Jordan Carpenter, WIAC Student-Athlete Spotlight
Each week during the 2015-16 academic year, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference will feature two student-athletes (one male and one female) from one of its eight institutions for a "Student-Athlete Spotlight" Q & A segment. The segments will be posted every Thursday on the WIAC website.
Name: Jordan Carpenter
Institution: UW-Oshkosh
Hometown and High School: Ashwaubenon (Ashwaubenon High School)
Year in school: Graduate Student
Sport(s): Men's Cross Country and Track & Field
Major(s): Economics (undergraduate), MBA (graduate)
Why did you choose to attend UW-Oshkosh?
I chose to attend UW-Oshkosh because it allowed to me to continue my passion of running while attending college.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned from being a student-athlete?
In school and athletics, nobody is going to hold your hand. If you want to do well in school, you have to put the work in. If you want to be a successful athlete you have to put the work in. There are no shortcuts.
What is your favorite …
Flavor of the Day from Culver's? Vanilla
Menu item from Culver's? Beef pot roast dinner
Spot on campus? The indoor track facility at Kolf Sports Center
Class? Time Series Analysis
Movie? "Pain and Gain"
Food? Lasagna
Holiday? Christmas
TV Show? "The Office"
Quote/motto? Trials of miles; miles of trials.
What is your fantasy job/career?
Being an athletic director at a large university.
What is your greatest sports moment?
Becoming an All-American in the 3000-meter steeplechase during my junior year (2014) of track.
What is your favorite thing to do off the court/field with your teammates?
Play "Mario Kart" (on N64 not GameCube), "Settlers of Catan" or TIP (a basketball game we made up).
One word that describes the team?
Nuts.
One word that describes you?
Competitive.
If you could meet three people from throughout history they would be?
Robin Williams, Dwight Schrute and Brett Favre.
Your most prized possession is?
My All-American award. Not the award itself, but what it signifies. The thousands of miles run, the friendships created, the failures experienced, and ultimately accomplishing a goal that I hadn't thought possible when I first started my collegiate running career.
A non-athletic talent you have is?
I'm pretty amazing at board games.
What does your "bucket list" include?
1. Qualify for an Olympic Trials. 2. Be awesome.
Do you have any pre-game/pre-event rituals? If so, what are they?
I always race in a headband. Usually it is a pink Nike one, but I have a few different colors of it as well. This started about two years ago in October, and I have just stuck with it since.
Your worst habit is?
I lose things all the time. I haven't had a key to my apartment for a few months now.