After countless hours spent dedicating themselves to Washington University athletics, seven senior student-athletes – Jabari Chiphe (basketball), Caraline Oakley (golf), Emma Kelley (track), Jared Phillips (tennis), Alex McCormick (swim), Emily Talkow (softball), and Johnathan Smith (football) – sat down with Student Life to reflect on their four years as a part of the WashU Bears athletic program.

Jabari Chiphe drives to the basket against Case Western Reserve University (Isabella Diaz-Mira | Student Life)

Jabari Chiphe, Men’s Basketball

What is your favorite WashU sports memory? 

My favorite WashU sports memory would have to be [the] NCAA Tournament first and second-round wins in the Field House this year. Those games came down to the wire and the energy in the gym was incredible. It felt great to pull those big games as a team and [to] do it in front of our fans, friends, and family [was great].

What was your favorite part of being on the basketball team?

My favorite part of being on the men’s basketball team has been how great of a team culture we have. Every one of us truly cares about each other and you feel that both on and off the court. When you have a team of people who are pursuing a common goal and willing to do whatever it takes to reach it, not just for themselves individually, but for the people alongside them, it’s something special. The bonds I’ve formed with my teammates over the years will last a lifetime, and building those relationships has definitely been my favorite part of [being a] WashU Bear.

What advice would you tell your freshman self about WashU sports?

If I had to give my freshman self advice about WashU Athletics, I’d tell him to pour into the people around him and also soak up what they have to offer. The student-athletes at WashU are a group of very driven, talented, and high-character people. There’s so much growth and value that can be attained by embracing being in a competitive, yet supportive, environment with people like that. I would also tell him to attack every day with gratitude because playing sports at WashU is an incredible opportunity that doesn’t last forever.

Caraline Oakley hits a golf shot. (Courtesy of Caraline Oakley)

Caraline Oakley, Women’s Golf

What is your favorite WashU sports memory? 

I would say probably my favorite memory is the Welcome Back BBQ that we have every year. It’s on the Frances Olympic field, normally outside unless the weather is bad. And you just get to meet a lot of people from different teams. It’s really fun all coming together at the start of the year and it helps gain a lot of energy because that’s with every team that goes to it. This is a really great way to kick off the year and get together from the get-go. 

What was your favorite part of being on the golf team?

Honestly, I really like our morning workout. Probably a hot take, but I really like getting up anywhere from like 6 to 7 am and getting started with my team and I feel like it gets the day going on a really strong note. I’ve always liked that aspect of WashU golf.

What advice would you tell your freshman self about WashU sports?

Don’t take it too seriously. I’m the type of person who tends to put a lot of pressure on myself, as I think many do, but you’re just here to have fun, especially as a d3 athlete. Like we’re there for yourself and your team. You’re not there for a scholarship. I would definitely say have fun while you do it. And also, make sure to take time for yourself and your well-being. I think with your schedule, being so busy as an athlete and a student, you tend to prioritize those two things. You don’t necessarily prioritize yourself. So I would say take 30 minutes a day just to do something that you truly want. 

Emma Kelley races at the 2024 DIII Indoor NCAA championships. (Courtesy of WashU Athletics, d3photography.com)

Emma Kelley, Women’s Track

What is your favorite WashU sports memory? 

My favorite WashU sports memory is when I broke the D3 800m national record at indoor NCAAs this year as well as getting to see lots of other great performances from my teammates that weekend and coming in second as a team.

What was your favorite part of being on the track team?

My favorite part of being on the track team has been getting to know and become close with so many different people across the team. Practices when all the different event groups are out on the track at the same time are always so fun and the energy that the whole group brings is great.

What advice would you tell your freshman self about WashU sports?

I would tell my freshman self to have fun with it and take every opportunity you can to get to know your teammates/other athletes better and make connections. Don’t be afraid to get involved, even in small ways. The four years go by super quickly, so don’t take it for granted and try to enjoy every moment you can.

Jared Phillips chases down a ball in a home match. (Alan Zhou | Student Life)

Jared Phillips, Men’s Tennis

What is your favorite WashU sports memory? 

I would pick a match where I was the last guy out at four-all. We were in the conference semifinal last year, and I ended up winning my match in a third set to send us to the conference final in a deciding five-four win. So that was my favorite individual match moment for sure. I think just overall having teammates and practice time every day, having the same group of people with a common goal and purpose has been super fulfilling, especially in a really individual sport where you’ve been mostly all by yourself. Having a team has been one of the most enjoyable parts of my enjoyable memories at WashU.

