MOUNTIES' SCHAAL NAMED AMCC REPRESENTATIVE FOR NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Mount Aloysius College women's soccer player Kayla Schaal has been named the AMCC representative of the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Schaal is the CEO and Founder of the Kids with Dreams Foundation Int., of which she founded in 2020. The organization collects and distributes used sports equipment for underprivileged communities. Schaal coordinates and hosts fundraising events to generate donatiosn for targeted organizations, including the Salvation Army and YMCA. She leads weekly beard meetings and encourages young members of the community to find their passion and take initiative in athletics regardless of financial barriers. She also oversees the social media content development, brand updates, and merchandise designs. Schaal coordinated a Kids with Dreams youth basketball clinic in partnership with Paul Reed of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Schaal has also served as a supplemental instruction leader on campus, a LIFT Peer Mentor, a peer tutor, and a campus orientation leader. She also served as the Vice President of the Biology Club where she faciliated all club meetings, organized club events, an, and promoted the group on campus. She assisted with several community service projects, including a local backpack project where she helped to stock backpacks for Johnstown area kids in need with food and school supplies, the biology club campus cleanup, and the All Saints Catholic School cleanup.

Schaal has earned numerous academic awards over the years, including being named a Mercy Presidential Scholar from 2019-22 and was a member of the Mount Aloysius Dean's List every semester. She was a member of the AMCC All-Academic Team, an AMCC Peak Performer, and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2023 and was named the 2023 Mount Aloysius College Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. 

Athletically, Schaal was a 2022 AMCC Women's Soccer All-Conference Third Team selection. She received the Mount Aloysius Women's Soccer Coach's Award in 2019 and was named her team MVP in 2022. The Mounties were conference semifinalists in 2019, 2021, and 2022. 

Schaal graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in physical therapy and a minor in psychology, recording a 3.92 GPA.