Student-Athlete Extraordinaire
Jessica Compton ’08
Incoming volleyball captain Jessica Compton had an outstanding sophomore year. She was the Wildcat’s starting middle blocker for the second straight season and recorded a career high 190 kills, good for third-best total on the ‘Cats’ roster. She started in 25 of 27 matches, owned a .262 hitting percentage, while leading the team with 86 total blocks. Compton had a breakout year posting more than 10 kills seven times, which included a career-high 18 kills on Sept. 9, 2006 versus Texas-San Antonio.
But wait, there’s more: she excelled in the classroom as one of only eight student- athletes to garner America East Academic Honor Roll team honors, and one of three UNH players named to the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll. This with a double major in economics and political studies and a minor in Women’s Studies.
How does she do it? “I make sure to let my professors know I’m in athletics from day one,” says Compton, who came to UNH from Woodridge, Ill. “As long as they know me, and know I’m in their class to be a student, then I have no problems. I also watch little to no television.”
She says she came to UNH because it’s a place where “I can play my heart out, work hard, and get a great education. Our coach is involved and works to make us better people, not just better players.
Compton returns the favor, actively working to bridge the gap between non-student athletes and student-athletes. “I want to give back because this community supports me in my role here as an athlete, student, person of color, and a woman."
University of New Hampshire
Wildcat Athletics Council
Field House
145 Main Street
Durham, NH 03824-2500
Tracking the Cat
Cat Tracker is produced by University Communications
and Marketing and the UNH Wildcat Athletics Council.
Editorial: Dave Moore and Kim Billings
Graphic Design: Christine Hodgson
Photography: UNH Sports Information
Issue No. 3, Fall 2007