For Alexia Verches, the decision to attend the University of Toronto was shaped by both family and ambition. 

"I chose U of T because of its world-renowned Engineering program and because I wanted to stay close to home," she said. "My parents were also both U of T graduates and so naturally it became my top choice for university." 

Entering her third year as a student in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, Verches is pursuing a major in Civil Engineering and a minor in Engineering Business while also competing as a catcher for the Varsity Blues softball team. 

What she may not have known when she arrived was just how quickly her first year would become a defining chapter in her university experience. 

On the softball diamond, Verches helped lead the Blues to an OUS championship, earning Championship Game MVP honours after a dramatic 11-10 victory over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in the final. Her performance throughout the season was enough to earn nominations for both the Varsity Blues Women's Rookie of the Year and the Frank Pindar Women's Athlete of the Year awards.

For Verches, however, the individual recognition was secondary to what the team accomplished together. 

"My favourite Varsity Blues memory so far would have to be when we walked off Laurier to win the OUS Championship during my first year. It was such a high-energy game and a true team win with an amazing and selfless group of girls." 

Verches played a major role in making that championship possible. Behind the plate, she provided dependable defence as the team's catcher, while offensively she established herself as one of the Blues most dangerous hitters. 

During that season, she led the team with 27 RBI on 30 hits, batted .417 and collected four doubles, six triples and four home runs. In the championship final, she delivered when the stakes were highest, recording three RBI and scoring three runs in the Blues 11-10 victory over Laurier. 

"Being awarded Championship Game MVP afterwards was such a surreal moment," she said. "It was honestly just the greatest season and outcome that I could have ever imagined experiencing while playing at U of T for the first time."

Her success on the field was only one part of an exceptionally busy first year. Alongside the demands of varsity athletics, Verches was also adjusting to one of the most challenging academic programs in the country. 

Her interest in engineering began with a love of math and science and a curiosity about the structures that surround us. 

"I was especially interested in understanding how infrastructure such as buildings and bridges were made and designed, which pushed me towards specifically Civil Engineering," she said. 

There was also a familiar voice encouraging her toward the field. Her father is a Mechanical Engineer and U of T graduate, and he helped Verches recognize that engineering could provide a natural fit for her interests. 

Today, she is exploring two potential career paths: Structural Engineering and Construction Management. 

"As of right now, I'm hoping to pursue a career in either Structural Engineering or Construction Management," Verches said. "I'm going to continue exploring both pathways throughout my undergrad and then see which career I end up leaning towards and feel most passionate about."

While the technical side of engineering drew her to U of T, the relationships she's developed within the program have become one of her favourite parts of the experience. 

"My favourite thing about my current field of study is the classmates and friends I've made through engineering," she said. "I think that going through such a challenging program really brings people together." 

That community has helped Verches navigate the academic demands of her program, particularly when those demands overlap with the softball season. 

"I've been lucky enough to find such a supportive group of friends and it's nice that we can just help carry each other through each semester." 

Balancing those two worlds requires careful planning. Verches relies heavily on her calendar, as well as weekly and daily to-do lists, to stay ahead of assignments, practices and games. 

"I've learned to make the most of my time and get schoolwork done wherever I can whether that's on the bus on the way to games, or at the hotel after them," she said. 

That discipline became particularly important during her academic transition into university. After a challenging first year, Verches entered her second year with a better understanding of how to approach her studies. 

Her persistence paid off when she earned a spot on the Dean's List and received the Varsity Blues Academic Excellence Award. 

"My favourite academic memory so far would have to be making the Dean's List during my second year," she said. "First year was definitely challenging and a big adjustment for me, and I didn't do as well as I had wanted to academically. But I think that after experience that I was able to find my footing and figure out what study methods worked for me and how to succeed at a university level," she said. 

For Verches, the achievement represented more than a line on her academic record. It demonstrated the progress she had made since arriving at U of T. 

"It was exciting to see the growth from first year to now and to see the work that I put in pay off." 

That growth mirrors her experience as a student-athlete. Her first year brought a championship, an MVP award and recognition among some of the university's top athletes. Her second year brought academic recognition and a stronger understanding of how to manage the demands of engineering. 

And through it all, the people around her have remained central to her experience. 

From the engineering classmates who help one another through difficult semesters to the softball teammates who stood along the field celebrating each and every play made, Verches has found the community she needed to thrive. 

As she continues exploring where Civil Engineering will take her, Verches can look back on her early years at U of T as proof that she can handle whatever comes next. And when she looks ahead, she will recognize how far she has come.