SXU Student Earns Both Academic and Athletic Honors
Saint Xavier University (SXU) student Lexi Clarke is making her mark on and off the field, earning both academic and athletic accolades. With an outstanding 4.0 GPA, middle-distance runner Clarke landed on the women's Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete list for the first time in her Cougar career and was named the 2025 College of Liberal Arts and Education's Outstanding Sociology Student.
To become a Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete, a student must maintain a GPA of 3.50 or higher and be enrolled at the school for a calendar year. The SXU men's and women's track and field teams boast 15 student-athletes named 2025 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
"It is cool that athletes get recognized for academic achievements. The first part of being a student-athlete is being a student, so I have to prioritize my academics to ensure success. If my grades were not good, I wouldn't be able to get out there and compete," Clarke said.
As a transfer student from Joliet Junior College, the senior has found SXU's academic and athletic programs have helped her grow as a student-athlete. Assistant coaches Jacki Torres and Zachary Dutkiewicz have molded her into a better runner, and the rigorous academic standards of the Athletics Department have made her a better student.
"I have seen so much growth in my athletic capabilities since transferring here. The training that Coach Jackie puts together is phenomenal, and Coach Zak always makes sure we stay on top of our stretching and mobility. My teammates also inspire me to push myself toward my goals," Clarke said.
While transferring to a new school and navigating a new campus, new courses, and a new track team is no easy feat, Clarke prioritized her academics by finding quiet spaces around campus to study. She also took advantage of SXU's small class sizes to learn from her peers and professors. Clarke's dedication ultimately led to her success in the classroom and the reward of having a perfect GPA.
Clarke was recently awarded at the College of Liberal Arts and Education Awards Ceremony with the Outstanding Sociology Student Award. She also conducted research for her senior seminar project and presented her findings at the 2025 SXU Research Expo.
"The Research Expo helped me get comfortable presenting and talking to people. I also plan on conducting research for my psychology senior seminar in the spring of 2026 and hopefully being part of the Expo again," Clarke said.
Clarke will graduate in May 2026 with a double major in sociology and psychology and a minor in sports and fitness administration. After college, she would like to become a cross country and track coach and possibly attend graduate school later in life to become a sports psychologist.