balancing division i athletics and academics

The Pioneer women’s soccer team has practice every morning, hitting the field for drills and conditioning before most DU students are even awake.

“You wake up, and you go to practice first

thing in the morning. Then you have classes all day, and you study

all night. We have to make sure we eat. There are tutoring hours usually, and

then we do it all over again.”

Anna Willis,

sophomore on DU women’s soccer team

Members of the DU women’s soccer team load the bus at 5:45 a.m. on a Saturday morning, heading to the airport for a game in Portland, Ore.

“On travel weekends, we miss Thursday and Friday classes. You really have to talk to teachers ahead of time and make sure you’re getting those assignments in and getting lecture notes.”

Katy Van Lieshout, senior on DU women’s soccer team

“The girls do a great job, whether it’s

studying at the airport, on the

bus or on an airplane.”

Jeff Hooker,

DU women’s soccer head coach

Ciber Field, home of the Denver Pioneers’ women’s soccer team

“You need rest, and you have to make a lot of sacrifices that other students don’t. It is a total, year-round commitment. You are an athlete for 12 months out of the year.”

Jeff Hooker, women’s soccer head coach