest by a Memphis female runner in program history.
More than her own individual honors, Rodriguez Sala – like Fister – takes joy from what the team accomplishes. This fall, Rodriguez Sala helped lead the Tigers to their best finishes at the conference and region meets in program history.
"Every year I've been here the team has improved, so that gives me motivation to improve too," said Rodriguez Sala. "I believe if you push the team, the team can push you. We've improved each season, and we want to keep that going."
Head coach Kevin Robinson can testify to Rodriguez Sala's "team-first" attitude.
"What a lot of people don't realize about Martina is that she is the total package," said Robinson. "She is phenomenal student with a phenomenal work ethic. She is a true team player and puts others way ahead of herself. Martina is a complete person."
As impressive as the tandem's athletics achievements are, their academic successes are too. Fister is a Dean's List student at Memphis and her future plans are to attend medical school and become a doctor. Rodriguez Sala also is a Dean's List student with a double major in biology and philosophy. Attending graduate school is her post-graduation plan.
With tremendous credentials athletically and academically, there are numerous opportunities across the United States and around the world for Fister and Rodriguez Sala. But, both aren't going too far away after graduation. They have decided to stay in the Bluff City – at least for a while.
"After graduation, I want to stay in America and go on to graduate school here at Memphis," Rodriguez Sala said. "I want to study physics in graduate school. I hope to stay close by and connected with the program."
Fister said, "I want to stay in Memphis and volunteer in the hospitals here (while I apply for medical school). I would still get to interact with my teammates. I want to work in pediatrics, and with St. Jude and Le Bonheur here, that makes it a perfect situation."
At the University of Memphis, it is said, "Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger."
In May of 2017, Amy Fister of the rifle squad and Martina Rodriguez Sala of the women's cross country/track and field team will walk across the stage at FedExForum and receive their diplomas. And no matter what the future holds, both will always be Memphis Tigers.
Four years ago, Fister and Rodriguez Sala were looking at colleges and both ended up at Memphis. However, each came from different places and cultures. Fister grew up in Kutztown, Pa., which located an hour outside of Philadelphia. For Rodriguez Sala, her hometown of Olot, Spain, is just over an hour outside of Barcelona, the site of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.
"While in high school, I shot in a couple of international and Junior Olympic matches," said Fister. "As I traveled around shooting in competitions, I learned about collegiate shooting, and I said, 'That's it. That's what I want to do.'"
Rodriguez Sala said, "There are many athletes in Europe that want to come to America and attend college. Coming from overseas, you really don't know much about the schools, so sometimes it is luck. Sometimes you pick whatever your gut feels."
Luck or gut feelings, Memphis is fortunate that Fister and Rodriguez Sala chose to be Tigers. Both have been model student-athletes in their respective sports.
On the range, Fister has been one of the Tigers' most consistent shooters in her career. She has steadily improved her scores and had a 10-point aggregate score jump from her sophomore (1155.2) to junior (1165.6) campaigns. The three-time All-Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) honoree entered the Tigers rifle program with a solid shooting record and hasn't disappointed.
"Amy has always been a tremendous smallbore shooter," head coach Butch Woolbright said. "She also became one of our better shooters in air rifle. Amy has been one of our most consistent shooters, and she still is."
Woolbright hopes her consistency helps Memphis make a return trip to the NCAA Championships as it did in 2014, Fister's first season with the program. That 2014 squad placed fourth overall at the NCAA Championships, and Fister was a big reason for the Tigers' high finish, shooting a 1162 aggregate score and placing 20th in smallbore (579) at the event. Fister also represented Memphis in smallbore at the 2015 and 2016 NCAA Championships.
"It was exciting, and we worked hard to get there," Fister said of the 2014 squad. "In the preseason, we set our team goals, one of which was to make it to the NCAA (Championships). We worked hard and pushed each other, and that's how we made it. The strong 'team' feel around the program is what attracted me here. The city was awesome, the coach was awesome, but ultimately, it was the team."
Rodriguez Sala has proven just as successful on the course and track. During the 2015-16 track and field campaigns, she set three school records in the indoor mile and indoor 3000 meters and outdoor 1500 meters. Rodriguez Sala won the 2016 American Athletic Conference indoor mile title and earned a spot in the outdoor 1500 meters at the NCAA East Preliminaries.
But, all that was a precursor to the outstanding 2016 cross country season she just completed. Rodriguez Sala earned All-NCAA South Region and All-American Athletic Conference honors with top-10 finishes in both races. Her sixth-place region and third-place conference performances were the highest by a Memphis female runner in program history.
More than her own individual honors, Rodriguez Sala – like Fister – takes joy from what the team accomplishes. This fall, Rodriguez Sala helped lead the Tigers to their best finishes at the conference and region meets in program history.
"Every year I've been here the team has improved, so that gives me motivation to improve too," said Rodriguez Sala. "I believe if you push the team, the team can push you. We've improved each season, and we want to keep that going."
Head coach Kevin Robinson can testify to Rodriguez Sala's "team-first" attitude.
"What a lot of people don't realize about Martina is that she is the total package," said Robinson. "She is phenomenal student with a phenomenal work ethic. She is a true team player and puts others way ahead of herself. Martina is a complete person."
As impressive as the tandem's athletics achievements are, their academic successes are too. Fister is a Dean's List student at Memphis and her future plans are to attend medical school and become a doctor. Rodriguez Sala also is a Dean's List student with a double major in biology and philosophy. Attending graduate school is her post-graduation plan.
With tremendous credentials athletically and academically, there are numerous opportunities across the United States and around the world for Fister and Rodriguez Sala. But, both aren't going too far away after graduation. They have decided to stay in the Bluff City – at least for a while.
"After graduation, I want to stay in America and go on to graduate school here at Memphis," Rodriguez Sala said. "I want to study physics in graduate school. I hope to stay close by and connected with the program."
Fister said, "I want to stay in Memphis and volunteer in the hospitals here (while I apply for medical school). I would still get to interact with my teammates. I want to work in pediatrics, and with St. Jude and Le Bonheur here, that makes it a perfect situation."
Players Mentioned
/ Rifle
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