Throughout the 2020-2021 year, the Aurora University athletic department will highlight the senior student-athletes. The seniors will provide some insight to their time at AU while getting to know them as individuals they have grown into in their time as a Spartan.
 
Senior Spotlight: Marina Kanner (Women's Lacrosse)
Major: Social Work                      Minor: Psychology
What are your plans after graduation? Pursue my master's degree at AU.
What is your most memorable/best academic experience at AU? My most memorable academic experience is when I decided to switch my major after realizing my previous major was not the right fit for me.
What is your most memorable athletic moment at AU? My most memorable athletic moment is beating CUW for the first time in AU Women's Lacrosse history my sophomore year.
Other than the sport(s) you play; what other sports activity are you good at? I was a gymnast for about 13 years so I like to play around with some tricks every so often.
Outside of sports, what is your favorite hobby or activity? I love Jesus, so I love hanging out with my friends within my ministry and growing in community and faith together.
What is your favorite meal in the cafeteria? My favorite meal is for sure chicken nugget and Mac and Cheese day.
What AU faculty or staff member had the greatest impact on you and why? My coach has had the biggest impact on me. There isn't a day where Coach Fried feels absent. She is one of my biggest supporters on and off the field and she never stops believing in me.
What do you enjoy most and least about practice? What I enjoy the most about practice is being around my teammates and seeing the potential each one of us has. We are all there to pick each other up when one is down. Each practice we strive to get better because we are all aiming for the same thing; to win our first conference championship.
The worst thing about practice is when we hear coach say, "endline".
Do you have any pregame rituals? For home games, I get to the field early to have the field to myself to shoot around and then I take time to pray. I also listen to the same playlist before every game.
What advice would you give to underclassmen at AU? Enjoy the college experience. It goes very fast. Although times can get stressful, find time to enjoy it. Manage your time well and find a great group of friends that will cheer you on no matter what.
If you had to listen to one song on repeat forever, what would it be and why? A majority of what I listen to is Christian/worship music. If I had to listen to one song on repeat forever it would have to be Graves into Gardens my Elevation Worship. I chose this song because it proclaims how God can bring anything that's dead and make it alive again.
What is something that people may not know about you but should? I've been involved in 5 different sports over the course of my life (T-ball, soccer, gymnastics, boys ice hockey manager and lacrosse).
If you could spend an hour each with three people (past or present), who would you choose and why?       
1.) My brother Zachary - I never knew him because he passed before I was born, and I think about him on daily basis. It would be cool to see what it would be like being the middle child.
2.) Blake Shelton - He is my favorite country artist and judge on my favorite show, The Voice.
3.) Jesus - To thank Him for his payment on the cross.