Blog: Unique Path to College For Top Athletes

By Jared Hylton/Sports Editor

Being a student-athlete isn’t a walk in the park. Finding the right balance between school, sports, friends and other extra-curricular activities can be challenging. But for those who are lucky enough to turn the heads of college scouts, the admission process becomes a lot trickier, and eventually, more rewarding too.

For many student-athletes, the first step to putting themselves on the map is to put together a highlight reel of their previous season and send it to coaches around the nation. Many of these athletes saw varsity playing time as sophomores, or, in rare cases, as freshmen.

One of the few people to successfully make the transition is sophomore Ross Pierschbacher, who started at left tackle for the football team as a freshman. And turn heads Pierschbacher did. He has successfully landed himself on the radars of many Division I college teams. Pierschbacher isn’t the only one to get himself national attention, however.

Senior Kelsey Abbas has chosen to commit to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee for the upcoming swim season. She said the process has been unique in many ways.

“It’s different, because you’re trying to keep your possible majors in mind along with your sport and the programs, plus the process starts a lot earlier because you get recruited by coaches sooner than most people put in apps,” she said.

Abbas intends to major in education at UWM. Even though the recruiting process was exciting, Abbas said it’s a relief to have it over.

“I think the most exciting part was finally signing, because it’s such a relief, and it’s so nice to know where you’re going and to just be able to relax for the rest of the year,” Abbas said.

Ben Challgren is another senior to commit to Division I from the Tiger football team. Challgren is a linebacker and Duke-bound for the 2012-2013 school year, where he plans on majoring in economics.

“[In the recruiting process], you’re a piece of meat just being run through the system and processed,” he said.

Challgren will be the only Iowan on the team next season.

“Being a football recruit made the admission process a lot different for me than most students. I had the benefit of the football team backing my application, so it really helps when trying to get into a top-tier academic school,” he said.

Besides having the opportunity to play Division I football and have the opportunity to compete for a national championship, Challgren chose Duke for its academic prestige.

“The whole process was really fun. I got to see some of the best academic institutions in the country. It’s the kind of opportunity kids dream about,” he said.

He said he hopes to maintain a high GPA and play four or five years of football.

For high school student-athletes, college athletics is the next step. It increases one’s overall maturity, teamwork and how to react in pressure situations—all skills that will help later in life. For most, it is the first time they have the opportunity to compete on the national level. For these select athletes, college athletics is the building block for what is yet to come.

Senior James Harrington has also recently committed to the track program at the University of Alabama and is scheduled to sign the papers next week. Senior running back Barkley Hill has committed to Iowa for next season. Both declined to comment on the recruiting process.