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FREDONIA, N.Y. — January 22, 2009 — Anyone who knows Fredonia State’s Julia Hopson knows that she is one of the most decorated student-athletes in the university’s history. Many are now learning that her artistic flair extends well beyond the track and field.
Hopson, a senior and three-time All-American who finished second in the 20-pound weight throw at last March’s NCAA Division III Indoor Championship and fourth in the hammer throw at its outdoor counterpart in May, has now been recognized by the NCAA for her academic and artistic talents as well.
A Poughkeepsie, N.Y., native and graduate of Arlington Senior High School, Hopson was one of just 20 student-athletes selected to exhibit her own artwork, in person, at the NCAA National Convention, held in Washington, D.C. last week. Her entry, a 30” X 22” acrylic on canvas titled, “Squishy,” is a self portrait that, in her words, “shows a more playful side that not many people get to see.”
Indeed, playful is usually not a word associated with this fierce competitor who has made her mark at Fredonia by chucking heavy objects much farther than her diminutive 5’ 6” size might suggest. A team captain, she holds SUNYAC conference records in both the weight throw and hammer throw events, school records in weight throw, hammer throw and shot put, and is part of a 4 X 200 sprint relay team that, until recently, also held a school mark. But despite her many successes, Hopson is mostly a strong-yet-silent individual who doesn’t get overly vocal.
“She’s definitely a team leader, but she leads by example with her dedication and her extreme hard work at training and conditioning,” said Blue Devils Coach Liz Aldrich, who has worked with Julia for the last three years. “It’s clear that her dedication carries over to her academics as well.”
Hopson and 12 other exhibiting student-athletes were also included in the January issue of the NCAA’s Champion magazine, in a feature that lists personal statements about their artistic work, and descriptions of how it relates to their athletic accomplishments.
Damon Schoening, the NCAA’s director of brand strategies and events, as well as co-director of “Statements,” the NCAA’s inaugural art show that spotlights artistic talents of student-athletes, added, “We’re all familiar with the tagline on the NCAA’s promotional ads that says, ‘There are more than 400,000 student-athletes and most of them will go pro in something other than sports.’ Well, this is a visual manifestation of that.”
The lone SUNY student participating in the NCAA exhibit, Hopson completed an internship with Fredonia’s Publications office this past fall. In May, she will receive a bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts and New Media, with a concentration in Graphic Design. Following graduation, she hopes to gain employment as a graphic designer somewhere closer to home in the eastern part of the state, and intends to eventually obtain a graduate degree within a few years.
One thing’s for sure… no matter where life takes her next, there’s little doubt that Julia Hopson will continue to make her mark.
