Mary Washington junior guard Katie Wimmer started her collegiate women’s basketball career scoring 20 points in her first game.  She went on to earn CAC Rookie of the Year recognition, then added All-CAC honors as a sophomore.  Both years, she helped the Eagles earn a berth in the CAC Championship Game and NCAA Tournament.  However, Wimmer is more than just a great basketball player.  She’s a business major at UMW, a member of the Eagles’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a fan of music and this week’s CAC INTRODUCING … featured student-athlete.

What is your background in the sport you play?  I’ve been playing basketball since I was seven years old on All-County and AAU teams. I played for three years on the varsity team in high school and was a captain my senior year. I received 1^st team all-district honors twice (junior and senior year) and 1^st team all-region honors and the scholar-athlete award my senior year.

What is your favorite spot on campus?  My favorite spot on campus is at the top of the stairs that lead you to the entrance of Goolrick Hall because the view that overlooks the campus is picturesque.

Other than your team, what organization (s) do you participate in?  This is my second year as a SAAC Representative.

Briefly describe the most memorable experience during your collegiate athletic career.  The most memorable experience during my collegiate athletic career was beating Marymount at their place in the semifinals of the CAC Tourney and then going on to beat York also at their place to win the 2009 championship. Having nine freshmen, we were not expected to be very successful but we fought through each game and proved to people how good we really were.

What is the most important societal issue facing college students?  I think the most important societal issue facing college students is the economic struggles the country is facing.  We have to prepare for the future and need to take advantage of opportunities as they arise in order to find careers that students are interested in.

If you could change any one item in the world (in your personal life, school, community, amateur or professional sports, national/international issue, etc.), what would it be, why, and how would you do it?  I would change how professional athletes get paid for playing a sport because the extreme amounts of money they receive could go to more important things in the world.  Athletes’ decisions on whether or not to play or where to play should not be based on money, but about how much they love playing.

What is your major in college, and what is the most important thing you learned in that discipline?  My major is Business, and I’ve learned how important it is to be able to work as a team in a work environment and in life.

Other than your family members, who was the most influential person in your life?  The most influential person in my life is my AAU basketball coach when I was 16 years old (T.J. Dade).  He taught us to never settle for just “average” performance and always expected the best out of us. He taught us how to push ourselves to a higher level and proved to us how rewarding hard work is.

If you could give one piece of advice to elementary school children, what would that advice be?  Don’t try to grow up too fast.  Don’t take things that might not seem all that fun, like homework and school, for granted because at some point in your life, you will want it all back. Enjoy everything you do in life so you have no regrets or wishing you could go back.

What is your favorite form of entertainment?  Music is my favorite form of entertainment because it has the ability to change your outlook on different aspects of life. I love how you can find a song that will fit with any mood you are in.

Outside of the Capital Athletic Conference, who or what is your favorite sports person or team?  Duke men’s basketball team because I've always loved watching them play and seeing how successful they end up after graduating such great players each year.

Name three (3) people, real or fictional, living or dead, that you'd like to have dinner with?    
- Grandma (dad’s mother): She always had the best stories to tell and was so interested in my team and life. Although she was always cracking jokes and giving me a hard time, she could always give me a good laugh.
- Carrie Underwood: Carrie seems like the coolest person to hang out with and extremely down to earth. And of course I LOVE her music!
- Derek Jeter: I once read a quote by him-- ‎"I think those are lessons that you learn, that life can be difficult at times," Derek Jeter says. "So you've got to have that mindset, to want something. You have to work for it, and it's not going to come easy. I enjoy competing, at anything. And I want to win. You've got to enjoy competing. If you don't enjoy it, then I think it's very difficult to focus in on every game." This quote really inspired me, I think it'd be awesome to meet such a great athlete and role model.