Prior to entering the 2017 NCAA championship weekend as a first-time final four contender, Navy coach Cindy Timchal likened the philosophy of the Naval Academy to the expectation of winning.

“You don’t go into battle with the thought of losing,” Timchal said. “We try to do everything right and prepare very diligently.”

After falling one goal short of reaching the final, she still described her team as winners because they chose the Naval Academy to serve their country.

“I don’t think it gets much better than this,” Timchal said. “The students are very disciplined. There’s such a joy for the students at the Naval Academy.”

The discipline required to become a Midshipman has already molded itself in Roland Park (Md.) junior defender Casey Feinstein, who committed to Navy as a freshman.

Edward Feinstein, Casey’s father and a Marine Corps veteran, first introduced the concept of military service to her at a young age, sharing boot camp stories that led to an interest in disciplined training.

When she was 9 years old, Casey Feinstein attended her first Navy football game with her family and was hooked.

“I immediately fell in love with the Naval Academy,” Casey Feinstein said. “The United States Naval Academy encompasses the perfect balance between all of my passions, which include academics, athletics and the desire to serve my country.”

With a budding enthusiasm, Casey Feinstein began training alongside her father, starting with strength training at age 12 in seventh grade, progressing to powerlifting by age 13 in eighth grade and picking up strong man training this past summer at age 16.

Balancing academics, athletics and strength training became a valued skill, though not easily. There were many late nights and early mornings – and she currently boasts a weighted 4.4 GPA.

“There is not a direct science behind it, but I found that prioritizing each activity is helpful,” Casey Feinstein said. “As a student-athlete, I always try to go by the saying ‘school comes first,’ and with that, a lot of the time, everything else falls into place. I also know I have a specific amount of lifts I have to get in per week so I can stay on track with my training routine. Having discipline and a strong desire for perfection, especially with grades, definitely helps. I believe that everything I do is preparing me for success at Annapolis and in the future.”

Witnessing his daughter’s success on and off the field, Edward Feinstein ultimately signed her up for Maryland’s Strongest, a strength competition for men and women run by the Strongman Corporation on Nov. 18, 2017.

They competed side by side. Her father finished 19th in the novice men category – and Casey Feinstein placed first in the women's teen category with astonishing results.

“[My dad] said he was confident that my background in lacrosse and strength training would give me a legitimate shot of winning the teen class,” Casey Feinstein said.

The 5-foot-4 defender currently holds 10 Maryland state records, most recently a 127-pound bench press, a 254-pound squat and a 325-pound deadlift, all in the 139-pound and under weight class.

“To earn the title of Maryland’s Strongest Woman (teen class), I simply had to out-lift my competition,” Casey Feinstein said. “Unlike powerlifting, strong man requires a higher element of athleticism and muscle [and] cardiovascular endurance. I truly believe that my lacrosse training gave me an advantage over my competitors.”

Her strength training translates most to her explosiveness and speed on the field, she said. She is able to hold defensive positions when challenged by taller opponents thanks to the stance required for squats and deadlifts. The explosiveness demonstrated in her lifts also gives her a boost on the field when taking that first step in sprints.

“She’s a very hard worker who has never sought the spotlight, or seldom receives much attention,” Edward Feinstein wrote in an email to US Lacrosse Magazine. “In other words, she’s a classic defender in more ways than one.”

Q&A With Casey Feinstein

What did the Maryland's Strongest competition entail?

My first strong woman competition was this past November when I did Maryland's Strongest Man and Woman. The events included the Viking Press, which was a hinged apparatus loaded with 50 pounds pressed over the head for as many reps in 60 seconds, the Stone of Steel Lift, which was a 130-pound stone lifted over a 48-inch bar for as many reps in 60 seconds, a Yoke Carry, which was an implement loaded with 300 pounds on the back carried for maximum speed over 100 feet, the Conan’s Wheel, which was another apparatus carried in a circle for maximum distance loaded with 250lbs, the Farmer's Walk, which was 125 pounds in each hand carried for maximum distance, and a dead lift.

What is your favorite lift?  

For powerlifting and strong man, my best and favorite lift are the same: the deadlift. My current one rep max for deadlift is 325 pounds. (Below is her winning deadlift of 315 pounds at 135 pounds body weight at the Strong Woman competition in November.)

What attracted you to Navy?

This is a school that builds their students morally, physically, and academically. I want to be part of something that is greater than myself and I want to give back to my country that has provided me with many opportunities to succeed. I feel as though everyone has a purpose in this world and an opportunity to change it, but not everyone takes advantage of it. I want to change the world and I want to make my country safer. Coming from a patriotic family, I was extremely lucky to have both parents completely support service in the military.

How is Navy the perfect fit for training, lacrosse and military career aspirations?

The Naval Academy has a very strong emphasis on the importance of balancing academics and sports. With that, midshipmen are encouraged to choose any of the majors offered regardless of their athletic commitment. At Navy, athletes are not at a disadvantage academically because there are blocks in the academic schedule that are dedicated to athletics, whether it be varsity practice, intramural or club sports. In other words, all midshipmen have an athletic commitment whether they play a varsity sport or not. Lastly, Navy is one of the very few colleges that offers a 100 percent job placement guarantee.  

Do you plan to continue these competitions throughout college?

If my schedule allows it, of course. With the obvious athletic commitments that preexist at the Naval Academy, I don't immediately plan on competing during college. However, I would love the opportunity to assist my teammates in team lifts. Later in life, when my schedule is a lot more open, I would love to get back into competing.