Stephens showcases talent on and off the court
Education is the primary goal for any university, and UC Davis is famous for putting the student in student-athlete.
A few Aggies turn pro in their various sports, but many of them go on to do amazing things in fields from agriculture science to veterinary medicine and from enology to artistry.
UCD junior basketball player Hannah Stephens isn’t looking to join the WNBA when she graduates. Instead, she’s taking classes to impact the world with art.
“I took a few art classes before I came to Davis,” said Stephens, who transferred from the University of Utah in 2009. “When I was looking at which classes to pick, my adviser said that Davis had a really strong arts program. I was drawn in once I took one of the classes.”
Stephens has blossomed as a student and an athlete at UCD, which plays host to Education Appreciation Night at Thursday’s basketball doubleheader. The women’s team (14-7 overall, 6-3 Big West Conference) tips off against UC Irvine (10-13, 6-4) at 5 p.m., followed by the men’s team (1-21, 0-10) taking on Cal State Northridge (6-15, 2-8) at 8 p.m.
Stephens, a 5-foot-7 guard from San Mateo, was named to the 2011 Big West Winter All-Academic team for carrying a grade-point-average above 3.20. Since transferring to UCD, she has been on the Intercollegiate Athletics honor roll for seven straight quarters.
“I noticed a big difference coming to Davis,” said Stephens, a three-time College of Letters and Science dean’s list member. “They really concentrate on the student part of student-athlete.”
Stephens sees herself not just as a student-athlete but also as an artist discovering her talent. After a study-abroad trip to France, she is more excited about art and culture. She doesn’t have her own style yet but enjoys exploring different genres, and has showcased her work alongside other Aggie athletes at the 2009 and 2010 Art of Athletes exhibitions on campus.
“It was a really cool show. It was cool to see what other people did,” Stephens said. “I was surprised to see what everyone’s doing. I remember a wrestler who made jewelry, and a football player who had beautiful paintings.
“You don’t expect this type of beauty from ‘tough guys.’ It’s a really good opportunity to break stereotypes.”
Being an art studio major requires Stephens to balance classes, labs, practices and games. During basketball season, sometimes she misses a three-hour studio lab that needs to be made up because she can’t easily take a 50-by-70-inch canvas on a road trip.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is to be proactive,” she said. “If we leave on a Wednesday for games, I go to my teachers and see what we can do for the classes I miss. It’s about being proactive and managing your time. Once you fall behind, it’s hard to catch back up.”
Stephens is also a take-charge person on the court. She averages a team-high 9.7 points per game and leads the Aggies with 43 steals.
“I’m excited about (Thursday’s) game,” said Stephens, who was held to two points in the Aggies’ 60-54 loss to the Anteaters in Irvine back on Jan. 7. “We’re going to come out with a vengeance.”
Notes: Teachers in Davis, Woodland, Winters and Dixon each received two tickets for Thursday’s doubleheader as part of Education Appreciation Night. … For nonteachers, one ticket gets them into both the men’s and women’s games.
— Reach Kim Orendor at korendor@davisenterprise.net
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=134258
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Posted by Kim Orendor
on Feb 6 2012.
Last Login: Tue 22 May 2012 06:35:31 PM PDT
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