For as long as Hannah Page can remember, sports have been part of her life. Growing up in Lubbock, she watched her father coach basketball and also played both basketball and volleyball herself. She spent her undergraduate career playing collegiate volleyball at multiple universities. Hannah’s deep love and passion for collegiate sports was something she wanted to hone into a career. Hannah’s journey to Abilene Christian University was fast but fated. In the final semester of her undergrad, Hannah was introduced to ACU’s faculty within the athletic department, and everything took off from there.
Becoming a Graduate Assistant at ACU
While completing her bachelor’s degree in communications at McMurry University, Hannah began working as a sports information intern for the university’s athletic department. During her internship, she was introduced to ACU women’s basketball head coach Julie Goodenough and the athletic staff. What started as a simple introduction quickly turned into something much more meaningful.
At the time, the program was preparing to bring on a graduate assistant for the upcoming season. During her visit, Hannah spent about an hour meeting with the coaches and staff, sharing her background, love for athletics and interest in potentially working in collegiate sports. Although the conversation went well, the position had already been filled. But just a month later, everything changed.
The graduate assistant who originally committed to the role was ultimately unable to come to ACU. It was then that the women’s basketball team reached out to Hannah to offer her the job. However, Hannah was still playing collegiate volleyball and wrapping up her final semester before graduation. “We’ll wait for you,” was what the team told her. She worked with ACU’s women’s basketball team during the summer before returning to McMurry University to finish earning her bachelor’s. Immediately after she finished her final volleyball game, she began working as a graduate assistant. “It was a fast transition from being an athlete to working on the coaching side of things,” Hannah said.
Joining the Sports Leadership Management Program
Along with her new position as a graduate assistant for the women’s basketball team, Hannah started pursuing her online master’s in sports leadership with ACU. She started the program in January and quickly developed an appreciation for the online format. “It allows me the freedom to do my coursework and be present in my job here,” Hannah said.
As a graduate assistant, her schedule often includes practices, travel, recruiting support and day-to-day program operations. The flexibility of ACU’s online courses allows her to stay fully engaged with the team while still making progress toward her degree. At the same time, Hannah is also grateful for the program’s Christian foundation.
“I love the Christian community here. Being surrounded by coaches, staff and professors who share a faith-centered perspective has helped me grow.” Hannah explained. The faith-based curriculum has completely changed her approach to coaching and leadership. Hannah recalled being a vocal leader on the court when she was an athlete, but being a sports leader as a coach is completely different.
Becoming a Better Leader Through Coursework
Now, as a graduate assistant helping guide athletes and support the coaching staff, she’s learning that leadership begins internally. “A recurring theme in my program is that you can’t lead others if you can’t lead yourself,” she said. “Now that I’m not on the court as an athlete, it’s way more important how I lead myself and how I handle situations when I’m happy, when I’m stressed, when I’m panicking.”
Her coursework has helped her develop a new awareness of emotional intelligence, communication, and leadership under pressure. “I’m learning how to handle my emotions and how to speak to staff and players in a way that’s well received,” she said. Her current classes have also opened her eyes to an entirely new side of collegiate athletics. Courses covering sports law, ethics and policy have been especially impactful as the college athletics landscape rapidly evolves with new opportunities for athletes.
“Everything is happening so fast in sports right now,” she said. “Players can monetize themselves, and there are so many legal and ethical factors involved.” Through her coursework, she’s learning about contracts, athlete safety policies and the broader responsibilities that come with managing collegiate programs. “As an athlete, you don’t always think about those details,” she said. “Learning about contracts and the ethics behind sports has really opened my eyes.”
A Lifelong Community
Another aspect that Hannah loves about her ACU experience so far is building a lifelong community among graduate assistants. She currently lives with three other graduate assistants who work with softball, soccer and strength training programs. Together, they share the challenges and rewards of balancing graduate school and coaching. “It’s cool to lean on the other GAs and have each other’s back,” she said.
Because many of them are also enrolled in the same academic program, they’re able to support each other academically while navigating the realities of working in college athletics. “We all deal with similar situations in our sports,” she said. “It’s nice to have people who understand what you’re going through.”
One moment in particular showed her just how much support surrounded her at ACU. Last August, she was preparing for the women’s basketball team’s media day when she received a call from her mom. Before she could answer, one of the assistant coaches pulled her aside.
Her father had suffered a heart attack earlier that day.
“I’ll never forget that moment,” she stated. “My mom actually called my boss first because she didn’t want me to receive that news alone.” Her coaches immediately stepped in, offering to help her return to Lubbock and ensuring she had the support she needed. “That meant so much to me,” Hannah said. Thankfully, her father has since recovered and is doing much better. But the experience reminded her how deeply the ACU community cares for one another.
Letting Faith Guide Her Future
Hannah’s faith continues to shape the way she approaches both her career and her future. She will marry her high school sweetheart this June, another huge chapter in her life she’s looking forward to. As she prepares for marriage, career transitions and the next steps in athletics, she holds tightly to one belief. “God’s not going to call me somewhere and leave me unequipped,” she explained. “He’ll equip me when I get there.” She knows that wherever her career leads, the relationships she has built at ACU will continue to support her. “Talking about community, I feel like I’ll have these people in my corner personally and professionally forever,” she said.
On top of working as a graduate assistant for the women’s basketball team, Hannah’s sports management degree will also equip her with the skills to break into the sports industry. When asked about her dream job, Hannah mentioned that she’d love to work for a Power Four School, or schools that are included in the SEC, Big 10, ACC or Big 12 conferences.
For Hannah, ACU Online has provided the flexibility, mentorship and faith-centered education needed to grow as both a leader and a coach. Programs like the online master’s in sports leadership are designed to equip professionals with the skills to lead teams, navigate the evolving world of athletics and make a lasting impact in their field. Learn about ACU’s other online programs.
