Succeeding in All Things Midland
As a junior in high school, Lily Falcone wasn’t aware Midland University existed. In fact, when she heard the name Midland, she immediately thought it was referring to the college close to her hometown of Garden Ridge, Texas.
“I was competing in the Texas State Powerlifting competition, and as I was leaving the meet, I noticed this table with orange and blue colors that said Midland. My first thought was that it was Midland College in Texas, so I was pretty surprised when I found out it was in Fremont, Nebraska. I didn’t even know where that was.”
Over the next year, Lily’s interest in Midland (the Fremont version) began to grow. It grew so much that by the following September, she made her first visit to campus.
“I had introduced myself to Coach (Tim) Anderson at the state meet, and he told me he knew who I was and was following my career on Instagram. I thought it was pretty surreal that a coach of the best program in the country knew who I was. When I came for a visit, people already knew my name when I got here. I got to practice with the team and meet the captains, which was very cool.
“When I met with Coach Anderson, he offered me a scholarship, but he told me that I should visit other schools and make sure Midland is right for me. But I didn’t make any other visits because I knew at that moment, Midland was where I wanted to be. I told my parents I was so happy to find my place.”
Now in the midst of her junior year, Lily has embraced everything Midland has to offer. Along with being a prominent member of the powerlifting team, she has served as an Admissions Ambassador for three years, is the Co-President of Cru, and is part of the Howard Hanson Honors Program.
“One of the things that drew me to Midland was that you can be involved in multiple organizations and be successful. Being an Ambassador has allowed me to branch out across campus and get to know more people. Cru is wonderful because it has given me the opportunity to be around people who all have the common goal of growing in our faith and learning more about God. The Honors program has also allowed me to meet more people and grow in my professional development.”
At the core of her Midland experience is being part of one of the elite powerlifting programs in the country. She has enjoyed individual success as a two-time All-American and national champion, but seeing the team thrive is always first and foremost for her. “Our team is amazing, and even though you might lift individually, everything we do is for the team. It is a really tight-knit group, and we truly love and support each other. Tim has done a great job of maintaining that culture by the recruits he brings in.”
Lily entered Midland with plans to become a sports psychologist, and while that still remains an option, she has shifted her major to Strength & Conditioning and is currently doing an internship with CrossFit Kohana in Fremont.
“I would like to go down the coaching route, and maybe even own my own gym someday. But I’m still keeping open the possibility of getting my Masters and being a sports psychologist.”
Lily Falcone is a junior Strength & Conditioning major with a compressed Psychology major from Garden Ridge, Texas.
