Bolen Named Modern Woodmen Student-Athlete of the Week

SHERMAN, Texas - Austin College Athletics is excited to announce the Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial Student-Athlete of the Week, an award highlighing our great student-athletes on and off the field of play each week. This week's honoree is 'Roo women's soccer player Mack Bolen.

Bolen, a junior midfielder from Dallas, is a three-year member of the Austin College women's soccer program as well as serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Earlier this season she scored the first goal of her career, and has appeared in 44 matches in her three seasons in Sherman.

She also recently performed an analysis of sports-related concussions, and the dangers of failing to report head trauma sustained in athletics. One of the focuses of Bolen's research was the "cultural stigma of not reporting concussions," with an eye toward educating her fellow student-athletes on the dangers associated with repeated sub-concussive blows.

Bolen used her research to create an educational outreach program for athletics trainers and coaches, noting that athletes who "feel supported by their coaching staff and know that their coaches encourage concussion recovery" are more likely to report head trauma and concussion symptoms. During this year's preseason camp, Bolen was able to present her research to members of the Austin College athletics community to further her goal of bringing awareness of the dangers of concussions, and their long-term impact on the health of her fellow student-athletes.