Senior Spotlight: Brianna Sanford, Penn State Beaver
Welcome to our Senior Spotlight series. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the PSUAC had to cancel its fall and winter sport seasons. This prevented several student-athletes from receiving a proper senior day and minimized opportunities for Player of the Week awards. In its place, we will highlight seniors from around the conference throughout the remainder of the semester.
See more Senior Spotlight highlights on our Twitter (@psuac) and Instagram (psuac)!
Name: Brianna Sanford
Campus: Beaver
Primary Sport: Women's Soccer
Primary Position: Center Midfield
Hometown: West Mifflin
High School: West Mifflin
Major: Project and Supply Chain Management
Academic Achievements: PSUAC Academic All-Conference Team- Fall 2017, Fall 2018, and Fall 2019, Fall 2020. Deans List Fall 2017, and Fall 2020.
Additional Info: Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, SAP Certified
How did your Penn State education prepare you for life after graduation? Penn State has helped me to gain knowledge that will help my in my future career and also have the ability to look a things from different perspectives. I have been able to improve my time management skills and also how to better work in a team.
How do you hope to be remembered by teammates and coaches? I hope to be remembered as a leader by example. I might not have been the most outgoing person, but I would always try and do the right thing and help motivate fellow players.
What is your favorite memory from playing your sport at Penn State? My favorite memory would be my freshman year as I was joining a new team and nervous about the start of my college career. I was able to quickly adjust into the college lifestyle by making friends on the team which lead to having familiar faces in my classes which made adjusting easier. I had also met one of the best friends who would eventually become my roommate later that year.
What is the best advice you ever received from a coach or teammate that you would share with other student-athletes? The best advice I received from a coach was in high school when my coach would always say "Don't quit on me". This saying was a constant reminder that when you are on the field you are not just playing for yourself you are playing for your fellow teammates, coaches, and audience. When you are part of a team you have to think beyond just yourself and have to remember that other people are relying on you as well. This "don't quit" attitude would motivate me to keep pushing even when I may not have wanted to. I would think about how I don't want to let others down and I took this into my college career. I will still say this to myself when I need the extra motivation to keep going and I will cherish that forever.
What are you most looking forward to post graduation? Or in your transition to University Park (or other campus) to finish your degree? What I am most looking forward to would have to be getting exposure in my field and seeing what potential changes I can make within a company. I want to be able to help better supply chains within companies and would really love to be able to travel the world and do so.
What are some of the tools or skills that you learned through all the years of playing your sport that you plan to instill once you enter the workforce? Through my sport I have learned how to better participate in a team and working as a unit rather than individual parts. this will benefit me greatly in the workforce as I will likely be working in a team atmosphere.
What impact did athletics have on your experience as a college student? What is your favorite memory outside of athletics during your time as a student-athlete? Being a student athlete had a significantly impact on my college career. I was a full time student, athlete, and worked part time so I was able to learn good time management skills. I also would receive some of my best grades during my in season semesters. I was less likely to procrastinate while I was in season because I always wanted to be on top of my academics so I would maintain my eligibility, and also would be less stressed during the season.
Please use this space to thank anyone you wish to acknowledge for their support during your academic and athletic career. I would like to thank my coaches, professors, family, and especially my teammates who have supported me throughout my college career. My coaches have pushed me to continue to better myself within my sport and have also provided guidance and tips that will help me once I enter the real world. My professors have given me the knowledge I need to enter the workforce and also have helped to expand my network post graduation. My family has been a great support system throughout my college career, and have motivated me to do the best I can in school. I am also thankful for my teammates as they have helped me transition into college and have become a family to me as well.