Succeeding on the Trails and in the Classroom

By Kayla Cook, Graduate Extern, Athletic Communications

At first glance, the demands of a student-athlete can seem daunting. Busy schedules, deadlines and the pressure to compete at the highest level only scrapes the surface of what a week is like for athletes in college. However, one student-athlete at Temple continues to persevere through every challenge that he is faced with, both athletically and academically.

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Matt Kacyon had an impressive cross country season for the Owls last fall amidst his demanding course load. The redshirt junior was the top finisher for Temple in five of the seven meets the team competed in. One of his most impressive regular-season performances was at the Ted Owen Invitational on Sept. 27. Kacyon won the 8K race out of 135 competitors in 25:50.52, leading the men to a third-place finish out of 14 teams. His performance at the meet earned him the American Athletic Conference Cross Country weekly award for Sept. 30.

Kacyon's success didn't stop there. At the American Athletic Conference Championship on Oct. 31, Kacyon earned all-conference honors with his eighth-place time of 25:23 which helped lead his team to a sixth-place overall finish. Following the Owls' performance at the conference championship, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association ranked the team No. 14 in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This was the first regional-ranking for Temple cross country since 2012. Kacyon also earned all-region honors after his 20th-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship on Nov. 14.

"Matt sets a good example for all the guys on our team, not only the way he prepares for training and racing but also the way he prepares in the classroom," said coach James Snyder. "I say to all our kids that you're here to get a great education and you're here to run fast. Matt prioritizes both of those very highly."

Academic achievements
While Kacyon has countless accolades for the way he performs on the trails, what is even more impressive is the effort that he puts into his studies. During the fall semester, his 3.69 GPA ranked highest on the team as well as his 3.62 cumulative GPA. Kacyon is pursuing a major in film and media arts, a minor in digital media technologies and a certificate in entrepreneurship.

"His coursework has always been a high priority for him," said Snyder. "That's one of the reasons he came to Temple in the first place, for the film program, and it was a place where he wanted to study. He is definitely here for the right reasons."

Kacyon has also been named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team the past two years for track and field and again this year for cross country. Handling the pressures from school and competition can be taxing, but the key to Matt's success has been his ability to keep the two separate.

"Between practices, competition, classes and down time, I think it is key to organize it all equally," said Kacyon. "You need that down time from practice, but down time is a lot different than studying and doing your school work. I think if you can form it in a way that makes sense for you, with not too much of a workload on your head, it transfers into your running. You can't let running get into your work or let your work get into your running."

Snyder attributes Kacyon's success to his even-keeled and down to earth demeanor.

"The thing that makes Matt special is he doesn't take anything too seriously and that doesn't mean he doesn't want to do as well as he can in everything, but I think he's just got a very positive outlook on life itself," said Snyder. "Most people who are as busy as he is would be going crazy over things, but Matt attacks it at his own pace and at his own leisure. Training is the same way for him, where he doesn't get hell-bent on the mileage numbers or the paces of certain workouts. He's the kind of guy that whether you have a good day or a bad day, they are almost the same for him. He never gets too high or too low."

Team effort
The closeness of the team is something Kacyon said is another big aspect of not only his athletic success but also why he enjoys being at Temple so much. The ups and down that come with being a student-athlete can be brushed off much more easily with team chemistry and if everyone is at TU for the same reasons.

"Going through college every year is different and lots of difficult changes can happen," said Kacyon. "But, what sticks out for me and what I am going to remember is the memories I have from going to the meets with the guys and hanging out together outside of practice. I wouldn't be where I am without the support from my teammates."

It is important to note how hard Kacyon's teammates work as well. Men's cross country had a team GPA of 3.19 for the 2014 fall semester, which was highest among all men's teams on campus. They were a part of the sixth consecutive semester that all of Temple student-athletes have earned a combined 3.00 cumulative GPA. 20902

"I'm incredibly proud of all the guys for the fact that they are all doing things to prepare for the next steps in life," said Snyder. "The way we prepare our kids for competition should prepare them for some point in time for life after college. The fact that they are studying things that are preparing them for a career really makes me proud to be their coach."

A grade-point average or race results have bigger stories than just a number can tell. It is important to appreciate the obstacles student-athletes overcome to succeed in more ways than you think.

"For example, a person like Owen Glatts who is a nursing major won't be able to run until about six or seven o'clock at night because he has been in the clinic for 12 hours," said Snyder. "Things like that do not show up in results but I think it's going to show up 10 years from now when they are succeeding in what they want to do with their lives."

Where does Matt see himself in 10 years?

"I definitely think I am finding my niche behind the computer, more behind the scenes kind of stuff," said Kacyon. "I love working in the film department and right now I am leaning more towards editing and web design. That is where I see myself in the future."

One last semester
There is still one more goal Matt hopes to achieve before he finishes his career with the Owls next fall. After just missing the NCAA Championship by only a couple places last season, his expectation for himself is to make it there next year after a summer of training.

"I am approaching this summer just like every other summer," said Kacyon. "I'll be building up my mileage to get ready to get back into my last cross country season with Temple. I want to finish up my career here with everything that I got."

With a successful season behind them, Snyder has higher goals and expectations for where both Matt and the team as a whole can go.

"We are going to continue to push the envelope and expect the team to do more on their own than they've had to do in the past." said Snyder. "I think this will challenge them a little bit but with those challenges I think Matt and the team are going to be able to reap the benefits of it. The different ways they challenge themselves in racing makes the way in which they challenge themselves, more importantly, off the course and in life."

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Succeeding on the Trails and in the Classroom

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