GLASSBORO, NJ – Balancing academics and sports is not an easy thing to do. Rowan University athletes who are determined to succeed on and off the field must remain focused and diligent, especially when they are playing two sports.
Two such student-athletes are Casey Roselle and Mark Lisa. A junior marketing major from Sparta, NJ, Roselle began studying here as a freshman. She is on the Profs’ softball and volleyball teams. Lisa, a junior health and exercise science major from Vernon Township, NJ plays football and competes in the long jump for the track and field team. Last year, he qualified for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Roselle has played softball “since she was born,” and loves the team aspect of the game. She especially enjoys the time spent with her Rowan teammates. “The team is a family,” she said. “We’re so close and being involved with it is the most fun I’ve ever had. At least three times a day they’ll make me laugh so hard I cry.”
An outfielder, Roselle starts in left field. She currently has a .333 batting average with 27 hits in 81 at bats. She has totaled 16 runs scored, 12 RBIs and 10 walks. Her extra base hits include four doubles, three triples and one home run. The softball team has a 25-8 record and is ranked third in the NCAA East Region and 20th in the nation.
Her volleyball experience, however, is a different story. During high school, she played the mandatory volleyball games in gym class but didn’t pursue the sport any further. Upon entering college, she joined the volleyball team and has worked her way up to team captain. “When I first started, the coach thought I was going to be terrible because I had never played before,” stated Roselle. “I liked the challenge of learning a new sport.”
The Profs’ libero, she was the team’s dig leader with 507. Roselle also contributed with 24 service aces and 14 assists. Her sophomore year, she was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Defensive Player of the Year and received All-Conference honorable mention. In three seasons, Roselle has accumulated 1378 digs.
By keeping a strict schedule and contact with her professors and coaches, Roselle has been able to balance softball and volleyball, along with her marketing courses. “Sometimes I have things overlap, but I always talk to my professors and things are straightened out. It helps to keep a schedule,” she said.
Lisa has been playing football since fifth grade, and began running track his sophomore year of high school. He came to Rowan to play football and his sophomore year he decided to join the track and field team as well. “I always had a love for football,” he recalled. “As for track, I like how cut and dry it is. I enjoy competing against myself and seeing my improvements. It is tough to measure improvement as easily in other sports.”
Lisa was named the 2009 NJAC Male Co-Rookie of the Year in outdoor track and field. At the NJAC Championships, he won the long jump with 23’ (7.01 meters). Lisa qualified for the national championships with a leap of 23’ 5.25” (7.14 meters) at the Towson Invitational. At the NCAAs, Lisa jumped 22’ 5.25” (6.84 meters) in the prelims. This season, his best performance so far is 22’ 9.75” (6.95 meters) at the Wake Forest Open. At wide receiver, Lisa has compiled 32 receptions for 336 yards and four touchdowns in 21 career games.
Along with Roselle, Mark finds it necessary to live on a tight schedule, while also making sure to keep time to relax. “Sometimes I feel like a full-time athlete, part-time student,” he said. “But I love the challenge.” Lisa uses time during meals, evening hours and in between classes to complete the majority of his academic work. Lisa manages all of these tasks well and maintained a 3.94 grade point average last semester. “I can always find time to relax and practice guitar too.”
He also credits his coaches for being flexible. “It can get overwhelming at times because I am expected to be 100% committed to everything. But overall, the coaches are understanding and willing to work with my practice schedules, which sometimes tend to overlap.”
Lisa suggests taking morning classes so that you have more time to study and practice during the afternoon and evening. He also stresses the fact that academics must be prioritized. “Remember that student comes first in student-athlete.” While balancing a rigorous practice schedule and ample study time, Lisa is also striving to become captain of both teams in his senior year.
