Balancing athletics and academics has been successfully achieved by Corey Stump, ’16, and Kara Seidenstricker, ’16, over their past four years as student-athletes.
Stump and Seidenstricker were recently named North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) student-athletes of the year, an award given to one male and one female athlete at each NCAC school.
According to their coaches, Stump and Seidenstricker were easy selections.
“Deciding to nominate Corey was a no brainer,” football coach Joe Fincham said. “He simply embodies what being a student-athlete is about: academic and athletic achievement.”
Stump, a biology major, has earned a 3.89 GPA, showing success in the classroom in addition to his success on the field. He has set records for the university for his receptions, as well.
“Corey’s impact on our team was all encompassing. He led by example on and off the field,” Fincham said. “When we talk to our young players, it is easy to look to Corey as a point of reference as how to do things the right way.”
Stump said it was through his time management skills that he was able to balance his academic and athletic lives.
“My most significant achievement over the past four years has been reaching my potential as a student in the classroom, but also as an athlete on the football field,” Stump said.
He said that he was drawn to Wittenberg because of continuous success in the football program, granting him the ability to continue his passion for the game and compete in NCAA playoff games.
“One memorable moment for me . . . was scoring my last collegiate touchdown on Edward Maurer Field during our final game against Allegheny this past fall,” Stump said.
Like Stump, Seidenstricker also has many memories of competing as an athlete on the volleyball court and a student in the classroom.
An education major with a 3.98 GPA and a four time All-American volleyball player, as well as recipient of many other awards, Seidenstricker has continuously been at the top of her class.
“Kara has been one of, if not the best volleyball player in the NCAC for the last four years and has done this while maintaining a 3.9 GPA,” head coach Paco Labrador said. “I think the most significant impact was her commitment to working hard and getting better every day, even though she was already the best player on the team.”
Labrador continued by saying that even though Seidenstricker was placed out of her comfort zone playing many positions on the court, she always put the needs of the team first.
“She demonstrated that, what she accomplishes: awards she receives, accolades she earns, do not impact how hard she works,” Labrador said. “The two are independent. Her work-ethic was a constant, never wavering, way of life for her, and everyone who was lucky enough to be around her learned that from her.”
Seidenstricker said that the team has brought her a number of memories, especially in their recent success of making it to the NCAA final tournament game.
“After three years of the same result during the regional tournament, it was incredible to see our team come together this year, all with the same heart and determination to win regionals,” Seidenstricker said. “Then, it was even better to ride with this team through to the championship game. I’ll never forget that tournament experience.”
Like Stump, Seidenstricker practiced time management in order to achieve her success on and off the court. She said that at times it took sacrifices, but that through her friends and teammates she was able to maintain a strong work ethic and focus on her goals.
When selecting Wittenberg, Seidenstricker said that not only did the volleyball program have a large impact, but the people at the university as a whole.
“The people at Wittenberg really helped lead my decision,” Seidenstricker said. “During the recruiting process, I met students, professors, coaches and alumni who showed me the type of community that Wittenberg had, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”
Seidenstricker and Stump represent a number of student-athletes that have attained success throughout their years at Wittenberg. Also honored were 40 student-athletes achieving above a 3.4 GPA as a junior or senior, granting induction into Chi Alpha Sigma, a National College Athlete Honor Society.
