Jill Mayotte Robbins

Women's Soccer

‘Where Are They Now Wednesday’ – Jill Mayotte Robbins

Our student-athletes are what make Georgia State so special. Our 'Where Are They Now Wednesday' segments feature former student-athletes from across all of our sports and not only look back on their accomplishments, but where they are now.

Coming from the Chicagoland area, Jill Mayotte, now Jill Robbins, left her mark on one of the most special teams in Georgia State history. Jill was a part of the 1997 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament team which remains the only team in program history to make the NCAA Tournament. Along the way, she earned all-conference honors as a defender three times and bonded with her teammates, a bond that remains 22 years later.

Talk a little bit about what you have been up to the last 22 years since finishing up at Georgia State (work, sports, family)
22 years since graduating college-I feel old! I married former Georgia State baseball player, Shane Robbins, and we have two children; a boy and a girl. Our son is 17 and our daughter is 14. Our days are filled with our kid's activities. I have been working in higher education at Georgia Military College for almost 13 years where I currently serve as the Vice President of Human Resources. I fell in love with fitness about ten years ago and started triathlon training. I have competed in two half ironman races in the last four years and have fallen in love with the friends I have made who like to swim, bike, and run. Shane and I are having a "full circle" moment with our son; he just committed to play basketball at Belmont University, but during the recruiting process he was contacted by GSU's head coach Rob Lanier! I thought that was pretty cool. Georgia State's campus has come so far since I attended, and the facilities are awesome. GO PANTHERS!

How did your experience at GSU help you get to where you are now?
I honestly don't know if I could sum up all of the life lessons I learned from my experiences at Georgia State. I grew up in the Chicagoland area so coming to Atlanta was not only a culture shock, but it was so far away from home during a time when we were still using phones with cords and email was a trip to the library. I was home sick and I had to learn to be independent quickly. I learned to push my body harder than I thought possible. I learned to lean on teammates and trust them. I played a sport, went to school, and held a job the entire time I was in college; I always tell people that you don't have to be the smartest-just out work everybody and you will always be successful!! I think these experiences help me as a Human Resources professional because it's all about having passion, energy, being willing to work together, and being relatable. Being able to connect with people through life experiences is truly powerful, and I had so many life experiences at GSU!

All these years after graduation, it seems like you and the group that made the NCAA Tournament are still extremely close. Talk about that group and what they mean to you.
The girls from the 1997 squad were so special. I tell people all the time that I played sports my whole life, but 1997 at Georgia State is the one time I truly played on a "TEAM." Our bond extended far past the soccer field. We looked out for each other and we were each other's wingman. What I love now, is seeing that our bond was divinely crafted, because so many of those relationships have a different meaning to me now in my role as a friend, a mother, a sister, a daughter . . . so many of us from that team have helped each other through difficult times in our lives and our bond at Georgia State was the original connecting piece. I love those God winks. Georgia State was really just the beginning to something much larger than ourselves. I cherish that. We were all together recently after the tragic loss of our teammate Jill Denslow Lewis. It was a reminder to all of us how special that group was and how we will drop everything to be together; hopefully for another 22 years!!

What does it mean to you and that group to be the first women's soccer team to make the NCAA Tournament? What would it mean to you to see this year's team accomplish the same?
Who doesn't love being a trailblazer?? Making it to the tournament is the ultimate sign of achievement in Division I sports! Being on the only team that's done it for women at GSU is a reminder that achieving that level of success isn't easy, but that realizing a dream that big is special! I would love to see this year's team accomplish this goal because it feels AMAZING!!! The journey to the tournament will be memorable because it will come with successes and failures that ultimately define you!! I hope they can do it!!!

Your name still liters the record book for both season and career records, including the third-most games played in program history. Do you still take some pride in those numbers and your accomplishments at GSU?
As far as individual successes at Georgia State, I am definitely most proud of being All-Conference for three years in a row (sophomore to senior seasons) and that's because I came to Georgia State as a striker and I was moved to be a defender my sophomore year. I was NEVER known for my defense. I was too slow to play striker in college but apparently still had a place on the field. I was a fish out of water. But I tell my kids all the time; even if this is not what you think you should be doing right now, you have a role to play and the team needs you to do your job! JUST DO YOUR BEST. It's probably uncomfortable but your attitude determines your altitude!! Stick with it, stay the course, believe in the powers that be who are moving all the chess pieces; there's a strategy!! Believe!!

If there is one thing you could go back and tell the college version of yourself, what would it be?
I am most disappointed that I did not get really fit during college. I really think I should have pushed myself more in the fitness department to be stronger and to increase my endurance. I tell my son all the time; spending time learning the fundamentals and improving your physicality will never be a waste. Do all of the little things right and you will have a great foundation!! 
 
Lastly, I would just want to take a moment to thank all of the girls from Georgia State for being my best friends through the most formidable years of my life. Georgia State is a special place to be!!! #RunTheHills
 
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