“I don’t like sports,” says Sr. Marguerite O’Beirne, OSF. “I was never involved in sports, and I wouldn’t turn on the TV to watch the Eagles or Phillies.”

Despite her disinterest in games, Sr. Marguerite is now the face of Neumann athletics. A bobblehead of her likeness – complete with the ever-present cup of “proper tea” - is on sale to raise funds for the Athletic Department and all 20 Knights teams.

Her selection as the university’s sports icon was not based on her appreciation for athletic competition; rather, it stems from her legendary reputation as a spiritual advisor, academic tutor, and life coach to thousands of student athletes over 30 years on campus.

“The opportunity for young people on this campus to be engaged with an athletic team provides them with an opportunity not just to be connected to a diverse campus but also to see and develop the potential in their own lives, to transform their lives in some way,” she explains. “It gives them a greater understanding of what life means for them.”

Current students agree that Sr. Marguerite’s pervasive impact is the supportive relationship she builds with each of them.

“She just embodies what Neumann is,” says Alyssa Papasodero, a senior on the women’s ice hockey team. “She pours her heart and soul into what she does every day, and she’s dedicated to making sure that student athletes are on the right track, supporting them academically and spiritually. I joke that she’s my Irish grandmother because that’s how she treats me.”

Senior Donte Dupriest, a star on the men’s basketball team, insisted that Sr. Marguerite accompany him onto the court at Senior Day. “She pushed me to care about my education,” Dupriest admits. “I told my family that Sister is walking out with me no matter what. This is happening. She’s going to be there. She’s part of the family, and I love her to death.”

A sophomore lacrosse player, Sarah Kiraly is impressed by Sr. Marguerite’s 24/7 devotion to the students. “She makes an impact on the entire Neumann community because she goes above and beyond,” Kiraly explains. “I had an assignment due one night. I was stressed about it and emailed her. She was in Ireland at the time. It was the middle of the night, and she still helped me.”

Sr. Marguerite served as vice president for mission and ministry from 1996 to 2022. When she “retired,” she asked Dr. Chris Domes if she could continue working with athletes. For the last four years, she has done just that, as an academic coach for student athletes with an office in the Mirenda Center.

From her earliest days on campus, however, she has known the significance of athletics for students, a lesson learned during her time as principal of McCorristin High School in Trenton, New Jersey. At Neumann, she supported the creation of the Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development – the brainchild of Edward Hastings, Leonard DiPaul, Jim Murray, and Don DiJulia – to infuse the distinctive Franciscan charism into the athletic program.

Mission-oriented experiences, in conjunction with the opportunity to reflect on them through the Mirenda Center pillars, the chaplain program and the evenings of reflection, says Sr. Marguerite, is how sports can make a difference.

Alumni, too, remember her presence and kindness long after graduation. Kevin Flanigan, a baseball player who graduated in 2013, recalls his first visit to campus with his father. They came to watch a Saturday game on campus. Sr. Marguerite introduced herself and gave them a personalized guided tour.

“They say that first impressions are everything,” says Flanigan. “Well, I met Sr. Marguerite during my first visit to campus. She made it feel like home, and I chose Neumann.”

Elizabeth Frame, a field hockey player and member of the class of 2023, recalls the Rice Krispie treats that Sr. Marguerite made for the squad before bus rides to away games and the counsel that Sister provided when Frame lost both of her grandfathers within a two-month span.

Now a 5th-grade teacher at Edgewood Elementary in the Ridley School District, Frame knows exactly where she would display a Sr. Marguerite bobblehead.

“I would put it in my classroom on my desk so I could look at it every day. It would be a reminder. This is who you had in your life. Be just like her.”