The end of the spring semester is hectic for many seniors when it comes to finals, move-out, commencement and career plans. But for senior student-athletes, they also have national championships to worry about.
Five of NYU’s spring sports — tennis, golf, track and field, baseball and softball — have seasons that extend past the end of the final exam period on May 14. Some of the toughest athletic events fall during this period, with the close of the regular season and the start of qualifiers for the NCAA tournament.
“[College athletics are] really heavy on being consistent and disciplined,” said Michelle Uvieghara, a senior and thrower on the NYU women’s track and field team. “It’s waking up early, it’s practice every morning. Especially because we’re in the city, it’s not quite like other places where the track is right by your campus. So we’re traveling to get to practice, then practicing and then traveling back.”
For track and field athletes, the second half of the spring semester also marks a shift from the indoor to the outdoor season — an added challenge that brings unpredictable weather and longer travel times.
Despite the challenges of the spring athletic season, student-athletes don’t get a pass from their classwork.
Hannah Chang, a senior on the NYU women’s tennis team, recalled a time when she was at risk of missing a final exam if the tennis team made it into the NCAAs, which means she would have had to take an incomplete grade in the course. The team didn’t end up making it that year, but it was a reminder of the difficult position student-athletes can find themselves in during finals season.
“Academics will always come first [at] NYU,” Chang said. “And I think that’s a really great quality that NYU has, and I think it sets their students up for success.”
Exams aren’t the only scheduling issue student-athletes face. Some spring sports at NYU have events that overlap with All-University Commencement on May 15.
“We’re still waiting to hear back about nationals,” said Madison Phung, a senior captain on the women’s golf team. “If we do make it into the tournament, it would actually be during my graduation.”
The final weeks leading up to graduation are difficult enough, but when a large part of your college experience is centered around athletics, student-athletes need to consider what comes next. For most student-athletes, especially those in Division III schools like NYU, their commencement ceremony also marks the end of a lifelong athletic career.
“We’re all definitely excited to live actual lives outside of the game, which is like something that most of us really haven’t done,” said Nate Pallotta, senior and captain on the baseball team. A large portion of the team consists of seniors and returning graduate students, made possible by the NCAA’s extended COVID-19 eligibility requirements, which gave student-athletes an extra year of eligibility.
While not every student-athlete will continue to incorporate their sport into life after graduation, Pallotta hopes to start his own coaching business and continue to serve as a mentor to young baseball players in the sport.
For other athletes at NYU, they’ll be stepping off the commencement stage and into internships, graduate school or careers outside of athletics. NYU’s balance of academics and athletics allows student-athletes to get the support they need for future careers without sacrificing time in their sport.
One way student-athletes can get academic support is NYU’s Office of Student-Athlete Excellence, which helps manage exam conflicts, certifies and monitors eligibility, and offers programming focused on leadership, skills development and academic advising.
“Ultimately, what drew me here was that I really loved the city environment, and I thought that would open up a lot of opportunities for me after graduation,” Chang said. “My college counselor had said something like, ‘This school is the cupcake, and tennis is like the sprinkles on top.’”
Graduation may be a bittersweet end for many athletes, but it also marks a new beginning as they begin their professional careers.
“[This season is] a good way to end it together, and we’re all really excited for our own futures, and the futures of our teammates,” Pallotta said. “I’m really grateful to have such a positive experience that’s really shaped me as a person [and] as a player, and that’s going to stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Contact Kiran Komanduri at [email protected].
