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Meet Our Mentors

Athletes Better Together enables experienced student-athletes to mentor younger athletes, enhancing our Better Together Mental Performance Literacy and Leadership programs. Mentorship combines clinician-led group sessions on specific topics and four personalized virtual Zoom sessions with a Better Together Mentor. These sessions, scheduled at mutually agreed times, revolve around course content. Mentors receive compensation for all sessions.

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Sierra Enge

Stanford, San Diego Wave, RC Strasbourg

Sport: Women's Soccer

Athletic Background:

  • Stanford University Women's Soccer

  • San Diego Wave

  • RC Strasbourg 

Personal Statement:

"Better together is so important to me because, too often, athletes feel like they are going through challenges alone. We are taught that being tough means hiding what is going on beneath the surface. Better together allows athletes to lean on one another. It is the support network I wish I had when I lost my best friend in college. We are far more powerful together!"

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Declan Maguire  

Colorado College, Class of 2025

Major: Economics
Sport: Men's Lacrosse

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Athletic Background:

  • Colorado College 

  • St. Sebastian's Varsity hockey and lacrosse,  

  • 3D New England,  

  • Bay Sate Breakers  

Personal Statement:

"I began my athletic career as soon as I could skate, with hockey being my first passion. Growing up with parents who were college athletes, I faced early challenges but quickly learned from their experiences. My journey shifted when I attended St. Sebastian’s School in Needham, MA, where I realized that lacrosse was my true calling. After a successful freshman year, I joined 3D New England, where I fell in love with their relaxed and fun approach to club lacrosse. 

 

In the summer before my junior year, I committed to Colorado College, excited to compete in the mountains against top-tier competition. However, shortly after my commitment, I was diagnosed with skin cancer, facing two melanoma diagnoses. Despite the challenges, I’ve continued to push forward. Now heading into my senior year, I’m proud to have surpassed 100 career points and remain focused on competing for a national championship."  

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Lillia Montemarano

University of Michigan, Class of 2024

Major: Psychology
Sport: Women's Lacrosse

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Athletic Background:

  • University of Michigan Lacrosse Team (2022-2024)

  • University of Denver Lacrosse Team (2020-2021)

  • Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Lacrosse Team (2013-2020)

  • MC Elite Lacrosse Club (2013-2019)

Personal Statement:

"I played Division I Lacrosse at the University of Michigan and recently graduated with a degree in psychology. While our program finished with its most successful season in history, ranked within the top 5, and I concluded my career as an All-American, I value the lessons I learned throughout my time at the university and the relationships within my team more than our accolades. After closing a 15-year chapter of playing organized sports, I’m not ready to step away from the field and know I have more to give to athletics. I’m eager to combine my education in psychology, personal experience with mental performance, and dedication to mental performance advocacy with my lifelong love for athletics."

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Kendall Martin

Former UCSB, Class of 2023 
Major:
Sociology, Future Master’s in Sports Counseling Psychology at Boston University 
Sport: Track and Field – Javelin

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Athletic Background:

  • Napa Track Club 

  • Justin Siena Varsity Track 

  • Varsity Volleyball 

  • Beach Volleyball Travel Team 

  • Division 1 Track and Field (Indoor and Outdoor) 

Personal Statement:

"My name is Kendall Martin, and athletics have always played a significant role in my life. Growing up, I played a sport in every season, often participating on two teams for each sport. I played school and club volleyball and track in high school before beginning my career as a Division 1 javelin thrower at UC Santa Barbara. I competed at Junior Nationals and Junior Olympics for javelin in high school. In college, I made it onto UCSB’s top 5 performers list and finished top 5 in my conference two years in a row. However, what I am most proud of is my contribution to mental health resources in my sports community. I created a sports psychology group, worked on athlete outreach in our counseling center, and gave a TED talk on my struggles with injury and athletic identity. I hope my experiences and motivation to help others become their best selves will allow me to be an effective mentor to young athletes."

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Meet Our Team Leaders

This platform allows seasoned student-athletes to mentor and guide younger athletes by sharing their life experiences and complimenting our structured Better Together Mental Performance Literacy and Leadership programming.

 

Mentorship involves a combination of clinician-facilitated topic-specific group sessions and four (4) one-on-one virtual Zoom sessions with a designated Better Together Mentor. The mentor and the mentee will engage around the Better Together course content at their own set agreed-upon times. Mentors will be compensated for all sessions.

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Lead by Dr. Kimberly O'Brien, PhD, LICSW

Better Together provides customizable programming to support athletes’ mental performance and well-being throughout your athlete-development. We aim to optimize the processes of wellness, balance, success, and happiness. We provide each athlete with a current or former college athlete who will support, inspire, and mentor your athletes. While you improve your athlete’s athletic skills, we improve your athlete’s mental skills. Our curriculum and practical tools will help each athlete find the best version of themselves.

We want to work

with you. 

We'd love to hear why you're excited to join our Athletes Better Together community, or just stop by to say hello. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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