Indiana University Athletics
On Top of Their Game
12/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Student-Athlete Services
February 13, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A student-athlete is an individual who excels both in the classroom and in their respective sport. Performing at the top of one's game in both of these two challenging arenas is a daunting task at the Division I level, but it is a task that has been embraced by two Indiana Athletics teams. IU student-athletes are embodied in this year's women's cross country and the men's tennis teams.
For the 2005 fall semester, the two Hoosier squads garnered numerous honors, accomplishments and awards, but more impressively boasted the highest grade point averages of any IU team.
"Excellence on the court and in the classroom is a frame of mind that lends success," IU head men's tennis coach Ken Hydinger said. "We want guys that come to a great university like Indiana to achieve personal excellence in different facets of their lives."
Senior men's tennis player Neil Kenner, a Dallas, Texas business major, credits his success on the court and in the classroom to effective time management.
"To be successful it is important to know how to manage your time," Kenner said. "As a Division I student-athlete, we put a lot of time playing, running, training and lifting. Even when we are not with the team, we are busy. You have to be thrifty with your time and you can't waste it."
Fifth-year senior cross country runner and sport management graduate student Larra Overton believes prioritization is the key to her achievements.
"To be successful in both athletics and academics, you must be able to prioritize," Overton said. "Student-athletes are extremely busy, so we have to sacrifice a lot of free time in order to succeed in the classroom as well as on the course or track."
Kelly Siefker, a senior cross country and track standout and exercise science major, credits her all-around accomplishments to discipline and balance.
"To be successful in both the classroom and on the course, discipline is necessary," Siefker said. "Once you have the discipline, your desire and vision to be great can propel you toward your dreams. Balance is definitely the key as well."
Jessica Gall, only the second Hoosier to earn All-America accolades more than once in a career, ties what she learns on the course to her academics.
"The same qualities that lead to success in athletics carry over into the classroom," Gall said. "You have to be dedicated in both training and studying and not quit when you get tired or frustrated. Distance running requires a lot of focus. School is the same way. You have to keep in mind the end goal and keep plugging away at it."
Like the rest of the Hoosier distance runners, Gall attributes the team's dual success to veteran head coach Judy Wilson.
"Since Coach Wilson began here in the fall of 1998, the women's cross country team has developed a tradition of holding the top team GPA and it has been a goal of ours every single semester to uphold that," Gall said. "We are competitive people and want to win in whatever we do. Therefore, excellence in the classroom is encouraged and expected on our team. Smart people are smart runners, and smart runners are fast runners, so we all benefit by working hard at both academics and athletics."
Despite all of the athletic honors the cross county team earned this year, success in the classroom ranks high on Seifker's list of accomplishments.
"I feel so fortunate to be a part of this honor," Seifker said. "Honestly, this team is an amazing group of unique individuals who love to work hard and play hard. Because these ladies have a dream to do great in the classroom and be great on the course, we push each other to be the best we can be everyday. This type of healthy competition is what makes this student-athlete ride so worthwhile."
