Just recently, the CSAC (colonial states athletic conference) just announced their All Academic Teams for the fall of 2016. 72 Cabrini athletes were named to be on this team. That is roughly 65 percent of Cabrini’s fall student athletes.
“I balance my academics and athletics by doing my assignments as soon as I get them so I don’t stress about not having enough time because of volleyball,” Emily Shannon, volleyball player, said.
Student athletes that play fall sports, volleyball, tennis, soccer and/or field hockey move in a week prior to other students on campus in August. This is when they will start their preseason and start to have practices and scrimmages.
“A student-athlete must have a term GPA of a 3.2 or higher during their semester of in season competition in order to be selected for the All-Academic team. This student does a great job of managing their time between the requirements of their sport as well as those within the classroom,” Laura Patton, coordinator of academic services said.
Moving into school a week earlier than everyone else does have its perks, but that means the athletes rush right into academics while playing their sport. This at times could be overwhelming and tough to manage.
“A few ways I balance academics and athletics is by managing my time correctly and and not procrastinating when it comes to homework and studying. I also plan my own weeks without letting the week plan itself,” Kristina Giles, cross country team, said.
The student athletes here at Cabrini are very determined to put their academics before anything else. First comes school then athletics, hence the term ‘student-athlete’.
“This is a major achievement for Cabrini University student-athletes showing the growth and success of our athletes both on the field and within the classroom. Many athletes struggle to balance athletics and academics, so the hard work these students put in to achieve this honor is one to be celebrated just as much as their achievements on the field/court. To see a student-athlete reach an academic goal, that they may have not thought was achievable, is the most rewarding part of my position,” Patton said.
Being on this list is a big deal just as Patton stated. It proves that the athlete can keep their priorities in order and take on multiple challenges that are thrown their way.
“My advice to other athletes out there would be to prioritize your life and to make to-do lists,” Gemma Pasewicz, cross country team member, said.
Things such as to-do lists, post it notes or even an agenda are great things to keep all your work and events coming up organized and collected.
“We continue to strive to increase the number of student-athletes awarded this achievement in the future,” Patton said.
“I stress with the team that academics come first. Any one on the team is called a student athlete. The student comes first. Making sure the program is a strong academic prestige is a very big deal for recruiting and in the conference itself. When speaking about academics with potential student athletes, I like to bring up the fact that most of the students on the team are in honors or help tutor,” Joseph Dare, head coach of women’s cross country team, said.
Congratulations to the 72 Cavaliers that were named to the CSAC Fall All Academic Team of 2016.
