Miami Ohio University Athletics
STRAIGHT-A TEAM: Andrew Mock
6/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
June 16, 2008
This is the eighth in a series of 16 features about Miami University's brightest student-athletes. Their exceptional academic performance during the recently completed spring semester earned them a spot on the roster of the RedHawks' exclusive Straight A Team. In addition to their rigorous schedules on the athletic fields, each of these individuals earned a perfect 4.0 grade-point average this past semester. During the 2007-08 academic year, Miami's 500-plus student-athletes earned an impressive cumulative 3.0 GPA in the classroom.
Recently declaring a double major in accountancy and finance, rising junior golfer Andrew Mock seems to have found the perfect fit in Miami University. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, having prepped at St. Xavier High School, Mock's decision to attend Miami was an easy one.
"The ability to combine Division I golf with exceptional academics was the deciding factor for me," said Mock. "I love playing golf, and I knew that I wanted to challenge myself academically. The fact that Miami offered me both, along with its proximity to home, made it the perfect fit for me."
Mock has quickly adapted to the rigors of balancing college academics and athletics. During the spring semester, Mock's academic load en route to a 4.0 grade-point average was Accounting 222, Economics 202, Management Information Systems 235, Management 291 and Basic Ice Skating. The experiences both in the classroom and on the course his freshman year helped make his second year at Miami a little bit easier.
"Academically, I was more accustomed to the college class schedules and workloads this year," remarked Mock. "At the same time, my classes were definitely more challenging this past year. Econ 202 was both my most challenging but also most enjoyable class. Professor Hart was a very interesting teacher and really challenged me to think critically about macroeconomics. I also enjoyed Management 291 because my teacher, Dr. Wagner, was very entertaining."
"During my freshman year athletically, I was really just learning the ropes and gaining some experience playing collegiate golf," added Mock "My sophomore year allowed me to build on my experience as a freshman, and despite not performing as well as I would have liked on the golf course, I feel like I improved personally along with the success of our team. I am looking forward to helping the team continue to build upon our growth from last year."
Mock has played in seven events over his first two seasons as a RedHawk. This season, he competed at the Jaguar Invitational where he carded a pair of 73s in his first two rounds of the 54-hole event. As a freshman he posted a 10th-place finish at the Earl Yestingsmeier Intercollegiate and also was a medalist in a tri-match against Toledo and Eastern Michigan, with a two-under par 70.
And what does this summer have in store for him?
"This summer I am working at my local golf course (Reeves Golf Course) and also spending a lot of time playing/practicing and playing in summer tournaments to stay competitive," said Mock. "I also am finding some much-needed down time that doesn't seem to exist when I am at school. It looks like I'm going to be staying in Cincinnati much of the summer, but I'm hoping to make a few short trips to visit friends and play golf tournaments."
STRAIGHT A TEAM BIO
Name: Andrew Mock
Hometown/HS: Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier
Year: Sophomore
Majors: Accountancy and Finance
Spring Semester GPA: 4.0
In His Words: "The ability to combine Division I golf with exceptional academics was the deciding factor for me (to come to Miami). I love playing golf, and I knew that I wanted to challenge myself academically. The fact that Miami offered me both, along with its proximity to home, made it the perfect fit for me."
