Sarah Cole continues to make strides on the field and in the classroom
By: Naomi Misori
Sarah Cole is a junior finance and accounting major at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) who strives for greatness while balancing lacrosse, academics and business-related ventures.
Cole was named captain of the women’s lacrosse team at the beginning of her sophomore year at UAH.
“She has exceeded all expectations as a leader and has continued to impress,” says Akasha Kasper, head coach of women’s lacrosse. “Sarah has an infectious positive attitude and an outstanding work ethic. Her constant pursuit of excellence pushes herself and everyone around her to be their best at everything they tackle.”
However, Cole encountered her fair share of challenges before achieving lacrosse success. During high school, she suffered an injury that sidelined her for the rest of the lacrosse season.
“I had to take a step back and really put my head down and work hard to return to where I was before,” she says.
“I pride myself on staying strong and seeing the end goal when going through those tough situations. So, I know that I need to work hard and that I just need to push through this little moment because not all moments are bad and that there will be a flipside in whatever situation is happening.”
Cole continues to find a healthy balance between lacrosse and her academics. “For the past two years, my team has traveled to Florida for our conference championships during finals week. During the trips, I had to balance studying for my finals and playing in two high-stakes games.” Her focus and dedication led her to earn all A’s on her final exams and be a top contender on the field.
Her lacrosse team also makes an effort to be involved in the community. “My team volunteers each year at the Buddy Walk at Columbia Elementary School,” says Cole, noting that it is one of her favorite fall events. “This walk is held to raise awareness and acceptance for people with Down Syndrome. Each year we help facilitate the event and play with the children.”
Cole is in her junior year and has made the President’s List every semester, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. Beyond her lacrosse and academic endeavors, Cole has also had the opportunity to start making strides in her professional career. She has interned at Heaven Hill Brands as an accounts receivable and accounts payable intern.
“During my time at Heaven Hill, I was able to learn about reconciling large customer orders and invoices,” says Cole.
She says she would apply the concepts she learned in class to real-world situations while solving complex problems. She has another internship lined up at Warren Averett, an accounting firm in Huntsville.
Cole is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business honor society and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where she plans and organizes studentathlete events such as mental health awareness games and award ceremonies. For the summer of 2023, she was a club lacrosse coach, assisting in perfecting the skills of over 25 lacrosse players.
When asked how she would define success in her own words, Cole says, “Success is what you make it and setting little goals that you can achieve along the way to an overall big goal.”
Cole is expected to graduate in May 2026 and plans to sit for the CPA exam as she continues to set the foundation for a thriving business career.