Alexandra Sacker, senior, was so impressed with ϳԹ’s field hockey program that decided to “cross the pond” to Kent, Ohio, from her home in Tunbridge Wells, England. “I chose ϳԹ for the competitive field hockey program and the opportunities it can provide for me,” said Alexandra. KSU field hockey coaches reached out to her in high school, and an NCAA scholarship made her ϳԹ journey possible. She is a defender/midfielder and is proud of last year’s 6-1 record.
Alexandra is the middle child with two sisters and attended high school in Maidstone, UK, where she was a boarding student. During high school, she was active in a number of sports including field hockey, netball, tennis, cricket and track and field. She decided to come to Kent for the variety of opportunities American colleges provide. “Studying in the U.S. offers a wider range of classes in the first two years before narrowing down to mainly focus on your major,” Alexandra said. “At home, you go to university having already chosen the degree you want to study. You only take classes related to that degree for three years, and then you graduate.” She is thinking about her plans after graduation, which will be determined by career opportunities available to her here.
Alexandra is happy about her choice to attend college in the U.S., as the college experience for a student-athlete is very different from the UK. “Being an athlete in America means that it is balanced with your studies so you spend just as much time playing your sport as you do studying, whereas at home sport is seen as an extra on the side,” she said.
Alexandra, who began her KSU journey during the pandemic, is an exercise science major with a minor in sport, exercise and performance psychology. “I started university in the middle of COVID-19, so the campus was a little like a ghost town,” she said. “Since then, more and more students are returning, so it's great to see the campus at full capacity. The campus is lovely in the summertime, and the people are all so friendly.”
She has enjoyed being part of the field hockey team. “My time on the field hockey team has been great, and I have made some great friends from all over the world,” she said. One of her best ϳԹ memories has been defeating Big 10 schools in field hockey competitions.
Alexandra is participating in an internship in sports science and is working with ϳԹ Football’s strength and conditioning team. This involves looking at data provided by GPS monitors, using and setting up equipment for testing as well as assisting with strength and conditioning sessions. She is considering pursuing a career in field hockey after graduation or coaching and sports sciences careers.
In addition to being a student-athlete, she recently joined the Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement’s newly transformed Engagement Center team, where she calls and texts KSU alumni and friends to keep them connected to the university. “I really enjoy connecting with alumni and hearing their stories since leaving college, advice that they have or things they wish they would have known when they were in school,” Alexandra said. “All of these conversations are unique and fascinating, and I enjoy making these calls to reconnect with ϳԹ alumni.”
Through athletics scholarships, Alexandra and other talented student-athletes from across the country and around the world have the opportunity to earn a college degree while representing ϳԹ. Spring semester 2023 was the 23rd straight semester in which the cumulative GPA of Golden Flash student-athletes is above a 3.0. Philanthropic support for scholarships is critically important for recruiting the most talented students on the field and in the classroom.