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Oct. 3, 2002

When most students finish up their finals and head home for summer break, they can be found lounging around at the beach or hanging around with friends, just enjoying the carefree atmosphere that usually accompanies the summer months. This was not the case for 2002 Big East Pitcher of the Year Theresa Hornick. She spent six weeks at Marine Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. Instead of catching some rays or scooping ice cream, Hornick was participating in 11-mile hikes in the middle of the night, or running an obstacle course in full military gear.

Hornick trained with her brother Paul, also a Marine, in California for the weeks leading up to Officer Candidate School, but no matter how many push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups or runs the two went on, nothing could prepare Hornick for the draining mental and emotional tests that lay ahead.

"I think Paul said it best when he told me 'Just be ready to take anything they throw at you'," explains Hornick. "That's really what you have to do to get yourself through."

Not only faced with grueling physical challenges, Hornick also had a difficult course schedule as part of the experience. Taking courses such as Tactics, Land Navigation, Small Unit Leadership and General Military Practices, Hornick also had the added pressure of performing well in the classroom.

"They test you physically, mentally, academically as well as your leadership. You need to perform well in all areas. The whole experience was really intense and it got stressful, but I learned a lot about myself and other people under pressure. You learn how to be selfless. You don't think about your pain, you help the person next to you get through theirs. In the end, it's your passion to be a Marine that gets you through."

Heading into the summer, Hornick was wrestling with doubts about being a Marine officer. Juggling the schedules, time commitments and demands of both softball and ROTC were beginning to weigh on Hornick, but her experience this summer put things into perspective.

"I felt torn, I was being pulled so many different directions, trying to excel at both ROTC and softball," states Hornick. "But this was such an enlightening experience, it really gave me peace of mind about what I was doing. I found out I wanted to be a Marine officer, and I could be a Marine officer."

The task over overcoming challenges and staying strong was one that Hornick had to learn at an early age. Losing her mother to cancer at the age of ten, Hornick used her family as well as her faith to see her through. It was her faith and her Dad's home cooking that brought relief for her during this trying time.

"This whole experience brought me closer to God, "explains Hornick, "Just waking up, realizing I had been given all these talents and gifts. I was lucky enough to not get hurt and to stay mentally strong. Plus, my dad sent me cookies every week."

Perhaps the one thing that kept Hornick going the most was the end result- being a Marine officer.

"I remember on a hike, we had about 11 or 12 heat casualties and the girl in front of me as really struggling. You think about being a Marine Officer, not the pain. The pain will go away. You don't make excuses for yourself. You just do it, " states Hornick.

Hornick excelled throughout the training, winning a physical fitness award for receiving the highest marks on all eight graded physical challenges. The moment she stepped on stage to receive the award was the culmination of six weeks' worth of aches, pains, humiliation and sheer exhaustion, but, in the end, probably the most emotional.

"When you get your fatigues with your name on them, and the same guy that called you a dirtbag yesterday is saluting you," says Hornick, "That is a real emotional moment."

A four- year starter on the mound and a fearless competitor, Hornick returns to Villanova with some valuable new insights, courtesy of her time in Virginia. This knowledge is not only useful in life off the field, but on the diamond as well.

"I found a new mental toughness," explains Hornick, "No matter what team I face, no matter what happens, I can get through it. I realized how to give myself a chance. You stop doubting yourself because you know you have it in you all along. This experience fueled my desire to be the best. The Marine Corps is the best, and I want to be part of the best. With pitching, I want to be the best. It's just knowing myself and trusting my abilities."

Hornick has always been a leader, stepping up in the clutch, setting examples for all of her teammates, not just the younger players. True to form, Hornick served as a Platoon Sergeant at Officer Training School. Instead of carrying her team into the seventh inning, Hornick led her troops on an 11-mile night hike, where darkness and terrain tested everyone.

"Part of being a leader is being able to set the example first. Part of being a leader is following. I follow my teammates, my teammates follow me. I teach my Marines things, my Marines teach me things."

Her reputation as a softball player also followed her to Virginia, sometimes resulting in jibes from her superiors.

"It was funny, "Hornick says with a chuckle, "I was horrible at drill. Awful. My commanders would say, 'oh, you're the softball player, you must have been playing softball, when everyone else was at drill.'"

Six weeks' worth of 19-hour days at Officer Training School can provide a lifetime's worth of memories. When asked about her most memorable moment, Hornick reflects upon one afternoon at the individual movement course.

"I'm crawling in full gear, my face is in muddy water, there's barbed wire everywhere and fake ammunition is going off all around us. All of a sudden, my rifle [with fake ammunition] goes off. If I was in battle, I would have shot my Platoon Commander," laughs Hornick, "But I had to laugh because I stopped and thought about what I was doing...crawling through the mud."

Hornick will graduate in May with a degree in Political Science and will be commissioned into the Marines as a 2nd Lieutenant. From there, Hornick will head back to Quantico for six months to attend Tactical Basic school. In years to come, Hornick hopes to serve overseas as an Intelligence Officer or Communication Officer.

"I want to become more globally aware. At this point, I'm not sure if I want to make a career out of being a Marine, because having a family in the military is hard," Hornick adds with a laugh, "Not that I'm looking that far ahead."

There is no question that determination and confidence combined with physical and emotional strength will lead to great things in life for Theresa Hornick, but it is her insight, faith, attitude and experiences that truly set her apart from most people her age. She is a true class-act who carries herself with dignity and pride and is an excellent asset not only to Villanova softball, but the University and country as a whole.