Aztecforlife blog

Warrior Wednesday: Dr. SaBrina “Bre” White

/ Hunter O. Hewitt / 1 Comment

Dr. SaBrina “Bre” White

If you take one look inside Dr. SaBrina White’s office, it’s clear that she cares about the student-athletes at San Diego State.

Dozens of pictures cover the walls and sit atop the desks, displaying many of the former student-athletes that she has worked with since she became an academic advisor at SDSU in 2000.

Look a little closer, however, and it’s clear that they care about her as well.

“You do it all, thanks for your help,” wrote former Aztec and current New York Jets wide receiver Chaz Schilens on an autographed photo.

Kirk Morrison, Kassim Osgood and several other Aztecs in the NFL have done the same, giving White a signed photo and thanking her for helping them.

These gestures are what inspire White to come to work every day. Now in her 18th year as an academic advisor (she spent six years at Utah State), she has seen student-athletes go from thinking they would never graduate to eventually receiving their diploma.

“Sometimes when they come in, they don’t think they can do it,” White said. “Then they come in years later and say look at what we did. It means a lot when they give me credit, but I always feel that they did themselves.”

As the assistant director of academic services and an academic advisor, White is always making sure her student-athletes are staying on top of their schoolwork. She helps them pick their classes, keeps them organized throughout the semester, and closely monitors their academic progress.

On top of her academic advising, White also coordinates community service projects for the student-athletes. She says her favorite project has been the adopt-a-family event, where student-athletes team together and give Christmas gifts to under-privileged families.

Maybe the most impressive thing about White’s time at SDSU is that while helping student-athletes with their academics, she was still working on her own.

White received her master’s and doctoral degree in educational leadership from SDSU in 2007 and 2011, respectively. Her doctorate degree didn’t come easy, either, as she authored a 132-page dissertation titled “Transfer Shock and the Student-Athlete.”

“I was going through the trenches at the same time,” White said. “I was studying late, I was here in study hall too. I was working on my own stuff while helping them do theirs.”

Over the past 12 years, White has been a very important part of the success of SDSU athletics, and for that reason she is this week’s Wednesday Warrior.

Autographed pictures from former Aztecs in White’s office

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by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

Week 3

/ Hunter O. Hewitt / 5 Comments

Week 3 has arrived!

Hello Aztec fans!

I hope you are all having a great week! I also hope you were able to see us defeat Army on Saturday, 42-7.

Saturday was fun, but we have already moved on to North Dakota. Although they are a Division 1-AA or FCS team, we can not afford to look past them. This season, several Division 1 or FBS teams have already lost to Division 1-AA teams, and we do not want to find ourselves on that list.

A new week also means a new set of stories on AztecsForLife.com.

On Wednesday, I will publish a story on Dr. SaBrina White, an academic advisor who has helped countless football players and other student-athletes en route to receiving their diplomas.

On Thursday, I will publish a story on two former Aztec football players who are now coaches. Offensive line coach Mike Schmidt and strength and conditioning coach Adam Hall will be highlighted in this week’s Throwback Thursday.

This will be the first in a three-week series showcasing players-turned-coaches. Next week, I will post a story on quarterbacks coach Brian Sipe. The following week, I will highlight former players and current graduate assistants Doug Deakin and Lynell Hamilton.

To finish the week, senior tight end DJ Shields will be the subject for Feature Friday.

Stay tuned!

GO AZTECS

Throwback Thursday: Russell Allen

/ Hunter O. Hewitt / 1 Comment

Linebacker Russell Allen in the 2006 season vs. Utah (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

Dependability, durability, versatility – three characteristics that lead to success in sports, as well as in life.

These three characteristics perfectly describe former San Diego State linebacker Russell Allen.

Although the first decade of the 2000s was often seen as a dark time for Aztec football, Allen was a consistent bright spot throughout his collegiate career, and is arguably one of the greatest linebackers in school history.

A standout linebacker at Vista High School, Allen chose to stay close to home when he accepted a scholarship offer from San Diego State in 2004.

After redshirting his first season, Allen proved his dependability and wasted no time getting onto the field. He played in all 12 games in 2005, starting seven times, and finished the season with 61 total tackles and two interceptions. Following the season, he was named an honorable mention freshman All-American by The Sporting News.

Allen didn’t slow down one bit the next three seasons, as he continued to be a dominant force on the defensive side of the ball. He finished his career as the third all-time leading tackler in SDSU history, recording 375 tackles over four seasons. He also holds the all-time record for total tackles in a game, as he tallied 22 tackles vs. Utah in the 2007 season.

In addition to his impressive stats, Allen displayed incredible durability. He played in 48 games over four seasons, never missing a game. He also showed versatility on defense, as he played multiple positions on the field. He lined up at both outside and inside linebacker, and even played defensive end at times during his senior year when several defensive lineman were out due to injury.

Allen was very successful on the field, but he also thoroughly enjoyed his time off the field at SDSU.

“My time at SDSU was great,” Allen said. “It’s a unique time in your life, and I miss being around my buddies everyday. It’s the only level of football where you spend all that time together and I bonded with my teammates a lot.”

Following his career as an Aztec, Allen found himself anxiously waiting to hear his name in the 2008 NFL Draft. Although he wasn’t drafted, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him as an undrafted free agent shortly after the draft.

With the same hard work and determination that helped him become one of the greatest linebackers to ever play at SDSU, Allen made the Jaguars’ 53-man roster for the 2009 season, an impressive feat for an undrafted rookie.

But he didn’t stop there.

Now entering his fourth season, Allen is the starter at one of the outside linebacker spots, and it is a goal of his to keep that job for years to come.

“I’ve found my way into the starting lineup, and I’d like to continue that and be a full-time starter,” Allen said when talking about future goals. “First and foremost, I’d like to help my team win a Super Bowl any way that I can.”

In his three seasons in the NFL, Allen has tallied 136 total tackles, two forced fumbles and one interception. He says that the transition to the next level has been tough, but his time at SDSU prepared him well.

“The expectation level in professional football is so high,” Allen said. “Every day you are practicing to keep your job. It’s a high stress job, and you have to bring your ‘A’ game everyday.

“I leaned a lot in college that really helped me out at this level. We had coaches that knew football well and taught me the game. On top of that, I learned how to deal with adversity. You have to be able to come to work everyday and give your best even when things are down.”

Although being in a different time zone makes it tough for Allen to watch SDSU games, he still tries to follow the team as much as possible.

“I don’t get to watch a lot of the games because they aren’t always on television and they start really late,” Allen said. “I always want to know how they’re doing, though. I’m always checking the scores and stats, and following the kids as much as possible.”

For the legacy he left at SDSU and his continued support of the program, Russell Allen is truly an Aztec for life.

LINKS:
Hunter Hewitt: WordPress – http://hunterhewitt.wordpress.com
Hunter Hewitt: LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhewitt
Hunter Hewitt: Twitter – http://twitter.com/hunterhewitt89
Hunter Hewitt: Facebook – http://facebook.com/hunterhewittSDSU
Hunter Hewitt: About.me – http://about.me/hunterhewitt
Hunter Hewitt: BrandYourself – http://hunterhewitt.brandyourself.com/
Hunter Hewitt: GoAztecs.com Player Profile – http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/hewitt_hunter00.html

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS