Friday, December 11, 2015

Part of a regular series.

Throughout the year, GNACsports.com uses this space to profile conference student-athletes who are members of their respective institutions' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition to providing feedback on the student-athlete experience, conference and institutional SAAC members also offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes' lives on NCAA member institution campuses. Click here for more information on the function of SAAC at the NCAA level.

Name: Kate Cryderman
Sport: Women’s Basketball & Track and Field
Year: Senior
Major: Biology Pre-Med
Hometown: Kirkland, Wash.
School: Northwest Nazarene

Extracurricular activities: Hiking, taking my dogs on walks and being outdoors.

Why did you choose to attend NNU? I chose to attend NNU because I knew that I was going to get a complete college experience while being able to continue my athletic career. The campus atmosphere is amazing and the small class sizes are ideal for a student athlete.

What is your favorite class you have taken in college and why? My favorite class I have taken at NNU is Human Anatomy and Physiology because I really enjoy learning about the human body and in lab, we were given two cadavers to dissect!

Who is your favorite professor you've had in college and what did you enjoy about learning from him or her? Dr. Jamee Nixon has been my favorite professor at NNU so far. Dr. Nixon seems to have infinite knowledge about biology and it is evident in every class I have taken from her. I especially loved microbiology lab with Dr. Nixon because we were able to do so many fun experiments and I learned so much. She was also very flexible with my athletic schedule and really helped me keep up to date in her class even when we were on the road.

Years involved in SAAC: This is my first year.

The reason I chose to get involved in SAAC: SAAC seems like a great opportunity to meet new people and learn about other student athletes’ experiences in college.

If I could change one NCAA rule, it would be: No limit on the number of medical redshirts given. As athletes, we do everything in our power to prevent injuries, but they are a part of the game and I hate seeing my teammates lose years of eligibility because of an uncontrollable situation.

What is the most important thing you've learned from balancing the demands of athletics and academics? I have really learned how to manage my time efficiently. As a student athlete, you can't waste any time and I have found that it is more than possible to get all of your school work done and have a social life on top of meeting the demands of your sport.

What does it mean to be a Division II student-athlete? Being a Division II student-athlete means that I am getting an incredible athletic and academic experience in one. As a DII athlete I am able to focus on school but still play in a very competitive and amazing atmosphere as an athlete.

Future goals after school: Once I graduate from NNU, I plan on attending med-school and becoming a doctor of osteopathic medicine. Ideally, I will be a sports physician and get to impact players in a positive way and help them get back on the court healthier than they were when they came to see me.

Biggest obstacle overcame during collegiate career: Transferring schools. After my sophomore year of college, I decided that I wanted to transfer and ended up at NNU. I wouldn't change my path for anything because it led me to NNU and all that this school has to offer on the court and in the classroom.

Best advice I’d give to an incoming freshman: Take everything in and do everything you can to be involved on campus. It goes by so fast, and these really are the best years of your life!

If I could spend the day with one person (past or present), who would it be (and why)? I would spend the day with John Wooden. I would ask him a million questions and try and absorb as much knowledge as I could from him. John Wooden was an incredible basketball coach and mentor and I would love to be able to learn from him for just one day.

Favorite sports team: Seattle Seahawks

Favorite athlete: Lebron James

Most memorable sports-related moment: Beating UAA last year on their home court when they were ranked No. 1 in the country. I don't think I could ever forget that feeling.

One thing that people don't know about me is: I color almost every day. Nothing helps me unwind from a stressful and busy day better than sitting down and coloring.