Most college students will admit they are stressed with the everyday challenges of college life. Those daily obstacles may be slightly harder to manage for Niagara student-athlete Sam Goodwin who not only participates in Division I hockey, but is also pursuing a dual major in communications and French.
 
While juggling a double major and playing Division I hockey may be too much for the average student-athlete to handle, that is not the case for the St. Louis native.
 
“Time management is one of the many skills that being a student-athlete has helped me to develop,” Goodwin said. “At times it can become a little stressful, but I think that all comes with the territory, and we as athletes learn to deal with it.”
 
Goodwin’s work ethic transcends beyond the ice and into the classroom, as his sophomore and junior year he was named to the CHA and AHA All-Academic team.  On the ice, Goodwin tallied three goals during his sophomore season and two goals during his junior season, but perhaps his most memorable goal came during his freshmen season.
 
“I would have to say one of my favorite memories was scoring one of the three shorthanded goals in 1:09 my freshmen season,” Goodwin reflected.
 
On Nov. 11, 2008, the Purple Eagles scored three shorthanded tallies in a span of 69 seconds against cross-town rival Canisius at Dwyer Arena.  The feat landed Niagara on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top-10 plays the following day. 
 
“Growing up and watching ESPN, I always looked forward to “10 minutes to the hour” when this segment was played,” said Goodwin.  “It was great seeing Niagara Hockey as a part of it.”
 
While time is of the essence and the hockey season is winding down, the Purple Eagles are working harder than ever to prepare for some of their biggest games of the season down the stretch versus RIT and Canisius. Goodwin admits the team is strong and ready to compete.
 
“We have some huge games during the last part of our schedule and we need to make third period plays in order to grab those extra points and produce wins in close games,” the 5-foot-9 forward said.
 
Along with the current season, Goodwin’s stellar career at Niagara is also coming to a close.  So what does a Division I hockey player with a dual major in communications and French plan to do after graduation?  Goodwin admits that his first goal is to find a career revolving around the sport he loves, whether it involves playing, coaching or recruiting.  On top of playing hockey, Goodwin also enjoys a love for traveling. 
 
“When looking back on my time here, what I will unquestionably remember most are the lifelong relationships that I’ve built with my teammates over the past four years” said Goodwin.  “I really enjoy learning about different people and cultures around the world though, so I would like to be internationally involved in whichever field I land.”
 
There is a realm of possibilities for Goodwin as he prepares to leave Monteagle Ridge. His time and effort has already proved to work on and off the ice as he was recently nominated for the 2011-2012 Hockey Humanitarian Award which chooses 23 athletes from across the country may be deemed college hockey’s finest citizen.
 
If this model student-athlete can accomplish so much in four years at Niagara University, one can only image how much he can fit into the rest of his life. 
 
Written by: Brett Baldeck, Athletic Communications Student Assistant