Featured Senior: Drew Farmer

What was your most memorable moment throughout your career at Willamette?

My most memorable moment was beating Whitman, at Whitman, in back-to-back games to make it to our conference tournament championship game.

Describe your feelings when you found out the athletic events were canceled for the remainder of the year?

I was extremely sad when we found out athletics were canceled. First, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to support my fellow athletes and, as a senior, this would be the last time to go to games as a student. Beyond Willamette, it was hard to believe that there would be no national champions, no state champions, and no underdog stories. It really just didn't seem possible.

How have you been handling life in quarantine? Are you home or on campus? What's it like learning online and not being around your teammates?

While in quarantine, I have done as much as possible to keep from being super bored. I went home to be with my family and we go up to our cabin a lot because it is in the middle of nowhere, almost completely isolated. We find things to do together to make the most of the situation.

What has your experience as a Bearcat taught you?

My experience as a Bearcat has taught me resilience and how to handle adversity. The rigors of DIII athletics are no joke. Balancing academics, athletics, and a personal life is not easy. However, with the help of teammates, coaches, and professors, I learned how to tackle these challenges to the best of my abilities, even when things got tough. This resilience and ability to tackle problems has proven beneficial in many aspects of life.

If you could leave one piece of advice for future Bearcats, what would it be?

My advice for future Bearcats is to embrace your time as a student athlete. Life can be stressful during college, but it's also good to take a step back and enjoy it while you have it. Four years truly does go by incredibly fast and you don't want to look back with any regrets.

What are your future plans following graduation?

After graduation, I will be in Hillsboro working for a State Farm agent.

From their teammates

What was your most memorable moment of Drew?

Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil: Drew and I had a big heart-to-heart conversation at the beginning of our season in a hotel in L.A. I was still acclimating to college and she was incredibly comforting and understanding. I've fallen in love with Willamette and the demands of being a student-athlete, and I give a lot of credit to Drew Farmer for that. Without her affirmation that every athlete faces different struggles in college, I may not have not decided to return to Willamette for 2020-21. I am very grateful for her ability to listen and to give the best advice when I needed it most.

Kassin Hopkins: When she tripped in the middle of the Linfeild game running to the table to check in.

Claire Bonnet: Every time she would bring us her homemade baked goodies to practice.

How has Drew impacted you in your sport or in life?

Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil: Drew was the most loving, positive teammate I have ever had in my career. It was genuinely like having a mom on the team, and I mean that in the kindest way. She taught me that a leader doesn't have to be harsh on her teammates to encourage them. After she graduates, I hope I can help to implement Drew's compassion into our team dynamic. We will miss her.

Kassin Hopkins: Drew has been an amazing friend to me throughout my career. When I visited WU, she was my favorite person to play with. Outside of basketball she has been a support system that I am very thankful for. She has given me helpful advice whenever needed and always has my best interest in mind.

Claire Bonnet: She's taught me that your teammates are like your sisters and that you have to support each other if you want to be successful as a team.

What makes Drew special?

Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil: She helped to lead our team with her sweet words (and she bakes the sweetest treats I have ever had). I never heard Drew get angry with a teammate, and even in the middle of a tight game she would always address teammates with respect and a calm voice. For a first-year, this calm presence on the court helped to reduce my stress and I was never afraid of how Drew might react if I made a mistake.

Kassin Hopkins: Drew is special because nothing can get in her way, she just keeps going. She is tough, gritty, and just flat out gets the job done. Rather than seeing a large task as something overwhelming or nearly impossible, she will always find a way to get it done. Drew has a unique demeanor that allows her to play a mom role and take care of everybody. For that, people will always look up to her.

Claire Bonnet: We all laugh about how we call Drew the "mom" on the team, but I think she takes pride in this role. She's not only our teammate on the court, but she's also someone who genuinely cares about us (especially the first-years) and is the one who brings the team together when things aren't going our way. In a way I feel like she was the "glue" of our team.

Is there anything Drew brought to the program that will have a lasting impact?

Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil: Drew's entirety: team mom, baker extraordinaire, and her wise presence on the court will be extremely missed. I have never had a teammate show so much love and understanding in my entire career. She inspires me to be a kind leader, a more loving teammate, a better listener, and a good person. We will miss her presence on and off the court for years to come.

Kassin Hopkins: The way Drew held the team together will always have an impact on the program.

Claire Bonnet: Drew has an incredible ability to see the floor and distribute the ball to the open player. I think this is something we're really going to miss in the years to come. Her ability to direct traffic while handling the ball, breaking the press, and calling out plays is something we could always count on her to do for the team, and frankly, something we took for granted.