Not every student-athlete wears their impact on their sleeve.

Some blend into the rhythm of campus life early practices, long study nights, quiet determination. But every so often, there's someone who moves differently. Someone who not only lives the student-athlete experience, but works to give it a voice.

At Saint Mary's University, that someone is Owen Fonder.

A junior on the Cardinal men's tennis team, Fonder is redefining what it means to be a student-athlete. With a camera in hand and a story always in mind, he has become the creative force behind a growing collection of features that shine a light on the lives of Cardinals beyond the scoreboard. His work captures something deeper such as the emotion, the adversity, and the humanity that often goes unseen in the sports releases.

Because for Fonder, telling these stories isn't just a passion. It's personal.

"It opened my eyes to athletes and their journeys," Fonder said of his summer internship with Hoop Brothers, a multimedia company where he worked in Player Relations. "Being an athlete myself, I can relate to each person I interact with. I want to tell the story behind the stats."

That perspective drives everything he does. Whether he's shooting action photos on the sideline or sitting down with a fellow athlete to hear their story, Fonder is intentional. He makes time for every team, every moment, and every voice ensuring that no story goes untold.

At a place like Saint Mary's, he's found the space to do exactly that.

"It's been my dream for 14 years to play collegiate tennis," he said. "Academics played a big role in my decision to come here. I wanted a place where I could compete, but also explore everything else I'm passionate about."

But Fonder's journey hasn't come without obstacles.

Since he was a child, he has lived with epilepsy, a neurological condition that affects how his brain processes information and responds in real time. On the tennis court, where reaction time is everything, even a fraction of a second matters.

"For most people, you have about half a second to react to a serve," he explained. "For me, it's less. It's like everything is just a little bit faster."

"This also affected me throughout school; it didn't just challenge me athletically."

"In school, it takes slightly longer to react and it takes a bit longer to comprehend because of the way my epilepsy is, it's basically two tangled wires and it takes just a bit longer to understand."

Growing up, he was told that competing at the collegiate level might not be possible.

He did it anyway. Fonder kept moving forward.

Then, just two months into his freshman season, another setback, a season-ending knee injury. The game he had worked his entire life to play was suddenly taken from him.

"The injury changed my perspective," he said. "You realize the gift is for the ability to move and to compete every single day. And it can be gone just like that."

By the following August, he was cleared to return.

And he came back with more than just a desire to compete, he came back with purpose.

Fonder's experiences with the doubts, the diagnosis, and the injury have shaped how he sees the world and, more importantly, how he tells it. He understands that behind every jersey is a story that goes far beyond wins and losses. 

Stories of resilience. Of identity. Of overcoming.

That's what he's determined to share.

"I wanted to create a space where athletes could be seen for more than just their sport," he said.

Through his platform, The Buzzer Talk, and in collaboration with Saint Mary's athletics, that vision is now a reality. The newly launched student-athlete spotlight series, introduced during Division III Week, aims to highlight one Cardinal each month, diving into the stories that define them beyond competition.

And at the center of it all is Fonder.

Who is not just a storyteller, but someone who has lived every word he writes.

"None of this would've been possible without my faith, trusting God, and never giving up," he said. "Even when it would've been the easiest thing to do."

In telling the stories of others, Owen Fonder has quietly told one of the most powerful stories on campus — his own.

And he's just getting started.