PATRICK BENNETT
Staff Writer
One big accomplishment in collegiate athletics is achieving greatness both on and off the field. Last week, four Fredonia students on the track and cross country teams were placed on the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic team .
The student athletes ranged from sophomores to graduate level. Sophomore cooperative engineering and biology double major Brenna Donovan, sophomore biology major Hannah Kurbs, sophomore video production and international studies double major Ethan Francis and graduate student Colin Mulcahy, who is pursuing a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, were all recognized.
For Donovan and Kurbs, the recognition came as a pleasant surprise.
“Its really cool and honestly I didn’t know I was on it until I walked in the locker room and people were congratulating me. It brought back the memories of regionals,” Donovan said.
“During cross our coach mentioned something about it but as we got into track it got away from our minds. I got tagged in a tweet and I was like, ‘Whoa, this is awesome, I’ve never been recognized in this sort of way,’” Kurbs added.
For Mulcahy, the award is a sweet combination of athletics and scholastics.
“Making the list is a pretty special honor because not only are you being recognized for what you did on the cross country course, but what you were able to achieve in the classroom. I’m sure my parents will be most proud of this award,” Mulcahy said.
Keeping up with a major’s course load while balancing your athletic participation can be challenging. According to these students, this challenge can easily be overcome with enough concentration.
“You have to make sure what’s coming up or whats going on. If you know you’re going away for a meet you have to do your homework before,” Kurbs said.
“I use a lot of time management. You really need to plan ahead by months. The second I get my syllabi everything goes in my planner. All of my athletics goes in my planner as well,” Donovan said.
For Mulcahy, graduate school has brought different obstacles to the table.
“Grad school has brought its own set of unique challenges that I quickly had to adapt to. What worked for me was setting aside a fixed time and place each day for studying and only studying. Every single hour of my day was accounted for, which helped me have a clear view of what I’m doing,” Mulcahy.
Looking forward, the recognized members each have separate goals for their future.
“Athletically, I want to make it to nationals. Academically, next year is my last year at Fredonia so I want to finish off as great as I can and get on to somewhere new as great as I can,” Donovan said.
“I just want to make sure I’m taking every advantage and working to the best of my ability in athletics and academics. Running fast and doing smart things. I have a lot of ambitions I’d like to achieve,” Kurbs added.
“Once I finish grad school I will pursue my passion in life: teaching. It’s an opportunity to work with young adults and make a difference in their lives. I’d also like to get into coaching, especially in cross country and track,” Mulcahy said.