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This week’s athlete of the week is senior Piper Misse. Misse is on the women’s cross-country team and the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field team.
Misse is a nursing major with a perfect 4.00 GPA. In the 2018 season, Misse won the NCAA Central Regional Meet and finished 75th at the NCAA Division-II National Championships.
Since entering Pitt State, Misse has participated in sports but she began playing during her sophomore year of high school.
“… I am blessed to be a part of the Pitt State cross country and track programs,” Misse said.
Misse enjoys bonding with her teammates and the thrill of the sports.
“I like just the atmosphere of competition and how we push our bodies to new limits,” Misse said. “(The sports) bring us closer together as a team and as friends.”
According to Misse, her biggest accomplishment of her athletic career has been taking part in the MIAA Championship.
“My biggest accomplishment, I would say.., probably being a part of the conference championship, cross country and track teams,” Misse said.
Misse doesn’t plan to continue her athletic career competitively, but hopes it will always part of her normal, daily routine.
“I plan to continue running for sure and would like to run a marathon, just to finish it really,” Misse said. “I probably won’t be competitive after college, but I would always like for running to be a part of my life and fitness routine.”
Misse attributes her ease of balancing her studies and not only one but two sports to how accommodating her professors and coaches have been.
“I have been very blessed because both my professors and coaches have been gracious in allowing me to balance both nursing and sports,” Misse said. “I honestly do best when I’m busy and have a very structured schedule and so it’s been an exercise in self-discipline and keeping my obligations straight.”
For current students who are struggling with balancing a sport and school work or future students who plan to take part in a sport while in college, Misse says the key to success is taking it one thing at a time.
“I would advise them to take a step back and just to frequently reevaluate themselves and make a lot of priority lists and just take it one day at a time really. (I would say they should) not get too overwhelmed with the big picture but to tackle one small assignment and competiton as it comes.”
According to Misse, her biggest supporters are head cross-country and indoor and outdoor track and field coach Russ Jewett and professor in the Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing Barbara McClaskey.
“My biggest supporters… Coach Jewett, for sure, has helped me develop into a better competitor and just teammate in general,” Misse said. “I appreciate that he always has clear expectations and really just encourages us to challenge ourselves. Then, absolutely my advisor, Dr. Barbara Mcclaskey, is an enormous advocate for student athletes and is just continually building me up and encouraging all of her students and is just an amazing woman.”
