An invitation to visit the White House, where you'll be honored as a national champion, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Point Loma Nazarene women's soccer team earned that invitation by winning the school's first national title. Monday was the day the Sea Lions, along with all the rest of the NCAA national championship teams from the 2023-24 season, were scheduled to be recognized at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
What followed for PLNU was a journey unlike anything anyone could have expected. With computer issues delaying flights the team got as far as Detroit, then had to get creative to finish the trek to Washington, DC.
"It was definitely, for maybe an older crowd watching, kind of a planes, trains and automobiles moment," says Sea Lions head coach Kristi Kiely. "I mean, we were on a plane then we were going to rent a car from Detroit, then we were going to jump on a train. We definitely were determined to get out here."
After 16 hours on the road they finally reached their destination ... only to find out President Joe Biden was not seeking re-election. At that moment they weren't sure the celebration they were trying so hard to attend was even going to happen.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
"There were a lot of unknowns, and that happened a little bit later in the day," says Kiely. "I appreciate their willingness to push through and the remarks the vice president made to address it briefly in the beginning, I appreciated that. It definitely feels historic. It's one of those moments where you go, I remember where I was when this happened, and I was actually there."
Bethany Arabe has an avalanche of proof she was there. You'll see in photos of the White House steps a student-athlete wearing a PLNU Soccer shirt. That would be the senior forward, who is suddenly on every news feed on planet earth, and already getting recognized for it.
"It's kind of crazy. I don't think it's really hit me quite yet," says Arabe. "But, to be up there representing our school and our community, it really means a lot. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that, to represent all the people who have supported us throughout this journey towards the national championship. It has been incredible to see the support from the San Diego community and from Point Loma."
Local
Arabe was not part of the traveling party from San Diego. She had an even longer commute. When the White House invitation arrived she was about to board a flight to Europe with her family.
"I knew that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be invited to the White House," says Arabe. "So, I did what I could to make it here. I flew in from Vienna, Austria, yesterday, and I'll be flying out this afternoon back to Europe to be with my family."
That's back-to-back days of nine-hour flights to be with her team for a historic event, the kind of dedication you see in national champions. In fact, that's one of the things Vice President Kamala Harris made sure to point out as she addressed the throng of student-athletes.
"Congratulations on all you have accomplished," says Vice President Harris. "Good luck on all that is to come. Wherever you all go from here, you will always ... and know this ... you will always be champions and we will always be so proud of you."
For a women's soccer team to be honored by the first female Vice President in United States history, a woman who could be the President, only added to the impact this trip had.
"I think they did a really good job setting up the whole event," says Kiely. "We got to tour the White House, play some sports, engage with other people who know the work that it took to (win national championships), and then to hear from Vice President Harris was tremendous."
By the way, Arabe is keeping her travel schedule straight with help from a calculator watch. Like, the old school Casio ones that debuted in the 1980's. They're making a comeback and she ended up with one as a birthday present from her collegiate research team, another group that you just can't help but root for.
"I'm a biochem major and so our work is on figuring out a new and better way to deliver chemotherapy drugs for cancer so that it's not as invasive or damaging."
If that is not the work of a champion, I honestly don't know what is.
((Photos courtesy of Shannon Hardy and PLNU))
