{"id":257,"date":"2025-05-06T16:07:40","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T16:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/?p=257"},"modified":"2025-05-06T16:07:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T16:07:40","slug":"new-faces-fresh-energy-the-impact-of-jace-essig-and-reilly-murphy-at-mcpherson-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/?p=257","title":{"rendered":"New Faces, Fresh Energy: The Impact of Jace Essig and Reilly Murphy at McPherson College"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Dalton Thomas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driven, enthusiastic athletes have long called McPherson College home, and two transfers this season are adding even more skill and vigor to the court and field. Meet Reilly Murphy, a standout from Whitehall, Michigan, majoring in Digital Media Communications, and Jace Essig, a force from Paradise, Texas, majoring in Sports Studies and minoring in Biology. Both athletes, who arrived at McPherson after having successful starts at other schools, contribute not only talent but also leadership and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Decision to Transfer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both Reilly and Jace came to McPherson looking for a fresh start\u2014driven by a desire to grow and compete at a higher level. Reilly, who had a decorated run at Muskegon Community College as an All-American, explained, \u201cI was at a junior college and I needed to find another home to finish my eligibility. I chose this new school with help from a friend who was playing on the volleyball team.\u201d For Jace, the move was fueled by a need for opportunity. \u201cThe motivation for transferring was obviously playing time,\u201d he said. \u201cAt my last school, I wasn\u2019t given chances like I knew I deserved, so I talked to my family. We thought it was in my best interest to get a fresh start somewhere else!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adjusting to New Environments<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The transition to McPherson came with unique academic and athletic challenges. \u201cAcademics at McPherson have been interesting,\u201d Jace noted. \u201cI wasn\u2019t able to transfer all my credits, so I got put in a weird position to pursue a different major. Other than that, I have a great relationship with my professors.\u201d Reilly had an easier time, saying, \u201cThe transition between schools for academics was simple, and I fit right in with the communication major.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athletically, the pace and expectations changed, too. Reilly observed, \u201cThe competition was at a higher level, and I was pushed to acclimate to the new pace of volleyball.\u201d Jace added, \u201cIt\u2019s been a little different; we have to share a weight room with other sports. The schedule is a lot different, which took some getting used to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One constant that helped both adjust? Their teams. \u201cMy teammates are the only reason I\u2019ve been able to adjust,\u201d said Jace. \u201cHaving 40 built-in best friends makes life much easier!\u201d Reilly echoed that sentiment: \u201cMy teammates were my family away from home. I had a struggle in the first semester being away from my family, but my team took that place temporarily in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embracing Team Culture and Evolving Roles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both athletes also noted the differences in culture and coaching at McPherson. \u201cThe coaches here give us a better chance to be ourselves,\u201d Jace said. \u201cThat\u2019s what matters in sports; if you can\u2019t be yourself, it\u2019s really hard to play!\u201d Reilly appreciated the contrast, saying, \u201cCoaching styles are different, but both have taught me a different aspect of the game and gave me many lessons to hold on to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adapting to new expectations has had its trials. \u201cThe hardest part of adjusting to a new team culture is that there are new standards,\u201d Jace explained. \u201cThere is a higher standard of play than was expected on my last team.\u201d Reilly added, \u201cStudying and keeping everyone accountable was the toughest challenge to the program\u2019s culture called the MAC 8.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Their roles have changed significantly as well. Jace went from \u201cbringing the juice off the bench\u201d to becoming the team\u2019s captain. \u201cI\u2019m in more of a leadership role now,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve fully embraced that, and it has made me a better man because of it.\u201d Reilly also took on more leadership, especially as an upperclassman. \u201cAt my previous school, I was the only upperclassman (other than my twin), which came with many different leadership roles,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights, Surprises, and Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Among the most rewarding parts of their new experiences have been the unexpected highlights. \u201cSome surprises, like how awesome the car show was last year,\u201d Jace recalled. \u201cI heard some really good things, but I did not expect it to be that awesome!\u201d Reilly was pleasantly surprised by the cultural diversity: \u201cBeing at a high recruitment college for sports, I was introduced to many new cultures. Especially having the ability to recruit foreign students was new to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the favorite memories? Jace didn\u2019t hesitate: \u201cBeating Ottawa! The dogs played amazing baseball. Amazing team baseball.\u201d Reilly\u2019s favorite moment came on the national stage: \u201cGoing to nationals this past season! So many great memories to cherish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking toward the future, both student-athletes have set ambitious goals. \u201cBe the best captain I can be. Be a leader amongst men,\u201d said Jace. \u201cEnjoy the little time I have left with my teammates and coaches. Lead the team to a conference championship.\u201d Reilly shared similar hopes: \u201cProduce the best campus events through the clubs I am involved in and make a memorable last couple of weeks for my senior class!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When asked what advice they\u2019d give to others considering transferring, their responses were rooted in courage and self-belief. \u201cIt only takes one person to say yes,\u201d said Jace. \u201cTake the chance and bet on yourself.\u201d Reilly added, \u201cShoot for a school not close to your hometown! Go experience other cultures and areas and learn from others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

These student-athletes demonstrate that transferring is not about starting over\u2014it\u2019s about discovering where you truly belong. For the McPherson teams, Jace Essig and Reilly Murphy are more than just fresh faces on a roster; they are fresh leaders, fresh voices, and fresh energy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Dalton Thomas Driven, enthusiastic athletes have long called McPherson College home, and two transfers this season are adding even more skill and vigor to the court and field. Meet Reilly Murphy, a standout from Whitehall, Michigan, majoring in Digital Media Communications, and Jace Essig, a force from Paradise, Texas, majoring in Sports Studies and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Web Editor2","author_link":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/?author=8"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.mcpherson.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}