#DukeWLAX20th Spotlight: Sandy Johnston Palenschat

As the Duke women's lacrosse program celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2015-16, GoDuke.com will be catching up with several Blue Devil alumnae to highlight memories from their collegiate careers and the paths they've taken to success in their professional fields. Look for the profiles throughout the year, and be sure to check out the 20th Anniversary landing page at goduke.com/wlax20th for more information.

Sandy Johnston Palenschat, 1996-99
Johnston Palenschat was a defender for the Blue Devils in their inaugural season in 1996. She went on to earn honorable mention All-America accolades from the USWLA/US Lacrosse as a senior while totaling 33 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers that spring. The Wayne, Pa., native was also named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team her final year after guiding Duke to the national semifinals in the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance. In addition, Johnston Palenschat garnered ACC All-Tournament Team recognition as a senior and was selected to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll for her work in the classroom. She received her bachelor's degree in economics, and after spending time working in consulting and banking, is now the owner of the Bella Bridesmaids Showroom in Cleveland.

GoDuke.com: What are some of your favorite lacrosse memories from your time at Duke?
Sandy Johnston Palenschat: Now this is going back 20 years, so some things are a bit hazy! However there are a few moments that could never be forgotten. For example, arriving at my first Duke practice and being handed a plastic stick (yes, most of us still played with a “woody” back then!). We all took a deep breath, started playing and never looked back. Also that year, my freshman year and the first year of the Duke varsity program, we ran … a lot. Much of it was to get us into shape, but there was quite a bit that was self-inflicted. Kerstin demanded a level of play from us that was new to everyone. A level of play that we all strived for, but didn't always achieve. So we heard “on the end line” quite often.

As the years went on, we upgraded from East Campus to West and from the Card Gym Public Women's Locker Room to a private one in Cameron. As entertaining as it was to have half-dressed older women mulling about as Kerstin was delivering her pre-game talk, it made it quite hard to focus! I'm sure Kerstin appreciated that new locker room as much or more than we did!

On the field, aside from playing in the Final Four my senior year, the best and most memorable time on the field would be our first BIG win, beating Maryland my junior season 10-6 at Koskinen. I still have the photo of us all piled on top of each other in front of the scoreboard. It was more than just winning a big game (our coaches' alma mater nonetheless), it was the first peek into what would be an amazing and winning future for Duke women's lacrosse.

GoDuke.com: Who were some teammates that influenced you?
SJP: I learned a lot about work ethic from Kristin Lonergan (Oseychik) and Karen Sutton. Both were the class above me and captains of the team for multiple years. They were (and still are!) great athletes who didn't necessarily come to Duke to play on a varsity team, but became the first true leaders of the program through their unparalleled drive and commitment. No matter what the situation, Karen and Skippy (as Kristin is lovingly known) would be the first voices you heard in team huddles, pushing us all to play our best and overcome any obstacles. It didn't hurt that Karen could sprint faster than anyone on the team either!

GoDuke.com: How did your education prepare you for life after college?
SJP: I was an economics major and didn't go into an industry that required specific schooling, but being constantly surrounded by the best of the best requires performance at the highest level, both on and off the field. I learned to work hard but also work smart throughout my time at Duke – there were only so many hours in a day! This knowledge and way of life were key to my success in the corporate world but also come in quite handy being a small business owner and mom of two little girls (Ellie – 3, Nina – 1).

GoDuke.com: Describe your career path and favorite aspect of what you do now.
SJP: After college, I went into consulting, as did many other Duke graduates. The industry taught me a lot: how to adapt to any given situation, how to work well with other people at all levels. It also helped me develop business acumen that could be used across all industries. Consulting led way to further project work within the banking world, including a two-year expatriate arrangement living and working in London. I there met my now husband Tom and after we were both back in the States I relocated to Ohio from Charlotte. Shortly after we got married, with my love of weddings at an all-time high, I opened the Bella Bridesmaids showroom here in the Cleveland area. As different as the wedding and financial industries are, my years doing consulting and project management were the perfect training for becoming a small business owner. My favorite parts? Helping brides make their big days perfect, being my own boss and having the ability to spend a lot of time at home with my two girls!

GoDuke.com: What advice would you give to current or future student-athletes?
SJP: Enjoy yourself!!! Work hard … get the most out of both your education and your athletics, but enjoy it! Twenty years later, you might just look back and miss it.

GoDuke.com: Any other interests or fun facts we should know about?
SJP: The competitive athletic bug never really left after college. I enjoyed a few years off of specific training, then decided to run my first marathon in Chicago. I ran three more after that, about every other year – Chicago again, Marine Corps and New York. Life seemed to get in the way after that, but my goal is to run my fifth (and final) in London… someday!

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#DukeWLAX20th Spotlight: Sandy Johnston Palenschat

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