Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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getting to know Fourth-Year Catcher Kristen Hawkins Fourth-year Kristen Hawkins packed a host of accolades in her suitcases when she enrolled at Virginia. Besides being a first-team all-state selection in Pennsylva‑ nia, she played a key role in helping Elizabeth Forward High capture four sectional titles. Hawkins, a catcher, gradually worked her way into the starting lineup for the Cavaliers and started 43 of UVa's first 48 games this season. She finished the regular season with a career-high .255 batting average. My advice to student-athletes is: Keep working hard every day and never lose your passion to win. There's always somebody out there trying to take your position. Never get complacent. The primary challenge facing student-athletes today is: I think at UVa it's balancing academics and sports. This is a very intelligent school. Academics are a very sought-out What Is Your Favorite … … TV show: "Grey's Anatomy" … movie: "Pocahontas" … actor and actress? Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts … Charlottesville hangout/restaurant? Narco & Lucos Dumplings … musician/band? Mariah Carey … pro sports team? Pittsburgh Steelers … person in history? My grandfather, Robert Hamp‑ son … food? Chicken wings … UVa class? Women's Autobiographies with Profes‑ sor Amanda Davis … sport (other than softball)? College basketball … pregame ritual? Every time before a game my teammates and I play hacky sack, which loosens us up. It relaxes us so we're not so serious and tense. Hawkins started 43 of UVa's 48 regular-season games and batted a career-best .255 with three home runs and 15 RBI. Photo by Matt Riley/courtesy UVa thing at UVa. It makes it hard for athletes to choose which one they should balance out. Fortunately, I've been able to keep my grades up. The best thing about UVa is: Being able to achieve aca‑ demics and athletics all in one place. At the end of day when you graduate, you have a degree from an amazing university. It's going to say a lot about your character and about you as a person in terms of how you persevere in life. Why I chose UVa: Because of the softball program. I wanted to be part of a program that was going to be an up-and-coming program. When I came here for my visit, I loved The Grounds. Academics were just another piece of the pie for me. What I like the most about softball: How hard you have to work. It's always changing. You always have to be on top of everything. It's a great way to release tension and it's my biggest passion in life. The highlight of my UVa athletic career: The highlight of my career was the first year because we upset No. 2 Arizona and No. 3 Michigan. Then, we went to regionals for the first time in school history. That was such an amazing accomplish‑ ment to be a part of. My dream vacation would be: To go to Oklahoma City for the softball World Series. My post-college ambition is: I want to coach college softball and stay in the athletic world and continue my love of the game. — Mike Scandura