During Harleigh Russell’s recruitment process, she was determined to find a school that would allow her to play softball while studying to become a nurse. Believe it or not, recruiters told her she could play—but only during her freshman and sophomore years.
The reason? Earning your BSN involves a rigorous degree plan, with many hours in the field doing clinicals and gaining vital experience. For students enrolled in the traditional degree program, the last two years are where the rubber hits the road, so to speak, and they’re incredibly busy—the nursing track alone is enough to keep a schedule fully packed.
But Russell wasn’t interested in quitting softball after only two years. She wanted to spend her college career out on the field with her teammates.
All athletes—regardless of their major—take on a heavier workload on and off the field as they become upperclassmen. On-field expectations increase as veterans in their respective sports, while the papers and projects in the classroom get longer and more important to graduation. So, it’s no wonder that many universities don’t mix sports with nursing, especially during the junior and senior years.
But what happens when a student is called to the field of nursing, but also deeply loves their sport? Sure, balancing those two endeavors isn’t for everyone—but can it be done? And shouldn’t it be possible for those who are willing to try?
“The most important factor in my college search was finding a school where I could pursue my nursing degree while also playing softball for all four years,” said Russell, who is about to head into her senior year. “When I connected with Coach Wilson at TLU, he assured me that it was not only possible to do both, but that he had coached several players who successfully balanced nursing and softball.”
Russell was encouraged. She’d found a school that offered both a stellar softball program and one of the highest ranked nursing programs in the state. “The moment he told me that, I knew TLU was the right place for me. God placed a calling on my heart to become a nurse, and at TLU, I’ve been able to follow that path while continuing to play the sport I love.”
Jessica Robinson tells a similar story about searching for a school where she could pursue nursing as well as her love of soccer. “A lot of schools I looked at either didn’t offer nursing or said it would be hard to balance with soccer,” the senior said. “I didn’t want to choose between my two passions, soccer and nursing, and TLU and the coaching staff made it clear from the start that I wouldn’t have to.”
Sophomore student-athlete Aliyah Fonseca agrees. “Choosing a university that allowed me to continue my athletic career and pursue my goal of becoming a nurse was extremely important to me. TLU provided me the opportunity to work toward and achieve both of those goals.”
These young women aren’t just excelling academically while halfheartedly squeezing in their sports here and there. Harleigh Russell has been an all-conference honoree for the last two seasons and was named to the World Series All-Tournament team this year. Jessica Robinson isn’t just on the women’s soccer team—she’s the captain and has been an All-SCAC honoree multiple times. And Aliya Fonseca? She’s a tri-sport athlete, splitting her time between women’s soccer, cross country, and track and field.
So how do they do it? With a lot of support from coaches and professors, to be sure—but it’s more than that. There is a sense of partnership between athletics and academics at TLU that makes it the ideal place for serious athletes who are also serious students.
"TLU nursing and softball have had a working relationship since the inception of our nursing program,” said TLU Head Softball Coach Wade Wilson, who led the 2019 National Championship softball team and took his team all the way to the Division-III Women’s College World Series last season. Wilson admits that playing your sport while working toward a nursing degree involves serious discipline. “We understand on the athletic side that our athletes are students first and are here for an education. Our nursing program understands the importance of athletics and the vehicle it provides for student-athletes, and it takes both sides working together to make this happen. All of our softball players who have decided on this route have had success on both sides."
“I'm incredibly grateful for the support of my coaches, professors, and the entire staff who have helped me balance both my athletic and academic responsibilities,” said Fonseca. “They've been instrumental not only on the field and in the classroom but also in providing the mental support needed to navigate the challenges of both sports and the nursing pathway. None of this would have been possible without the guidance of my advisor, who helped me coordinate my course schedule with my academic commitments. All of this was made achievable through the collective efforts of my coaches, who worked alongside me to manage practices, games, and races.”
Robinson said she felt supported by both her coaches and professors right from the beginning “My coaches understand the demands of the nursing program and they have always worked with us to assure we never fall behind in either area. And the professors are just as understanding when it comes to athletics. I have never felt like I had to choose one over the other.” She said TLU’s small class sizes have helped her to thrive equally in academics and sports.
“First and foremost, my coaches have been my greatest supporters, both on the field and in the classroom,” agrees Russell. “Coach Wilson and Coach Lockley have always emphasized that academics come first, and they consistently remind me that I am at TLU to earn a degree, with softball being an added blessing. There were weekends when we had to leave for games as early as Thursday, but if I couldn’t miss class, Coach Lockley would stay behind and make the drive with me early Friday morning so I wouldn’t miss either my coursework or the game.”
She said her professors have also shown tremendous support. “They understand the challenges of balancing a demanding academic program with collegiate athletics and have been flexible, encouraging, and invested in my success. Without the unwavering support of both my coaches and professors, succeeding in both nursing and softball would have been significantly more difficult.”
Taking on two all-consuming endeavors at once comes with its share of sacrifice, but there are two sides to every coin. Being both an athlete and a nursing student brings gifts and life lessons that couldn’t be obtained were it not for the challenges.
“The biggest challenge is time management,” Robinson admitted. “Both nursing and soccer require a lot of time, energy, and focus. Between morning/evening practices, classes, studying, and games, there are times where it feels like there aren’t enough hours in a day to get everything done. But it has also taught me how to be more disciplined and efficient with my time.”
Fonseca agrees that learning to manage the available twenty-four hours a day is the biggest challenge she faces. “Balancing time outside the classroom and between practices for both sports, while also making time for studying and self-care, can be overwhelming,” she admitted. On any given day, she might have cross-country in the morning, soccer in the afternoon, and classes in between. “The time outside of these commitments is dedicated to studying, and I try to carve out moments for myself as well. Maintaining good mental health is essential when juggling both academics and athletics, and my professors and coaches play a vital role in helping me manage that balance.”
Russell said staying present in the moment isn’t easy, but she’s learning—and her faith plays a big part in that. “Balancing long days in the classroom from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or spending that time in clinicals and then heading straight to practice by 4:15 was often physically and mentally exhausting. There were times I found myself at practice still thinking about what I had just learned in class or feeling the pressure knowing that my classmates were already home reviewing notes while the material was still fresh. On the flip side, there were days in class when my mind wandered to what we’d be doing at practice later that day. Whenever I noticed myself becoming distracted or overwhelmed, I turned to my faith and gave my worries to God.”
And that’s where the wisdom kicks in—the kind of wisdom that is hard-won, that only comes by way of sticking to your convictions, even when it feels like an uphill battle. This wisdom isn’t something that will be left behind when these women leave the field and the classroom. They will carry it with them as they go out to become nurses in a world in need of healing. “I truly believe that God placed me on this path,” said Russell. “And I trust that he will continue to guide me through it. If it were easy to be both a nursing student and a collegiate athlete, more people would do it. But it’s the challenge that makes the journey so rewarding.”