On the court, ASU senior guard Briann January is known for her explosive playmaking ability on offense.
January was second on the team in scoring (11.3 points per game) and also was named the inaugural Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year last season.
But in the classroom, January hopes her area of study will allow her make a positive impact on aspiring basketball players.
January, on pace to graduate in May, is a BIS major with a concentration on education and sociology. She said she wants to use those skills to become a coach.
“You can tie sociology and education to coaching [because] you have to deal with people every day,” January said. “I love helping people and taking these classes has given me a better understanding of how to do that effectively.”
Despite a very busy schedule and occasionally missing class because of away games, January said having success in both academics and athletics can be accomplished with the right work ethic.
“One of the things [you learn] when you become a college athlete is just getting a hold on time management,” she said. “My teachers have been so understanding about [missing class], as long as you communicate with them.”
And when asked about the negative stereotype that surrounds today’s student-athletes, January simply laughed and rolled her eyes.
“My friends back home, they joke about it and are like, ‘Oh, you’re an athlete. Do you even need to go to class?’ January said. “I’m like, ‘Yes, I’m a student like everybody else.’
“I’ve also experienced athletes that kind of feed into that stereotype, [and] they’re the reason why we get a bad name.”
Reach the reporter at gina.mizell@asu.edu.