What was your favorite part of being on the tennis team?

Each year it’s real different. You have different members who will be on your team for maybe two or three years, but there’s always slightly different pieces and it always is really enjoyable to have a different team environment. I think building a team culture has been my favorite part, and just having an environment where we have people who have played the sport their whole life and want to be together and work hard to get better.

What advice would you tell your freshman self about WashU sports?

We’ve always trained throughout the course of our lives to get to this position, to be in a position where we’re playing college athletics. You can sometimes get really stressed out about wanting to play better…but using tennis as an outlet, and realizing that this is the last opportunity you’ll really have to play like such a high level of competitive athletics was something that I really used to start cherishing it more… Just going out there and enjoying the time that you spend playing the sport that you really have loved your whole life is something that has helped me a lot.

Alex McCormick (right) celebrates after winning a national championship in the 200-yard backstroke. (Courtesy of WashU Athletics, d3photography.com)

Alex McCormick, Men’s Swimming

What is your favorite WashU sports memory? 

I would definitely say the alumni meet this year. A bunch of alums, around 60 who all came back came back and we all had a meet against them and they raced against us. We got to hang out with them and talk about their lives and stuff like that. But yeah, definitely that alumni meet was my best like sports memory throughout four years here

What was your favorite part of being on the swim team?

Just always having a group of people to support me no matter what. It’s really nice having a foundation for life or for people to fall back onto so yeah, definitely having just a set to go to for anything.

What advice would you tell your freshman self about WashU sports?

Definitely try to make friends with as many people on the swim team. We all have lives outside of swimming. And we all do different things. So becoming close friends with as many people as you can on the swim team and using swim as like a common thing to become better friends with them. 

Emily Talkow leads off a base. (Clara Richards | Student Life)

Emily Talkow, Softball

What is your favorite WashU sports memory? 

Honestly, when I think back on all of my memories it’s not necessarily the big games that come to mind (although I will always smile thinking about beating case western my senior year), but rather the little moments: Playing hacky sack before games, hanging out in the locker room at 5:40 am before lift, chatting next to people on the many bus rides (and for my team, whatever seat you choose that first ride is your seat for the rest of the season), our team bake offs at Trolley Stop, sending messages like “I’m in whispers for the next few hours” and having a bunch of teammates drop by, and everything in between. 

What was your favorite part of being on the softball team?

The people!!! College sports are hard. If I didn’t absolutely adore my teammates, I would not have made it through 4 years of this. I’m so grateful for the ways my teammates over the years have helped me grow into the person I am, challenge myself to be a better student and athlete, and share so many laughs throughout it all.

What advice would you tell your freshman self about WashU sports?

College sports are not easy, and they aren’t supposed to be. Lean into the struggle and hardships — for better or for worse, those are the moments where you grow so close to your teammates. All the while, make sure to preserve time in your week for something you love. For me, that’s been going to trivia or grabbing ice cream with some friends. Even if you regret the next day when you’re cramming for a test, I can guarantee you taking some time to spend with people you love is the right answer in the long run.

Johnathan Smith (middle) celebrates a big play with teammates. (Clara Richards | Student Life)

Johnathan Smith, Football

What is your favorite WashU sports memory? 

I played football for four years and loved every memory I had with my teammates. I played in some great games, dominant wins and close loses that were still great games. But my favorite WashU sports memory in general was watching our men’s basketball team advance to the Sweet 16 in this year’s D3 March Madness tournament. The entire football team packed the bleachers, along with dozens of athletes from every sport at WashU. When we won, hearing the joy that my teammates and fellow athletes had for our peers was something I won’t forget.

What was your favorite part of being on the basketball team?

My favorite part of being on the football team was creating bonds with teammates that reach past the gridiron. Football is a unique sport, where you go from ultimate aggression toward a teammate in practice to being best friends off the field. Every odd conversation, bus ride, hotel stay and sideline celebration was filled with the love that our team has for each other. You can’t play good football if you aren’t united as a team, and it was a joy of mine to help build that unity every season.

What advice would you tell your freshman self about WashU sports?

WashU Athletics has more to offer than athletic development. There are service opportunities, mental health resources, and cross-sport connections that are available when you seek them out. I feel so lucky to have an incredible community of athletes at WashU, and my one regret is not accessing that larger community sooner.