Life as a student athlete isn’t easy. Many describe playing a Division 1 sport as being a full-time job. Traveling almost every week, working out and practicing every day, all while being enrolled in at least three classes every quarter, and maintaining a high level of academics. 

That seems like a lot, right? Now imagine that, but double. For women’s soccer teammates Zoe Hopkins and Taylor Marks, this is their reality. While being major contributors to Seattle University Women’s Soccer, the Washington natives were showcasing their talents elsewhere.

Hopkins, a sophomore forward and nursing major, is also an outfielder for Seattle U softball. In her freshman season, Hopkins spent most of her season as a pinch runner, appearing in 21 games and scoring 11 runs. 

Marks, a graduate student pursuing her MBA and a defender, spent the entirety of her undergraduate years as a sprinter for the Seattle U Track team. In her four years with the program, Marks was part of two record-setting relays: first in the distance medley in the WAC Indoor Championships, and second in the 4×400 relay. Marks is also sixth all-time at Seattle U in the 100m and fourth all-time in the 400m. 

The following is an excerpt from an Oct. 8 interview. Initials indicate speaker. 

DD: How did you first get into your sports? 

TM: “I started playing soccer basically when I came out the womb. My entire family plays soccer, my first gift ever was a soccer ball, so I had no choice in the matter… I got into track because our high school track coach pulled me out of class my junior year and he was like, ‘I hear you’re fast, I hear you’re a good athlete, I just want you to come out and try to run.’… I ended up winning the state championship for the 400-meter dash my first year.” 

ZH: “I just had a lot of energy as a kid, so my mom always put me in every sport she could. My whole life, I played, like, select softball and soccer at the same time and I also used to play basketball… I was always busy and always played every sport possible.” 

DD: How did you end up at SU? 

ZH: “My club soccer coach came here, he played here, met his wife here, so they both played here, so that’s how we kind of heard about it.” 

TM: “Actually, my uncle did his undergrad here and then did graduate school at UW, so I knew about it through him, and my parents were like, ‘it’s local, you’ll be close to home,’ and all my family is here, so it was really easy for everyone to come and watch me play. I really liked Julie Woodward, so I wanted to play for her, and that was part of the reason I wanted to come here, I wanted to play for Julie.” 

DD: How do you balance doing two sports? 

TM: “We have really good coaching staffs for both teams, and they just worked really well together. Kelly Sullivan was our head track coach, and now Jordana LeSavage and they work really well with Julie [Woodward], Rich [Schreiner], and Chris [Wells] to communicate my schedule and make sure that I’m not overexerting myself, and making it really simple and easy for me during peak season.” 

ZH: “They’re really flexible, especially the softball coach. I just play soccer all up until winter, and then I go with them… The coaching staff makes it possible. I think they’re just really open and just want you to have the best experience you can here.” 

DD: What does a typical day look like as a dual-sport athlete and a student? 

ZH: “I usually wake up, and I have three classes most days. Since I’m a nursing student, you have to stick to the schedule. Then you come to practice, then go do your homework, go to bed, and do it all over again.” 

TM: “My days look exactly the same for the most part, and then working a job now on top of it, or an internship. But it’s just really fun. Getting to do our sports as our outlet and how we relax, and I think we both have really high energy, so I think we’d be extremely bored if we didn’t have two sports.”  

DD: What are your goals for the rest of the year? 

ZH: “I think everyone’s goal here is to win out and make it to the NCAA Tournament. Make it a great season since it’s our first time in the WCC.” 

TM: “I think just finishing my career here, staying healthy, and then maybe looking to go play semi-pro overseas… or going and getting a big girl job.”