Every year since 2015, the UC Santa Barbara Women's Water Polo program has presented the Nick Johnson Inspiration Award to the player who best exemplifies selflessness, teamwork and extraordinary work ethic both inside and outside of the pool. Only one person has received the award twice in her career: Mary Beth Heffelfinger.
 
Throughout her four-year career at UC Santa Barbara, Heffelfinger has stood out not only as a leader on the women's water polo team, but also for her commitment to community wellness. She earned the Nick Johnson Inspiration Award for the first time in 2022 and received it again in 2024; in 2023, she became the first player under current Head Coach Serela Kay to be recognized specifically for her work in practice, being named the Scout Team Specialist of the Year.
 
The Lafayette, California native started playing water polo at age 10 and fell in love with the sport, a love that kept her dedicated through the effort which she compares to having a second job.
 
"It's a lot of work, but I love it so much," Heffelfinger says. "I've continued and loved it every step of the way, my team is like a second family to me. I've always loved the sport and have learned so much getting to play at this level.
 
The valuable bonds she has formed with her teammates at UC Santa Barbara have only grown stronger through every obstacle in the past four years. When the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, Heffelfinger found strength through community. 
 
"Never give up," she encourages. "Even through the struggle, have faith in yourself and your team, and find the support to keep pushing through."
 
During her freshman year, when the pandemic threw a wrench in water polo plans, Heffelfinger volunteered with UC Santa Barbara's vaccine distribution efforts, aiding nurses and managing crowd control.
 
For the biology major on a pre-med track, that opportunity to make a direct impact as a volunteer was just the start. In her sophomore year, Heffelfinger began interning with the Student Health Alcohol and Drug Program, where she acted as a peer mentor and counselor, guiding athletes on topics like alcohol and drug use and mental health support.
 
She has continued her commitment to athlete wellness through involvement in initiatives like the Be Healthy Athletes group, providing peer mentor guidance and resources in an aim to foster a supportive environment for athletes. In 2023, She also collaborated with track and field's Kendall Martin and athletic trainer Jackson Smidt to starting a sports psychology group that recruits experts to discuss topics like nutrition and mental health, offering athletes a platform to learn and share their experiences. Though Martin and Smidt have since left Santa Barbara, Heffelfinger continued the initiative in 2024
 
Beyond UC Santa Barbara, Heffelfinger played a role in "Raise the Bar," an initiative aimed at promoting bystander intervention and downtown safety in Santa Barbara. Her efforts included presenting to a coalition that included the mayor, demonstrating her drive to create safer communities. She has also partnered with medical professionals to conduct research and community outreach in the Bay Area, where she calls home. On May 15, Heffelfinger and a team from John Muir Health attended UC San Francisco's Jonathan Rodnick Family and Community Medicine Colloquium to present their research on the impact of climate change on rising incidence of coccidioidomycosis, better known as Valley Fever, in areas of the country where it is not native. 
 
Heffelfinger will graduate from UC Santa Barbara this weekend, but before she does, she will be awarded the prestigious 2024 Vice Chancellor's Award for Scholarship, Leadership, and Citizenship on Friday night, in recognition of her exceptional work ethic and commitment to her community.
 
After she crosses the stage, Heffelfinger is ready to embark on the next phase of her community outreach and her pursuit of a career in medicine. She plans to continue her medical research, surveying and providing free medical support to underserved communities in her home town. Simultaneously, she will prepare to take the MCAT and attend medical school with a dedication to help others and make a positive impact throughout communities. 
 
"I've learned so much being a part of this team," Heffelfinger says, reflecting on her journey. "I've learned how to work through so many different things and learn and make the best of everything I can."
 
"Learning to work with a team, even working on this poster (with John Muir Health) over the past couple of months, I have learned so much from my team … how to work through projects, how to communicate better and really collaborate with other people. That's something that I will definitely take with me."