Former NCAA champions from CWRU describe the lasting impact of their athletic journeys
What stays with you from your journey?
For student-athletes, the excitement of winning a national championship can be a defining experience—but sometimes what’s more enduring are the memories of daily moments and insights gained. Read on to learn what these national title-winning CWRU alumni carry with them.
Isaac Dukes (CWR ’12)
NCAA Division III Wrestling, 2010 champion at 149 pounds
Areas of study: Philosophy and sociology
Career highlight: Professional athlete in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program
“I often have to represent more than just myself—sometimes the Black community, male perspectives or at times the United States. What stays with me most from my CWRU athletic experience is learning that no matter where I start, I can reach my goals through time and effort. There were moments I felt I didn’t belong or that others were smarter than me, but I worked to become a great athlete and graduate. When I won my national title, I shushed the crowd, wanting one moment to be seen only as myself. That silence felt liberating. Robert Del Rosa, CWRU’s longest-tenured wrestling coach, first called me a champion. He gave me strength then, and I believe his spirit still guides me today.”
James Hopper (CWR ’23)
NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis, doubles champion in 2022 and 2023, and team championship in 2023
Areas of study: Biomedical engineering, focusing on devices and instrumentation
Career highlight: Professional tennis player
“As I clinched the [team] title, I just remember falling to the floor and being in complete disbelief as to what we had just accomplished. The moment I will remember for the rest of my life was seeing each of my teammates join me in a dogpile on the floor. Experiencing that moment together as a team after all the hard work and sacrifices we had made will be a moment I never forget. Despite how incredible of a moment it was to win an NCAA championship, I have found that the small moments hold more value to me—whether it’s stories on road trips or dinners with my teammates—as that’s when I felt my friendships and connections with my teammates grew and developed.”
Leslie Kindling (CWR ’95)
NCAA Division III Track & Field, two-time champion in 1995 (heptathlon and high jump)
Areas of study: Biomedical engineering with a focus in biomechanics
Career highlight: Officer in the U.S. Navy’s Medical Service Corps
“While I have joyful memories of the victories, the memories I occasionally revisit are those that I hope no one else remembers. I remember yelling at a relay teammate during the handoff, when the mistake was mine. One vivid memory was throwing a tantrum at track practice when I wasn’t selected for the relay for an upcoming meet. These emotionally painful experiences started me on the path to who I am today and taught me about controlling my emotions and humility. They shaped me as a person and a leader. I am forever grateful for the time coaches Bill Sudeck, James Evans, Dennis Harris, Kathy Lanese and Kim Shaw spent mentoring me as not only an athlete, but as a person.”
Illustrations by Oriana Fenwick
