The rigors of school can be a major challenge by itself. Now imagine adding the stress and time consumption of being a Division I varsity athlete in a major conference. Senior gymnast Ashley Shepard has done exceptionally well at managing both of these for all four years she has been at N.C. State.
Shepard has maintained a 4.0 GPA in microbiology and is in line to be the third straight gymnast to graduate with valedictorian honors and move on to the graduate school of their choice. She has been accepted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston where she will study physical therapy.
“It was definitely a weight off my shoulders,” Shepard said. “I’ve had a 4.0, but I still didn’t believe that I was doing what I needed to do to get into grad school. Just getting into grad school was a big relief.”
The trio of valedictorians
Name-Grad Date-Grad School-Grad Program
Brooke Outland-2007-UNC-Chapel Hill-Law
Mackenzie Payne-2008-UNC-Chapel Hill-Dental
Ashley Shepard-2009-South Carolina-Charleston-Medical, Physical Therapy
Source: N.C. State Athletics
Shepard walked onto the team her freshman year after arriving from Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, S.C. As a freshman, she competed on the floor for every meet and posted her career high, a 9.900, in the event against Michigan State. In her sophomore season, she competed on floor in all 13 meets and was named All-EAGL first team for floor. Shepard earned a scholarship after this standout season.
She followed up the reception of the scholarship competing on floor in 13 of the 14 meets and earned her third straight EAGL all-academic team. Though the floor is Shepard’s bread and butter event, she has also competed on the Vault. Her high score came her sophomore season with a 9.825 against Florida.
Shepard said organization as a major key to balancing her performance on the mat and in the classroom. She also uses her teachers and the athletic academic support for help, especially when the team is on the road for meets.
“I just try to stay really organized. I have a calendar that I write everything down on, and when I get done with practice, I do my homework first and whatever time is left is for me,” Shepard said. “We are traveling this season, so I miss a lot of class. I have people that I will get notes from as soon as I get back, I ask the teachers a lot more questions, I make sure I am getting my work done and we have tutors that are available to us like all other athletes.”
Coach Mark Stevenson relies on several tools to keep his team in line academically. He uses the university supplied resources for athletes as well as a more specific set of rules for his gymnasts. According to Stevenson, his team relies on the aid of Megan Albidrez, assistant director of the Academic Support Program for Student Athletes.
Ashley Shepard’s achievements
Collegiate Awards:
Kay Yow Award; 2008
All-EAGL first-team for floor; 2007
All-EAGL second-team for floor; 2006
EAGL All-Academic team; 2006,2007,2008
CoSIDA AllDistrict, second-team; 2008
ACC Honor Roll; 2006,2007,2008
Career Bests:
Vault: 9.825 @ Florida, 2007
Floor: 9.9 vs. Michigan State, 2006
Source: N.C. State Athletics
“We have a tremendous support system with academic skills with Megan Albidrez. She is phenomenal with our kids as far as making sure they are in good classes, getting them to report every week with how they are doing in their world,” coach Stevenson said. “I [also] have a lot of different rules. If you drop below a 2.5 GPA as a total GPA after your freshman season you don’t compete — you’re done. You can come in and work out if I am feeling good. I [also] have study halls and tutors and penalties for not attending class and things like that.”
Former gymnasts Brooke Outland and Mackenzie Payne may have shaped Shepard’s development. Both graduated with valedictorian honors in 2007 and 2008 respectively, and Shepard was roommates with each athlete during their senior year. She lived with Outland during her sophomore year and with Payne her junior year. According to Shepard, the tone set by these two athletes was very conducive to academic excellence.
“It was just a good environment to be in,” Shepard said. “They both study just as hard as I did and if I had questions they were always willing to help me. It wasn’t like a party surrounding and we were all pretty studious.”
The legacy of academic excellence on the gymnastics team does not end with Shepard. She is just one of the four athletes carrying a 4.0 GPA on the gymnastics roster. Sophomore Brittney Hardiman is among those with a perfect GPA. She said the example of Shepard, Payne and Outland is an inspiration.
“They set a very good example,” Hardiman said. “I don’t know how they do it all the time, I don’t know how they find the time to do that well in school. But they [prove] that it can be done. It is possible. If you put forth the effort and the time it can be done.”
