Ohio State graduate defenseman Sophie Jaques (18) changed into Ohio State’s first Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholar of the Year for excellence in teachers, athletics and provider. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern report photograph
Growing up in Toronto, Sophie Jaques by no means pictured herself enjoying Division I ice hockey in the U.S., a lot much less hoisting the NCAA nationwide championship trophy in April as the 2022 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Defender of the Year.
Yet, that’s the place then-senior Jaques discovered herself after a prolific 2021-22 season, and she used to be confronted with a choice after graduating magna cum laude in civil engineering the following month.
Where the riding issue for many to go back may were in the likelihood to copy a countrywide championship run, Jaques had simply made historical past off the ice as smartly, turning into Ohio State’s first Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholar of the Year for excellence in teachers, athletics and provider. It used to be transparent to Jaques her motivation got here from each on the ice and in the lecture room, as she pursues a grasp’s in civil engineering.
“Here at Ohio State, the great opportunities to pursue a master’s, I’m on a fellowship in my graduate program, which is getting the best of both worlds athletically and academically,” Jaques mentioned. “It’s an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”
While Jaques tallied 59 issues — the second-highest single-season general through any defensemen in NCAA historical past — and helped lead the Buckeyes to the program’s first nationwide championship, she discovered her time being spent off the ice as smartly.
Jaques is a volunteer with the 2d & 7 basis in Columbus, a nonprofit devoted to selling studying through offering loose books and sure position fashions to youngsters in want whilst encouraging younger athletes of the neighborhood to pay it ahead, in line with its website online.
“2nd & 7th is a really great program for helping underprivileged youth. Getting knowledge out there and just sharing the opportunities out there at the collegiate level,” Jaques mentioned. “Keeping kids in school, and I think that’s the goal with the program is seeing what a day is like as a student-athlete and the opportunities that university provides you.”
In addition to volunteering in Columbus’ surrounding communities, Jaques additionally served as the co-vice president of SHEROS, a pupil group devoted to offering a secure area the place feminine student-athletes can be informed and increase the talents to lend a hand them lead a hit lives in the long run, in line with its website online. Jaques recently serves as their treasurer chief.
“Building the Black community and making sure it’s a safe space here on campus as well as trying to inspire youth to pick up sports that may have historically been predominantly white, so just sharing that knowledge and experience,” Jaques mentioned.
Head trainer Nadine Muzerall mentioned it’s been rewarding to observe Jaques develop since moving into the program as a freshman in 2018.
“To see her progress into this leader, not just because she’s good, but just because of who she is, and she always does the right thing when people aren’t watching,” Muzerall mentioned. “To see her develop over the years has been truly and selfishly rewarding.”
Muzerall mentioned she recalls a time ahead of Jaques used to be a extremely touted recruit and a tender participant nonetheless discovering her bearings getting into Ohio State athletics.
“Not as highly recruited as some would think when she was in high school, never made a U18, never made a Canadian national team — she came in here very quiet,” Muzerall mentioned. “To look at this kid that was underrated, undervalued and to be the best defensive player in the whole country, she’s put in a lot of effort and time.”
Despite being underrecruited, Jaques’ have an effect on on the ice used to be felt nearly instantly in her freshman marketing campaign with the Buckeyes, main all Ohio State freshmen in issues, assists and targets, completing 6th general on the workforce for the season.
Jaques’ play on the ice simplest stepped forward with every season, and, in spite of main the workforce in issues, has confirmed to be the furthest factor from egocentric, as she led the Buckeyes with 38 assists and blocked a team-high 44 photographs of their championship run.
Muzerall mentioned Jaques’ good fortune on and off the ice over the years is a testomony to the paintings she places in when no one is gazing.
“Her work ethic in practice, her work ethic away from practice, in the classroom and in the community, I mean people just want to follow,” Muzerall mentioned. “I think it’s very powerful the way she just holds herself.”
Upon her go back to Ohio State this season, Jaques discovered early good fortune, logging 3 targets and two assists over the span of 4 video games.
Jaques mentioned she is thankful for the accomplishments, however is concentrated on enjoying out her remaining season at Ohio State.
“From not even making the national tournament my freshman year to winning the national championship my senior year, I think the growth here has been unbelievable,” Jaques mentioned. “Just the amount of great people that have come through this program that I have developed relationships with has been amazing.”