CUW's Tiffany Hendrickson succeeds on and off the court!

MEQUON, Wis.- Senior Tiffany Hendrickson has started at a shooting guard spot for the CUW women's basketball team for three seasons.  The Ingleside, Illinois native has accumulated 881 points in those three seasons and is in a position to become the thirteenth 1000 point scorer in Concordia Wisconsin history. During her collegiate career Hendrickson has knocked down 88 of 244 three pointers (36%) and an amazing 133 of 156 free throw opportunities (85%).   "Tiff is unquestionably the purest shooter we have had in the CUW program since I came here," offered head coach Stacey Brunner-Jones.

All of the above is noteworthy, but only a small part of Tiffany's Concordia Wisconsin student-athlete journey.

"With a Nursing major and the time commitment that major entails, I need to plan well ahead and yet stay in the day for the most part … and it is overwhelming at times," explained Hendrickson.   Tiffany admits that 'power naps' are a daily necessity because of the required clinical hours.

"As a junior I got up at 5:30am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to get to the Aurora hospital by 6:15am to prep my patients.  Then my clinicals went from 7:30am until about 2:30pm. I got back to school at 3:00pm for my own treatments and then we had practice from 4:00- 6:00pm.  I'd take a shower and eat and then start on homework," explained Hendrickson.

Hendrickson and Nursing advisor Kris Ordman work through the women's basketball schedule together to fit in all of the clinicals.  "She is terrific and makes the schedule fit for me," praised Hendrickson.  "The Nursing program coordinators also allowed me to do my clinicals at Aurora Grafton and other sites within proximity of Concordia rather than at Froedert so that I could still play basketball here."

"Tiffany is one of those students who makes a difference, both in her own life and in the lives of those who cross her path academically and athletically," praised Ordman.  "With the rigors of her nursing program, and the acolades she has earned as a basketball player,  she manages to hold a cumulative GPA of 3.82 and nursing GPA of 3.60.  Tiffany has been a consistent honor roll member throughout her studies as a nursing student.  And to top it off, Tiffany is an absolute delight!"

"Coach Brunner-Jones has also helped immensely," confided Hendrickson.  "She's a big reason why I am able to be a student athlete in the Nursing program.  She understands my schedule and is as supportive of my academics as she is of my athletics."

"This year I started with Medical Surgical Clinical one day a week, along with seven weeks of OB clinical from 1:00- 9:00pm.  I will have Pediatric clinicals in the Spring semester so that I can avoid double clinicals and still play my final season of basketball for CUW.  When game conflicts force me to miss a class, I rely on my friends for class notes and professors have actually called me from home more than once to work with me." 

Teammates and coaches appreciate Hendrickson's dedication to both endeavors.  "Even though her school schedule is so incredibly hectic, Tiff has always found times to support her teammates through ups and downs," said her senior teammate Brittany Zietlow.  "In all situations she sets such a good example for the Concordia program."

"Tiffany Hendrickson is the epitome of student-athlete," said Brunner-Jones.  "She is a role model for every young person who has academic and athletic passions and in that sense she is our best recruiter."

Hendrickson will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and perhaps a gold name plate on the all-time record plaque for women's basketball.  Then after completing her Board exams, Tiff hopes to work in the Cardiac/Neuro IC  at the hospital fortunate enough to recruit her services.