As Wisconsin-Parkside senior Nick Becker prepares for this year’s Division II Wrestling Championships, he has more on his mind than winning a third consecutive national title.

When Carla Williams was being recruited to play basketball at Georgia in the mid-1980s, she didn’t even know athletics administrators existed.

One of St. Cloud State hockey’s best players also serves as a play-by-play announcer for women’s games.

Pittsburg State basketball player Mikaela Burgess doubles as a student teacher — and her pupils are now among her biggest fans.

Whitney Branham is the team’s top scorer despite the condition and operations that led to a numb left foot.

Brenda Souther’s career scoring record at Eastern Washington stood for nearly three decades until Hayley Hodgins broke it in 2016. Hodgins’ mark figures to last just two years. The person to blame? Her sister.

Sierra Hargrave ran from a dismal past to brighter days — and she’s grateful for all the steps that hurt.

Improving grades isn’t the only role for academic advisors. They’re also mentors, friends and, when grades are posted, student-athletes’ biggest fans.

Two more semesters, and Alonzo Carter would have had his bachelor’s degree.

Mel Tjeerdsma was the director of athletics when Northwest Missouri State became the first Division II school to capture both the NCAA football and men’s basketball championships in the same academic year.