Many students at ASU struggle to find the balance between an active social life and maintaining a high GPA.
You would think the student-athletes who play NCAA sports couldn’t manage playing sports in addition to their grades and having a social life, but it turns out they can.
Redshirt sophomore forward Nicki Stone and the rest of ASU’s women’s soccer team light up the GPA scale, proving that the combination of school, sports and social life does co-exist.
According to ASU’s office of student-athlete development, last year’s soccer team had a cumulative GPA of 3.38. That marks the seventh consecutive year since 2004-05 the team has posted a cumulative GPA of a 3.31 or higher.
Stone’s mark is at the top of the scale, with a steady 4.0 cumulative GPA. Her major is tourism development and management, but she isn’t sure what exactly she wants to do with it.
Stone was a first team Academic All-Pac-10 last season, despite playing in just three games.
The key to doing well in the classroom is efficient time management. Students often struggle with finding this, but Stone makes lists of things that she needs to get done.
“I think you just prioritize and figure out what needs to get done first and then put that ahead of the game,” Stone said.
When asked if there’s any time to socialize with all the commitments soccer and school brings, Stone said, “There’s always time for socializing, but that’s always last on the priority list.”
ASU coach Kevin Boyd, was also impressed with her success in the classroom.
“It’s outstanding,” Boyd said. “Her out of the classroom commitment is pretty significant where it eats up a lot of her time. We’re only allowed to train them (players) 20 hours a week, but when you start adding into all the other factors, (their time commitment to soccer is greater).
“When you go on the road, you’re gone for four days. You’re missing class at that time and you don’t get the notes. It’s not like we can give them 20 hours on a weekend to work on something. So it’s outstanding she’s doing that.”
During televised NCAA athletic events, you’ve probably heard the following phrase from their commercial: “There are about 400,000 NCAA student athletes, and just about all of us will be going pro in something other than sports.”
After these athletes sacrifice their bodies for four years playing in their respective sports, they join the job market, just like the rest of us.
Stone has put her health on the line many times playing the game she loves. She’s missed the majority of her three seasons with the program due to recurring knee injuries.
Most recently, she returned from a torn meniscus and is still not playing at full strength. The coaches have limited her playing time while she recovers.
“I think with her for the most part, we’re going to deal with what we have until we get through the season and she can take a good rest and see if she can recover it quite a bit more,” Boyd said. “Right now it’s good to have her back on the field. We have to limit her. When she gets out (on the field) she definitely changes us.
Stone emphasized that she just wants to suit up and play in soccer games.
“Nothing really compares (to being on the field),” Stone said. “I just love playing soccer and love playing the game. It’s just a rush that nothing else really compares to.”
Reach the reporter at justin.janssen@asu.edu
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