Titans' Priebe Is The Picture Of Perfection In Athletics And Academics

This week, the 19-sport UW-Oshkosh Athletics Program is celebrating NCAA Division III Week (April 2-8). A significant percentage of our UW-Oshkosh students participate in intercollegiate athletics, competing for the love of the game. UW-Oshkosh is proud to join 451 NCAA Division III schools in celebrating the academics and the athletic accomplishments of student-athletes, as well as their leadership, community service and campus involvement.

As an accomplished student and athlete, UW-Oshkosh junior Kayla Priebe of Appleton has an unparalleled passion for excellence both on and off the golf course.

Priebe is described by UW-Oshkosh head women’s golf coach Liza Ruetten as the “ideal Division III athlete.”

“Kayla is an incredibly focused and driven student-athlete,” Ruetten said. “Her commitment to academics parallels her commitment to the game of golf.”

Priebe is a prized member of the UW-Oshkosh women’s golf team, earning many significant awards and distinctions throughout her athletic career.

“Kayla was the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Player of the Year and has earned all-conference honors every year of her career,” Ruetten said.

Priebe has also earned distinction at the regional and national level. In 2016 and 2017, she was named an All-American Scholar by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) and was selected to the WGCA’s 2017 NCAA Division III All-Central Region Team.

Priebe is a successful golfer in her own right, however she is also a vital motivator for the rest of her team.

“Kayla leads by quiet example. In practice and before competition she is focused on the job at hand,” Ruetten said. “Her calm, focused demeanor helps other teammates settle down to work. She has been instrumental to our incoming freshman class this year by sending them biweekly emails during the fall semester with hints for successful navigation of UW-Oshkosh as a student-athlete.”

When it comes to life outside of golf, Priebe uses her involvement in the sport as a way to increase her productivity.

“I think participating in golf has actually helped me be much more successful in every aspect of college, including academics,” Priebe said. “Playing a sport is a huge time commitment, but being busy helps me be much more productive with my time and to put my whole focus on what I am working on.”

Even prior to beginning college Priebe was successful in academics. She has maintained a perfect 4.0-grade-point average since her freshman year of high school and is a National Merit Scholar.

As a graduate of Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton, Priebe credits a lot of her success to what she learned from her high school teachers.

“I was taught good study habits in high school, which have been a big factor in my success in college,” Priebe said.

The skills Priebe employs to maintain such a high level of success in multiple areas are imperative, she said.

“All the strategies I have used are methods that I have found work for me,” Priebe said. “I am a morning person, so if I have a lot of homework I’ll get up a little earlier in the morning to get it done rather than stay up later. I eat three meals a day and stay on a consistent sleep schedule. I use a planner to keep all my homework, exams, and projects organized. Finding a method that works for me has been the most important thing to staying organized and staying successful in both school and golf.”

Priebe is an accounting major and has completed a number of internships related to her field. She is currently interning with a public accounting firm in Appleton and this summer will be returning to Thrivent Financial for a second internship.

“These experiences will help me decide what exactly I am looking for in an accounting career after graduation,” Priebe said. “I hope to stay in Wisconsin for my job to remain close to family and friends.”

Despite the balance between athletics and academics being challenging, Priebe said those challenges are always worth it.

“The network of supporters I have has really helped me be successful,” she said. “Succeeding in both academics and athletics is difficult at times, but it is extremely rewarding.”

Written by Erin Thompson, UW-Oshkosh University Marketing & Communications