UAA Scholar-Athlete Austin Sevalrud, team captain and May grad

by Kathleen McCoy  |   

Austin Sevalrud, Scholar-Athlete Hometown: Alberta, Calgary Degree: B.B.A. Finance '16 Position: Hockey defenseman '12-'16 Leadership: Team captain '16 Nominee: Hockey Humanitarian Award, BNY Mellon Wealth Management Post-college: Just signed with Fort Wayne Comets; plans to apply for law school

Early influences: Austin is second youngest of four boys. Like father/like son, his dad also played excellent hockey defense. "He could have gone pro," says Austin, "but he was very humble about it." He also set up a backyard rink for his boys every winter. "We had the boards and the whole nine yards. It was pretty sweet."

How he got to UAA: "I was recruited as a walk-on (meaning no initial financial support). I was optimistic. As things moved on, they helped take the edge off financially with some tuition and fees help."

Why was it important to be a scholar-athlete: "I had a big learning curve as a freshman. Especially as Canadians we tend to play three years in junior hockey before college. So I'd been out of the rhythm of school. I was a 21-year-old freshman. I was very disappointed in my freshman year. I had a GPA of 3.4, not what I wanted.

"It was never an option not to go to school. I enjoy learning and growing as a person. Being an athlete, you are growing and getting better in one scope. The scholar side of things opens up new opportunities and intellectual territory."

What his teammates say about him: "They call me Dad. I like to think it's affectionate. I think it's mostly due to my habit of going to bed before nine and waking up before six. I read books at the rink. They say I'm a serious guy, and I can be. By my habits, I am."

Where his habits came from: "The credit goes to my parents and brothers. We had a very disciplined household. That's the norm for me. I don't necessarily do it to excel; it's just what I know. Both my parents have very professional careers and work very hard. Dad is a lawyer, and mom recently retired as a public health executive.

"It's paradoxical. People think more structure and discipline takes away from your free flow and balance. It's almost the opposite. With my days well planned out, I can actually plan an hour to do nothing, if I need that."

What a former coach says about him: "He possesses character that few young men his age have. His patience, compassion and understanding are just some of his strongest attributes. His ability to communicate with his teammates and make them feel comfortable and confident is why he has been captain of many of his teams in the past."

As captain, he increased team community service hours: "Upping the ante was a goal of mine this past year as captain. With the help of many teammates, we succeeded. The guys that play here receive a lot of funding from fees and other support. They get a chance to travel and play in front of fun crowds. They have all these cool experiences. In my mind, there is no way we can fully repay all that. But service on behalf of UAA and Seawolf Hockey is one thing we can do. There is nothing better for us than showing up at an elementary school where we go to read to kids for the day. Every time, as soon as we show up, everybody has a blast and the guys, they love it."

A special arrangement with Special Olympics: "The Special Olympics was a natural for me. I started contacting them my junior year, hoping to create a partnership. Their goals are something I wanted our team to emulate. They are there for something greater than themselves. Not for fame or money, but to enjoy the sport.

"In addition to a skills and game day, we mingle with them and get to know them. They came to one of our games and came down into the locker room after. We plan another skills day at their new [Special Olympics] facility."

Serving as team captain: "Typically there is one captain and three assistant captains and we share the responsibility of leading the team.

"For me, it meant more communication and being a buffer between the team and the coaching staff. I answered a lot of questions. We have a young team, 12 freshmen. I wanted to get them headed in the right direction.

"We had a very successful first half of the season. The second half, we were losing a lot. My approach was to try and bring some perspective to the whole experience. Wins and losses are both important learning moments. As a team, we found a way to work through that. At the end of the season, one thing is true: College athletics is an awesome opportunity to be here and participate. That resonated with a lot of the guys."

Why a degree in finance: "Because engineering was too hard. It was too tough to fit in the times, places, labs with my hockey schedule. With business, it was a lot easier to schedule, with plenty of offerings and different classes."

Dealing with disappointment: "It took me a long time to learn. A lot came from hockey. I faced a lot of losing seasons here. We had plenty of success, but we had a lot of losses. And I have never been the goal-scoring stud hockey player. I made a lot of mistakes, and I had to work hard to make up for them. Eventually, I learned not to attach self-worth to my mistakes. It's good to strive for perfection, but if it doesn't happen, take a step back. I tell this to the freshmen."

How do you keep your grades up: "I tell it to the young guys. Go to bed before 10 p.m., no matter what. Go to the library every Sunday. If you don't have homework, work ahead. Home is too full of distractions. The only way I can be really productive is if I go to the library or a computer lab for six or seven hours on Sunday."

Balancing academics and athletics: "It's actually easier. Your schedule is laid out for you. On the road, with few exceptions, we have a two-hour study hall. We grab our laptops and sit in the hotel lobby for two hours working. Older guys help younger guys. It works out."

Favorite study snack: "I always have an apple. Not sure if that's because it's my favorite snack, or it's just easy to take along."

Written by Kathleen McCoy, UAA Office of University Advancement

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