Lacrosse has often been referred to as “the little brother of war,” a game of speed, grit, and strategy. The game can also build the mental fortitude needed in the military. For two lacrosse players, joining the military was a natural evolution in their life, taking leadership development and the teamwork to a whole new level by serving while going to college and performing on the field as a student-athlete.

Class of 2026 teammates Parker Tripp Salowich, a midfielder from Plymouth, Michigan (Canton High School), and Jacob Turney, a close defenseman from Springboro, Ohio (Springboro High School), have both taken an oath to serve their country. Salowich is a member of the Marine Corps Reserve, while Turney is with the Army National Guard.

“These two are great humans, and I think it goes without saying that doing what they do to serve our country and being a student and a high-performing athlete requires fantastic organizational skills, time management, and sacrifice,” said Jay Owen, men’s lacrosse coach. “Their experience is not quite the same as a regular student and certainly not the same as a regular student-athlete. They have also applied a lot of the leadership skills they are learning in their respective military branch to our program.

“They also have both pretty much started since they were freshman, but since they play defense, they don’t get a lot of stats,” Owen added. “I could not be more grateful to have them in our program, and they are certainly going to be missed next year.”

Salowich is a finance major pursuing a minor in accounting. He is a two-year captain on the lacrosse team and did a short stint with cross country after the coach asked him to join the team.

“His leadership has been awesome,” Owen said. “He is 100% respected by his peers. He is on top of everything all the time due to his commitment to the Marine Corps. This fall, the cross-country team needed a runner to end the season. Since Parker worked with Coach (Chris) Marco the previous year to increase his fitness so he could score higher on his PT test for Marine Corps, he competed in a couple of meets for them so they could qualify. I could not ask for a better role model and leader for our program.”

For Salowich, joining the military has always been an interest for him.

“I had always wanted to join the military, cliche as it may be. I grew up watching documentaries, shows and movies with my dad, and I was always interested,” he said. “I chose the Marine Corps because of the culture within and because I thought the Marines were the best fit for me. I have been in for three years.

“I am a reservist and will stay as a reservist until my contract runs out in 2029,” continued Salowich, who is also a tour guide in the Office of Admission. “My current commitment is two to four days out of the month and two weeks in the summer for an annual training event. After I graduate in May, I will go to 29 Palms, California, for a few months to complete my radio operator training, and that will be the end of my obligated ‘active duty’ training.”

Turney is a supply chain management major pursuing a minor in entrepreneurship. He has been a member of the lacrosse team for four years and is an active participant in the Investment Club on campus.

“Jacob is more of a quiet leader but also is very well respected because of his organization and the time commitment due to the ROTC program,” Owen said. “He has had to spend more time at Central State for the past two years, so he is not on campus as much during the day as Parker.”

Turney joined the military as a way to ‘pay it forward.’

“I have always had a strong desire to serve my country and felt it was important to give back,” Turney said. “During high school, I watched my brother join the National Guard, which influenced my decision and helped me realize it would be the right path for me. I have now been a member of the Army National Guard for three years, and because I am enrolled in Army ROTC at Wittenberg, I will commission as an officer in May and continue my service in the Army National Guard after graduation. My current commitment consists of one weekend of drill per month, along with a two-week annual training period during the summer.”

Wittenberg has worked with both of these seniors to accommodate their schedules. Both have missed a few classes, practices, and scrimmages due to their commitments. However, drill schedules are done in advance, allowing coaches and professors to be able to work with them on their duties.

“Witt has to work around my drill schedule, but it has not been an issue because I communicate with my coaches and my professors about my duties,” Salowich said.

“Wittenberg also works around my drill schedule, which is typically provided nearly a year in advance,” Turney added. “I am very fortunate to have a coaching staff that is extremely understanding and flexible when conflicts arise. The professors at Wittenberg have also been very supportive and accommodating, which I truly appreciate.”

Both students are thankful for the accommodations because being able to serve their country has had a positive impact on their lives.

“The Marine Corps has given me a standard to live by, whether it is in the classroom, on the field, or in the weight room, I always hold myself to that standard, and it keeps me focused on everything because I now represent a part of an organization,” Salowich said. “There is a certain privilege to have that pressure put on you, and I think it helps me tremendously. I am going into finance out of college, mainly focusing on wealth management and financial advisory, which does not align with anything I do in the Marines. I did not plan my job in the Marines relating to my degree, and I wanted to branch out and do something unique in the military.”

Turney agreed that being a member of the Armed Forces has made his life better.

“Being part of the Army has completely changed my life for the better,” Turney said. “It has instilled a clear standard that I hold myself to in all aspects of life. Representing something greater than myself has strengthened my discipline, accountability, and focus, both academically and athletically. While my role in the Army does not directly align with my civilian career goals in supply chain management, it has significantly contributed to my personal and professional development. The leadership skills, discipline, and responsibility I have gained have prepared me for the better.”

When asked why they each chose Wittenberg, Turney replied, “I was drawn to Wittenberg because of its close-knit, personal campus environment. Additionally, Coach Owens’ values strongly aligned with my own goals and priorities when I was searching for a college, which played a major role in my decision.”

“I came to Witt because of the small-school environment and because I wanted to play lacrosse in college,” added Salowich. “I like the professor-to-student ratio here, and I wanted to play for Coach O.”