Senior Spotlight: Chelsea Erkes, Penn State Schuylkill
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: Chelsea Erkes
Campus: Schuylkill
Primary Sport: Women's Basketball
Primary Position(s): Shooting Guard
Hometown: Wernersville, PA
High School: Conrad Weiser
Major: Psychology
Academic Achievements: Deans List; PSUAC Academic All-Conference
How did your Penn State education prepare you for life after graduation? It prepared me to be able to think and comprehend problems in a logical and thought out way. It will allow me to be confident in problem solving and career pathways I want to take.
How do you hope to be remembered by teammates and coaches? I hope to be remembered as a good teammate that was always willing to help and encourage the team.
What is your favorite memory from playing your sport at Penn State? My favorite memory is the team dinner at coaches house, where we played heads up and half the team tried to make a tik tok
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’ve ever received was to have a short term memory while playing. That mistakes go in one ear out the other, and to just continue playing your game.
What are you most looking forward to post graduation? Or in your transition to University Park (or other campus) to finish your degree? I’m looking forward to continue coaching basketball at Tulpehocken Jr./Sr. High School.
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? I’ve learned to be a team player and be able to encourage those around me to get a common goal achieved.
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? The impact on athletics was big for me because it taught me how to prioritize time, teamwork, accountability, and also how to work hard and have fun at the same time.
Please use this space to thank anyone you wish to acknowledge for their support during your academic and athletic career. I want to thank my coaches, athletic, and academic staff at Penn State Schuylkill for everything they have done for me. I also want to thank my teammates for making my last 2 years of basketball fun, competitive, and memorable.