By Jim Fenton, Staff Writer
October 13, 2014
Worcester, MA --- She has only had a minimum of free time since arriving at Worcester State University in 2011.
Alyssa Jasper of Rockland is not only studying in the challenging nursing program, but she is also a member of three teams that keep her busy from late August until May.
And the former two-sport Enterprise All-Scholastic has excelled in all areas at Worcester State, earning a 3.67 grade point average in the classroom and being a top-notch athlete in volleyball and track and field.
Jasper was a Division III All-American in the heptathlon last spring and is the leading candidate to be named MASCAC Player of the Year in volleyball as a senior this season.
"It's absolutely amazing to me how any student-athlete can do any sport and be in the tough program like nursing that she's in," said Lancers volleyball coach Bernie Chase. "There's so many demands on their time.
"To do two sports and do what she does, it's amazing how she can budget her time, get work done and be so good at the academic and athletic side."
When Jasper looked at colleges during her senior year at Rockland High School in 2011, she wanted a place where she could major in nursing and be on the volleyball team plus the winter and spring track teams.
Worcester State fit the bill and Jasper has enjoyed being so active from the late days of summer all the way to spring.
"I've done sports year round my whole life," said Jasper, a captain and outside hitter on the volleyball team that is 17-4. "When I have days off, I kind of don't know what to do with myself.
"It's very difficult. Everybody always says, 'I don't know how you're going to study for the test because you have a game.' Everybody always questions how I do it, but it's really just taking one day at a time, what do I have to do today, who do I do first, what do I need to spend my time on.
"It's very structured – homework, practice, dinner, homework. I don't have as much free time as everybody else, but I'm fine with that because I'm doing the things I enjoy.
"Nursing school is outrageously hard, so there's many times when I question how am I going to go to practice, I can't do this. You just have to sacrifice for the things you want. "I just don't go out or I stay up late. I do what I have to do because I enjoy doing the things I do."
Jasper, who also played on the Worcester State basketball team as a sophomore, has qualified for the NCAAs in the javelin three straight seasons and earned All-America honors by finishing eighth in the heptathlon last May in Ohio.
She is also the two-time defending Division III New England outdoor champion in the javelin.
Jasper, a regular on the conference all-academic team, made the All-MASCAC Second-team in volleyball as a freshman and sophomore, and was on the First-Team as a junior.
This season, Jasper has been dominant, earning the conference's player of the week honor five times in six tries and being named the ECAC New England Player of the Week twice.
She is ranked in the top 10 nationally in Division III in kills, attacks and points per set, helping the Lancers put together one of their best seasons ever.
Jasper has 1,114 career kills and is closing in on the program record held by Lauren Saylor (1,127). She set the school single-season record last year with 370 and has 324 this season.
"I knew she was a good athlete," said Chase. "I never knew what she is today. She loves a challenge. Whatever it is, she loves a challenge. We're lucky to have her.
"She's almost unstoppable this year. She's grown as a player; and she's a much better all-around player. She is playing both offense and defense and doing both extremely well."
Jasper finds it hard to pick a favorite being volleyball and track & field.
"They are definitely both equal because they have their own aspects," said Jasper. "Volleyball is playing on a team and you have to work with other people. You get to share a goal with other people.
"Track I like because it's more individual and I can control what I do. I control my success. It's a nice change coming from volleyball."
Once the volleyball season ends next month, it will be on to winter track. Jasper is always told to take time off in between sports, but she simply can't wait.
"They usually tell me I can take one or two weeks off, but I'm usually like, 'I'll see you on Monday,'" she said. "I take the weekend off. I've already missed the fall workouts. I don't like to take time off. I just like to jump right in."
There is much work still to be done as Jasper wants to help the volleyball team reach the NCAA Tournament and would like to qualify for nationals one last time in track & field.
"I never thought I'd accomplish what I have here," she said. "I've always been a strong athlete and competitor, but the achievements I have accomplished are, I just don't know the word for it.
"When it ends, that's definitely going to be the hard part. You're leaving all the people you created bonds with. Athletically, I guess I'll work out and go to the gym, but it's just not going to be the same."
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