There are only a handful of articles that surface in an internet search on NCAA student-athletes competing during law school. Not one, but two George Mason student-athletes plan to add themselves to that elite company during the 2020-21 season.
 
Mason softball student-athlete Bekah Ansbro and women's soccer graduate transfer Marissa Kelberman will have 1L listed as the player's class on the team roster this season, an entry that hasn't appeared on a Mason team roster ever. 
 
The NCAA granted a fifth year of eligibility to the 2020 spring student-athletes because of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing Ansbro to return to the Patriots. Kelberman had one year of eligibility remaining after graduating in December from Stony Brook University on Long Island.
 
Life as a student-athlete is challenging enough as an undergrad with juggling practices and games while taking classes. Law school is at another level of commitment, and the Scalia Law School is located about 20 minutes from the main campus in Arlington, adding another obstacle. 
 
Ansbro and Kelberman each know the daunting task that's in front of them as law students but neither of them is shying away from the challenge while crediting their participation in sports as an asset.
 
"Time management is a skill you have to learn as a student-athlete and will certainly continue to come in handy this year," said Ansbro. "Being able to balance a busy schedule will be vital in my success in law school and I am confident that I will be able to. Additionally, having the support of my teammates will help me get through it when times get tough!"
 
In addition to her studies and soccer commitment as an undergrad, Kelberman volunteered in the community, coached youth soccer and held positions on Stony Brooks' SAAC and non-athletic student leadership groups, while playing for the Seawolves. 
 
"I tried to make sure I challenged myself as an undergrad," said Kelberman. "I am sure that law school will be incomparable to anything I have done thus far, but I know that the preparation I have received from my professors and coaches will help me succeed. I think one thing that I have going for me is that I have been through the rigors of many preseasons and difficult workouts, so being sore and fatigued while studying and getting an education is second nature." 
 
Ansbro's interest in law was sparked as early as the fifth grade. Every Friday the teacher would allow the students to hold debates in class and Ansbro particularly enjoyed the closing arguments. When it came time to pursue her undergraduate degree, she opted for her first love of sports earning an accelerated master's degree in sports management this past May. Her interest in law peaked again when she recently completed her sports management internship with the athletics compliance office at nearby American University. 
 
"I absolutely loved the internship and the type of work it entailed," said Ansbro. "I finally understood how I could merge my interests in sport and law to make a career for myself."
 
Kelberman decision to attend law school happened during her undergrad, although she noted that she had some indications of being a lawyer at a young age as well.
 
"As a kid, I had been inquisitive and never afraid to back down from questioning why things are the way they are," said Kelberman. "Moving into high school, I found myself enjoying a good argument. Once I learned to tune this argumentative skill I had into advocacy, and constructed a solid foundation of values, I knew that my political science and philosophy degree with  professional writing minor in college would lend well to the legal world and I became more sure of my inclination toward law as I moved through my undergrad career."
 
Ansbro and Kelberman successfully integrated their academic and athletic success as D1 student-athletes.
 
On the diamond, Ansbro is an Atlantic 10 Second Team All-Conference selection (2018) and an NFCA Third Team All-Region selection (2019). The righty has a 2.92 career ERA, 24 career wins, 21 complete games, and 384.1 innings pitched. Ansbro's 299 career strikeouts place her fifth all-time in Mason's history.
 
The Woodstock, Va. native won a plethora of educational honors, including appearing on the Dean's List all four years at Mason, a three-time Provost Scholar (2018-2019-2020), and Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team (2018). She's the recipient of the John R. Linn Memorial Award for Outstanding Student-Athletes which is given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA in the Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Department at the time of graduation, receiving the honor twice, first in 2019 for her undergrad and again this year for her master's degree.
 
Kelberman, a mainstay at center back, led the Seawolves to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and American East titles. She started 30 of 38 games on the back line and helped the Stony Brook defense post 15 clean sheets over her final two seasons on Long Island.
 
In the academic sector, the Bolton, Mass. native earned an America East Presidential Scholar-Athlete award for graduating with a 3.75 GPA or higher. The senior was selected as a recipient of the prestigious 2020 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, an award that recognizes undergraduates who have successfully paired academic excellence with other interests, talents, and aspects of their lives. 
 
Ansbro's Patriots were only 19 games into the 2020 season when the season was shut down for the remainder of the spring because of the rapidly changing environment regarding the spread of the coronavirus. The senior pitcher, eager to play another season for the Green and Gold, decided to return to Mason.
 
"I had a fantastic experience in my undergraduate and graduate programs that it really enticed me to stay, but in addition to that, it is also a top tier law school with a great sports law department," said Ansbro. "When our season was canceled and the NCAA granted a fifth year of eligibility, it really solidified Mason as my top choice."
 
The Patriots interim softball coach Justin Walker is thrilled to see Ansbro in the Green and Gold another season.
 
"It was exciting to hear the news that Bekah was accepted into law school at Mason," said Walker. "This allows her the opportunity to finish her softball career and achieve her goals. And as a team, we are eager to get her competitive spirit, leadership, and experience back for another season."
 
With an interest in government law, Kelberman was drawn to the Antonin Scalia Law School because of the location, situated in the political capital of the United States, and a program that was highly regarded in the political community. Graduating in December allowed her to weigh all her options on law school and playing her final year of eligibility on the pitch.
 
"I knew that the Washington, D.C. area is a hotspot for learning and practicing any type of politics. It is the mecca of politics," said Kelberman. "By the time the new year came around, I felt as if there wasn't a single doubt in my mind that Mason was where I belong. Everyone helping me make the decision made me feel like they were not only invested in me as a student but that they would invest in my future as a professional."
 
Mason women's soccer head coach Todd Bramble is confident and supportive of his newcomer's aspirations to be a lawyer.
 
"Marissa proved in every facet of her undergraduate career that she is capable of achievement at the highest level in the classroom and her sport while simultaneously serving the community around her," said Bramble. "Even with the rigors that will come with being a first-year law student, we are fully confident Marissa will continue to demonstrate success both in the classroom and on the soccer field. We are proud of Marissa and are excited to see what her future holds."
 
As the new classmates begin the next chapter in their life, maybe they can be reminded of the quote from sports movie A League of Their Own, "If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great."