Lissa Fehlman

Classroom

Lissa currently maintains a 3.76 GPA in Interdisciplinary Studies. She is a two-time winner of the MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award for maintaining a 3.5 GPA for two consecutive semesters. She has been named to the Dean’s list six semesters and was part of a UE team that was named a 2008 NFCA Girls Got Game Top 10 Academic team. At the conclusion of last season, Lissa was one of two Aces named to the 2008 MVC Scholar-Athlete team. Lissa is currently working on her doctorate in physical therapy and chose her major so she could get a background in business to eventually open her own clinic in the future.

Character

Lissa leads by example both on and off the field. She consistently has to keep her priorities in order to balance a heavy academic load, being a resident assistant for her dorm, and maintaining a starting position for a Division I softball team. Lissa lost her father to an extended illness the summer before her junior year. She has endured intense emotional stress on top of all the stresses of being a college student, which has made her even stronger. As a result, Lissa did some research and started a division of Students With Ailing Mothers and Fathers on campus in the fall. The group is a national organization that prides itself on service, faculty support, and peer-led support to anyone dealing with the loss or diagnosis of a loved one. Lissa is the president of the group and has organized many projects to increase awareness for several terminal diseases. As a resident assistant, Lissa serves as the hall council secretary and learned sign language to communicate with a friend on her floor. She was also chosen for a Board of Trustees focus group. Her work ethic is impeccable. Lissa had to learn a new position when she came to college and works hard to maintain her position by working diligently to stay in shape.

Coach Lewis on Lissa
“Lissa is the epitome of Evansville athletics. She puts in just as much effort in the classroom as she does on the field. She puts the team before herself, is fair and rational, and is a role model that walks the walk. She is intrinsically motivated and does what is expected even if no one is watching. She is a self-starter and can handle a multitude of responsibilities at one time. The harder the challenge, the more intensity she exhibits.”

Community

Lissa is very active in the community. She is a member of UE’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and participated in the Just Read program, which allows student-athletes to visit local schools and read to students. She has served as a Race for the Cure volunteer for the past three years, volunteered at a Multiple Sclerosis walk, and adopted a family for Thanksgiving in 2007. She has put her softball skills to use in helping with a Cleats Camp to teach fundamentals to school age children and has been a fall high school league coach for three years. Most recently, Lissa co-organized the annual UE softball walk-a-thon and helped implement a Special Olympics game to raise awareness for the program. She is also organizing a colon cancer awareness event for the fall.

Competition

Lissa is one of the hardest workers on the team and the ultimate team player.  Lissa led all players during conference play in 2008 with 61 assists. In 2007, she was named the Memphis Blues City Classic Tournament MVP for her efforts, which also garnered her the MVC Player of the Week, and Prairie Farms MVC Student-Athlete of the Week honors. She was named to the 2007 MVC All-Tournament team for her home run that sent the game into extra innings. For her efforts last season, she was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete team. Just four games into her senior season, she holds a .583 batting average and a 1.167 slugging percentage with four doubles, a grand slam, seven RBI, and five runs in 12 at bats. She was named the MVC Player of the Week after the Georgia State First Pitch Classic in the Aces’ opening weekend of play.