Lanie Cromartie plays Volleyball for the Penn Kingsmen.
Sport: Volleyball
Instagram Handle: @dcromartie3
Twitter Handle: laniemarie_3
What is the most important lesson you learned through your sport?: The most important lesson I’ve learned through my sport is that everyone has bad days, and you just have to be there to pick them up.
What is your favorite memory from your sport?: My favorite memory was when I was at a convention center, and one of my teammates was in the back row and had a very hard ball but got it up and then a ball came onto the court, and she got that ball and tried to throw it but slipped and fell. Looking back at the game film, you can see everyone on the sideline cracking up, which was hilarious.
Who is a player you look up to and why?: A player I look up to is Ally Batenhorst. In the championship, she hit a ball so far under the net but returned and did amazing and helped her team win and advance to the NCAA Championship for Volleyball.
What advice would you give to a freshman at Penn Athletics?: I would tell them to try their hardest at whatever makes them happy and not to care what people think because there are too many people in that school to care what one person thinks.
What do you love about representing Penn Athletics?: I love having little kids and siblings look up to you and admire you. It feels good to have people look up to you, especially kids.
Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what are they?: I don’t have any pre-game rituals, but I like to have someone do my hair while listening to music on my AirPods or out loud with the team.
What traits do you love in a team leader?: I love it when a team leader cares what her team thinks of her and does not want to be the favorite but is there to help pick everyone up and shape them together.
What is your favorite sports movie and why?: My favorite sports movies are “The Miracle Season” and “The Blind Side”. They both had someone they were playing for, fought through the difficulties with their team, learned from their mistakes, and became better humans overall.
What are your personal and team goals for your upcoming junior season?: My personal goal for my Junior Season is to be one of the two main middles for Varsity. My team goal is to make it to at least the Regional Championship.
How do you balance school and your sport at Penn?: I take the class time in school to do my work and focus on what I should focus on. For example, when I’m at school, I’m not stressed about Volleyball; when I’m at Volleyball, I’m not stressed about school. The main thing that all teachers say is to use the class time wisely, and I live by that unless I’m having an off day, and that’s fine, too.
