(Story courtesy of Trinity University)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Trinity senior women's soccer player Chelsea Cole has been awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
The NCAA awards one-time $10,000 scholarships for use in accredited graduate programs. The coveted and highly competitive scholarships are presented to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically.
Cole is a neuroscience major and will graduate from Trinity in May. The Texarkana, Texas, resident plans to serve in the Peace Corps in Peru after graduation and is interested in a career in public health.
In her personal essay required for the Post Graduate Scholarship, Cole stated, "I want to contribute to promoting individual well-being, and eliminating health inequities around the world...As a student-athlete, I learned how to cooperate with a group of individuals for a common goal."
Cole has considered attending the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health for her graduate degree. She also is looking at the London (England) School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The versatile Cole has gained work experience as an intern at the Division of Reproductive Health, Maternal and Infant Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. She developed several databases, including one which addressed pregancy of women and conditions related to cardiovascular disease.
She has served as a research assistant at Trinity and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her areas of focus have been the study of maternal obesity and diabetes, a biomechanical engineering project, and examination of human stem cells. Trinity awarded Cole a Mach Research Fellowship in May 2018 to enhance her research experience.
Cole has also given her time to her communities. She has volunteered at San Antonio's Snack Pak 4 Kids, delivering food to underserved children, and leads a third-grade Sunday school class at Texarkana's Heritage Church. Cole has also worked at a therapeutic horse ranch and has coached youth soccer camps at Texarkana and Trinity.
A team captain, Cole and her Trinity women's soccer teammates finished the 2018 season with a 17-2-1 overall record and a #18 ranking by United Soccer Coaches and D3soccer.com. The Tigers posted a 13-0-0 mark in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference competition for their 10th consecutive SCAC undefeated season. Trinity qualified for its 10th NCAA Division III Tournament in a row and advanced to the second round.
Individual honors were also plentiful for Cole. She was elected to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Women's Soccer All-America First Team and the D3soccer.com All-America Third Team. Cole was also tabbed for the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America First Team and the Google Cloud Academic All-District 8 Women's Soccer Team, each for the second consecutive year. Earlier in the season, she was elected the SCAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight occasion and was named the SCAC Tournament Offensive Most Valuable Player.
During the campaign, Cole led the Tiger team with 23 goals and is tied for second place in Trinity's single-season record books. Coupled with nine assists, Cole chalked up 55 points, good for a tie for fifth on Trinity's single-season list.
Cole fired in 55 goals during her four years as a Tiger player and stands in third place in the career category. Her 140 career points are ranked fourth in Trinity's annals and the 30 assists stand at #8.
Cole became the sixth Trinity women's soccer player to be awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and 37th student-athlete in school history. Kelsey Falcone and Emily Jorgens were the last Tigers to earn the distinction, following the 2014 season.
