Leah Cesanek was the starting goalkeeper for the University of Tampa women’s soccer team in the fall. But after one semester, Cesanek is no longer enrolled at UT.
Due to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), specific information on a student’s academic standing is primarily held confidential.
As the law states, it is unlawful for anyone, including the student’s parents without the student’s consent, to disclose or collect information about specific grades or marks at any point in the education process.
After contacting the university’s Dean of Students, it has been confirmed that Cesanek is currently not enrolled at UT.
When asked to comment on the issue, Cesanek declined.
Touted as a top prospect coming into college, she recorded 28 shutouts in her four-year career at Haverford High School in Pennsylvania.
Her soccer successes followed her to UT, where she compiled a .75 goals against average in her first season.
But in a sudden turn, the women’s team that was once optimistic about its future now has a question mark at arguably its most important position.
Larry Marfise, in his 12th year as athletic director at UT, tried his best to explain this situation given FERPA’s restrictions, while also emphasizing the school’s academic policies.
“We monitor all our student athletes,” Marfise said.
“We ask every coach to stay on top of their athletes. But occasionally, some fall in the cracks.”
Although academics at UT are strong among all athletic teams, women’s soccer remains one of the highest achieving programs at the school.
In November, the team was honored with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America “Team Academic Award.”
Prior to Cesanek’s arrival, during the ‘09-‘10 academic year, the team earned a cumulative GPA of 3.22.
Marfise is passionate about sports, but maintained that he is more passionate about education.
“Our number one goal here is to graduate [student athletes],” Marfise said, “not to win conference championships or national championships.
“Those are nice. But what we want people to do is graduate.”
As a school with a smaller endowment than some other Division II programs, UT has less leverage with which to award athletic scholarships to student athletes.
Cesanek was on scholarship, though the exact amount is unknown.
Marfise said that coaches are required to look at academic records in high school when recruiting, and the athletic department prides itself on only accepting students who would also normally be accepted into the university.
Marfise reiterated multiple times during an interview that it is the responsibility of each team’s coach to keep tabs on their athletes.
Progress reports are highly recommended, though not enforced.
The athletes are supposed to give them to professors, who then return them to the department.
It should be very difficult for an athlete, especially a starter, to slip by and end up out of the school, without notification.
In an October interview with The Minaret, Cesanek didn’t allude in any way to academic struggles or difficulties.
She had a constant smile and positive attitude, referring to UT as “awesome” and her teammates as close friends.
She also spoke of her two sisters, her mom and grandma and seeing her father on weekends.
She described her family as “close knit” and described her parents as “strict about schoolwork.”
The comment now most striking and thought-provoking is an answer referring to her work ethic, in response to a question about why she was a better fit for her team than past goalkeepers.
“Putting forth effort is not hard,” Cesanek said.
“I knew coming in, if I tried, even if I wasn’t at the highest level yet, it would look good. I’d be working.”
Marfise said there is a long list of resources for students having difficulties in all facets of university life.
From Gateways advisors to mental health counselors to money set aside for tutoring help beyond the University’s resources, he is certain that the school could have helped solve the problem had they known what the problem was.
“This is one young lady we hate to see leave,” he said.
There are more questions than answers at this point for UT women’s soccer fans.
Women’s soccer head coach Gerry Lucey declined to comment.
In the coming months, more facts should surface.
Recruiting for another goalkeeper has already begun. Currently, there are two active players on the team’s roster listed as goalies.
But neither freshman Casey Merson nor junior Alexa DellaRocco (listed as a forward/goalkeeper) have logged any minutes in net last season.
Ultimately, fans and faculty alike are left to wonder: What happened to Leah Cesanek?
“It’s difficult for us to lose somebody,” said Marfise.
“All our student athletes I think of as my own sons and daughters.
For someone to just be here one semester and then not stay … that’s real hard.”
Miles Parks can be reached at minaret.sports.com.