The latest award collected by UAA senior Travis Thompson recognizes how the home-grown basketball star embodies the term "student athlete."
Thompson, who voluntarily took a redshirt year midway through his career to ensure he would complete an academically demanding degree, on Wednesday was named to the Capital One Academic All-America team. He earned third-team honors for his on-court and classroom performances.
As his final season winds down -- he'll play his final home games Thursday and Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center -- Thompson is on track not only to leave his mark on the school record book but to graduate this spring with a civil engineering degree.
A 6-foot-1 guard and preseason All-American, Thompson owns the UAA and Great Northwest Athletic Conference record for 3-pointers with 295 and ranks third all-time in scoring at UAA with 1,629 points.
With at least three games remaining -- UAA heads to the GNAC tournament in Montana next week -- he's 37 points away from catching Hansi Gnad, the school's second leading scorer (1,666,1983-87).
Thompson's other number of note is 3.47. That's his cumulative grade-point average, and combined with his lofty basketball numbers, it adds up to a world of possibilities for the Dimond High graduate. While his degree should pave his way into the business work, his game could open doors in professional basketball in Europe.
"I'd love to go play a little more and get the experience of going overseas," Thompson said. "I can always fall back on my degree from UAA."
The basketball-first, career-second path is an exciting choice, UAA coach Rusty Osborne said. Kyle Fossman, a teammate of Thompson's who graduated last year with an accounting degree, went that route and is currently playing professionally in Europe.
"Once you get that degree, that sets you free," Osborne said. "Kyle has a standing offer from an accounting firm. Travis is the same way. He's had an internship in the engineering field but he has a chance to experience something that thousands and thousands of kids will spend thousands and thousands of dollars on -- to spend six months in Europe.
"It's a tremendous opportunity and something he should take advantage of, because you can only play for so long."
Exploring those opportunities will happen after the season ends. Right now, Thompson hopes to do everything in his power to extend his final season as long as he can.
Thompson averages a team-high 17.3 points for UAA, which is 14-12 overall and 10-6 in conference play. The Seawolves have clinched a berth in next week's six-team GNAC tournament, and they'll need to win that tournament if they are to move into the NCAA Division II West Region playoffs.
This week will provide a barometer of sorts for the Seawolves. Their Thursday opponent is Western Oregon, the regular-season GNAC champion and the top seed in the GNAC tournament. The Wolves beat the Seawolves 87-66 in early December in a game that Thompson missed with an ankle injury.
The Seawolves wrap up their home season Saturday afternoon with a 3:15 p.m. game against Saint Martin's. In a pregame ceremony, UAA will honor Thompson and three other seniors -- Boomer Blossom, Brad Mears and Derrick Fain.
"It's one of those bittersweet weeks," Osborne said. "The season's coming to an end, careers are coming to an end.
"One day you're welcoming Travis Thompson to campus and the next day you're saying goodbye. ...He's had a tremendous career. He shares the ball with his teammates, he makes free throws, he doesn't turn over the ball. We're very grateful. He's a local kid and we've enjoyed having him here."
Thompson's focus is on the future -- short-term and long-term -- but he said his time at UAA has gone quickly, even with the redshirt year that makes him a fifth-year senior.
"You look back and remember stories from freshman year and it seems like it just flew by," Thompson said. "It's been an awesome ride and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Once Travis is gone, another Thompson is likely to fill a roster spot for the Seawolves -- younger sister Tara, who is spending her first year at UAA as a redshirt for the women's team.
"She's gonna do well," Thompson said. "Our parents raised us well and gave us the tools to do well."
His advice to his sister? "Enjoy the ride while you can," he said.
Thursday's games
5:15 p.m. -- UAA women vs. Seattle Pacific
7:30 p.m. -- UAA men vs. Western Oregon
Saturday's games
1 p.m. -- UAA women vs. MSU-Billings
3:15 p.m. -- UAA men vs. Saint Martin's
All games at Alaska Airlines Center
Alaska Dispatch Publishing