As the Duke women's lacrosse program celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2015-16, GoDuke.com will be catching up with several Blue Devil alumnae to highlight memories from their collegiate careers and the paths they've taken to success in their professional fields. Look for the profiles throughout the year, and be sure to check out the 20th Anniversary landing page at goduke.com/wlax20th for more information.
Abigail Meyer, 2005-08 A captain on the Blue Devils' defense, Meyer played in 35 career contests, totaling nine ground balls, five draw controls and four caused turnovers. She helped guide Duke to NCAA semifinals appearances all four of her years in Durham and was a part of the program's first ACC title in 2005. As a sociology major, she was selected to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. The Alexandria, Va., native also earned a certificate in Markets and Management Studies from Duke before going on to a successful career at Goldman Sachs in New York. She currently serves as a Vice President in Human Capital Management, she is the Securities Division Analyst Program Manager and assists with Securities Campus Recruiting.
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GoDuke.com: What are some of your favorite lacrosse memories from your time at Duke?
Abigail Meyer: My favorite memory is the Duke vs. Maryland game that took us to the Final Four my senior year. We had a tough season, with more losses than any of my previous three Duke teams. We went into the tournament unranked, all our games were away and we had a challenging schedule to get to the Final Four.
However, the team was resilient and our theme for the year was "Warriors." We vowed to take our battle scars as learning experiences.
The Elite Eight game was at Maryland (ranked 3rd). Each goal was hard fought, every defensive stop was huge. After a 60-minute true battle, we won 9-7 to take us to the Final Four.
GoDuke.com: What lessons did you take with you from your time on and off the field?
AM: So many lessons learned! These lessons have helped in my personal life, when I started my job and throughout my career progression to date. For example, working in teams, taking tough feedback, resilience, knowing the importance of showing up prepared, the saying, "do the little things right" and understanding that people are motivated differently.
GoDuke.com: How did your education prepare you for your professional career?
AM: I credit my Duke education for better preparing me for a career. Duke encouraged me to take a range of classes which exposed me to different ways of thinking and also took me out of my comfort zone. My Markets and Management certificate focused on case studies and group projects which taught me teamwork. My sociology major broadened my understanding of diversity, and the required science and math classes helped me become a more critical thinker.
GoDuke.com: What is your favorite aspect of your job?
AM: I would say there are two favorite aspects of my job: the people and the challenge. What motivated me at Duke still motivates me at Goldman, and I appreciate that. Both establishments value teamwork, integrity, respect and excellence. From the classroom to the field, I remember being challenged by some of the smartest people and best players in the world and I still feel that in my job today!
GoDuke.com: What have been some keys to reaching the level of success you are at now?
AM: I have found that as you shift roles or grow on your team, expectations change and the keys to success will evolve. But when asked what an underlying key would be, I would probably say having a positive approach, working smart (reminds me of Kerstin saying “play smart”), and having the mindset, “How can I best provide leverage to my managers and team?”
GoDuke.com: What advice would you give to current or future student-athletes?
AM: Two pieces of advice I try to live by (one of which I remember saying in my senior profile for the Duke lacrosse team):
1. Get comfortable being uncomfortable
2. Be true to yourself
GoDuke.com: Any other interests or fun facts we should know?
AM:
- Passion about food! Follow me on Instagram at abbas_bites
- Tried out for American Idol last year (Summer 2014), and sang the national anthem to kick off some of our lacrosse games
- Captain of the women's team and married Max Quinzani, who captained the 2010 men's team
- Youngest of 6, and 5th to go to Duke
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