UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Whether it's her contributions between the lines at Jeffrey Field or around the track for the Blue and White, there's no question senior Marissa Sheva is a unique and talented student-athlete. Sheva has been serving as a distance runner for Penn State's track and field program in addition to her starting role on the soccer team – all while being an invaluable member of both squads.
A four-year contributor for the soccer program and a key part of a national championship team during her freshman year in 2015, Sheva also joined the track program as a true freshman, running her first varsity track race in the winter of 2017 for the Nittany Lions. From the beginning, the soccer staff was very supportive of the idea of Sheva becoming a dual-sport athlete.
"We were more than willing," head coach Erica Dambach said about allowing Sheva to be a member of the varsity track and field team. "We were supportive all along and I think it's worked out for both programs remarkably well."
Sheva is just as accomplished throughout track and field as she is on the soccer field. The Sellersville, Pennsylvania, native placed 11th in the mile at the 2018 Outdoor Big Ten Championships with a time of 4:45.51. Her teammates and coaches have taken notice of her tremendous success and value as an athlete.
"Marissa is definitely a player I look up to," sophomore soccer player and fellow midfielder Casey Ballow said. "I think being a dual-athlete here obviously says a lot about her, especially for Penn State, just being able to run track and play soccer."
"She brings us a ton of energy," Dambach said. "Sheva is all over the field, has played in a number of positions for us in the midfield and she's very reliable. You know what you're going to get out of her. I think she's on our opponents scouting report. I think they recognize her talent level and I think she's really tough to defend."
Despite being named the Big Ten Soccer Offensive Player of the Week during the 2017 season along with the Big Ten Freshman of the Week back in 2015, Sheva's best trait is arguably her leadership and mentorship of the underclassmen.
"She's definitely taught me how to be a leader and find my voice on the team," Ballow said of Sheva. "She's known for having a bigger personality on the team and she's willing to call people out if they make mistakes, which is very important here, especially in this program. I tend to be a little timid at times, but she's taught me how to find my voice."
Sheva talked about her leadership role throughout the soccer program and how she takes pride in helping others grow and improve their game.
"We have a really special freshmen and underclassmen group. They're really talented and because we are so senior-heavy it's all about what we can give them to be successful next year once we're gone and have graduated," Sheva said. "It's about teaching them what we didn't know as freshmen and trying to bring them along as fast as possible so that Penn State stays as competitive in the Big Ten and nationally as possible."
Now a senior with her days at Penn State dwindling, she reminisced about her time playing for the Nittany Lions and what it is like being in her last year of eligibility.
"It's definitely a lot different being a senior," Sheva admitted. "I think we put a lot more pressure on ourselves just to have that final season we expected to have when all came in as freshmen. It's so cliché, but it really does go by fast, especially with the group of seniors and fifth years that we have this year, it feels like we were freshmen and sophomores yesterday," Sheva said.
Sheva will look to continue her successes for both programs as she wraps up what was a stellar career here at Penn State. Sheva, along with the rest of the women's soccer team, will host the Maryland Terrapins Friday night at 7 p.m. at Jeffrey Field. The Maryland contest is one of just three home regular season games left for the Nittany Lions before postseason play begins.
