TOWSON, Md. – Towson University senior women's golfer Erica Han should've been preparing to tee off at the Kingsmill Invitational and the Women's Intercollegiate at Prospect Bay Country Club this week.
 
Instead, Han, like the rest of collegiate student-athletes across the nation, are still emotionally processing the sudden end of their seasons.
 
On March 12th, Towson athletics followed suit with several conferences and schools across the country upon the recommendations of health officials and medical professionals to reduce the risk from the COVID-19 outbreak to cancel the spring sport season out of an abundance of caution.
 
"I was definitely shocked to hear that the rest of the season was coming to an end," Han said. "We were actually at the golf course when (head coach Shannon Briggs) told us that this would be our last practice together."
 
In Han's case, it meant the stunning conclusion of a memorable career. One in which she accomplished plenty including being a member of the team that rewrote the school record books in 2017. Han knows her contributions, hard work, sacrifices and sweat were appreciated more than she ever realized.
 
"I wished we could have had a proper ending to our senior seasons, so it's pretty sad," Han said. "I've lived four years basically on the same routine everyday. It's definitely going to be change and a sad one at that. From now on I can definitely see myself being constantly reminded of the good times I've had with the team while doing the simplest tasks throughout the day."
 
While this is hard to process, Han has remained focusing on the positives during this unprecedented time. She's also adjusting to remote learning.
 
A biology major with a fundamental biology of animals' concentration, Han has been busy. She is hoping to take the MCAT so that she can begin the process of applying to medical school because she aspires to become a surgeon while working as a CNA for patients who lack the ability to take care of themselves.
 
"It's been hard to keep up with labs since they usually involve hands on experiments," Han said. "Although everything has been moved online, we are still expected to continue with our original syllabus and complete most of our labs. At least for my class in particular, this lab definitely requires a lot more research because we have to find experiment results (images) online and write conclusions on them."
 
Han went out strong in her final round as a college athlete on March 2. Competing in the Kiawah Classic, Han shot a six-over 78 (+6) helped by birdies on the 11th and 15th holes. She shot a three over on the front and back nine.
 
During the fall, Han competed in five events and finished with a 77.8 average over 14 rounds. She shot a fall low round of 74 (+2) in the first round of the Bucknell Invitational and had three top 20 finishes. She helped Towson finish tied for first at the Towson Invitational and third at the Bucknell Invitational and Starmount Fall Classic.
 
Han enjoyed a transformational summer experience of interning in an assisted living facility caring for dementia and Alzheimer's patients, which provided a fascinating perspective.
 
"I learned many things including some valuable time management skills as well as patience and responsibility," Han said. "I've learned a lot about myself through my athletic career. Most importantly, I was tested against my limits and as a result, it allowed me to grow as a whole. Being an athlete at Towson, I was able to gain the confidence that will allow me to overcome any future challenges."