When you are a student athlete it can be hard to separate your passion for sports with the importance of success in the classroom. But Taylor Newlin has the opposite problem.

Newlin is a senior on the UTSA women’s golf team and has been one of the most consistent and dependable players on the golf course in her almost four years as a Roadrunner. That’s only the half of it.

“Taylor has played in every tournament since her freshman year. She is one of the most consistent players I have seen, which every golf team needs,” UTSA Head Coach Carrie Parnaby says. “The academic side of her is so impressive. She was an academic all-American last year, which is really hard to do. She probably has around a 3.5 or 3.6 GPA. She is just very impressive. The dedication she has shown to her academics and the high level of play in college golf, alongside her high standard for academics, that’s rare to see.”

Raised by parents who were both successful in college athletics, Newlin was naturally pushed into the game of golf.

Newlin, the Frisco, Texas native, is the daughter of Chad Newlin, who played golf at Sam Houston State (1985-87), and Kim Newlin, who also attended Sam Houston State (1984-88) and played softball.

“I actually started playing golf when I was five. My dad played professionally and at that time he owned a golf range and was teaching. He got me into it,” Newlin says. “Like any other kid, I played every sport growing up and it came down to golf, basketball and softball. I just really loved golf and decided I wanted to try and play. I was fortunate enough to be recruited to UTSA and it’s turned out really well.”

With that background, it’s understandable that Newlin devotes her time to the golf course almost every minute. However, she has also achieved success in the UTSA classrooms. Newlin’s ambition at UTSA has led her to take on a difficult academic schedule.

“I’m actually in my undergrad, I’m double majoring in accounting and marketing,” Newlin says. “I’m also doing the five year accounting program because that includes your masters. You have to have 150 hours in certain classes.

“I’m in a combined program. I will actually get my masters, and both of my undergrads at the same time in May of 2015. So I will have to stay in school for a year after I’m done with my golf eligibility.”

For Newlin, her coaches and professors all work in unison to make sure she is succeeding in her studies. Parnaby is well aware of the stress that the travel can create for the student-athletes.

“Being away from school and mental exhaustion are the two biggest things. Playing golf is the fun part, but golf is very time consuming,” Parnaby explains. “We are really very organized. They know exactly each week their practice schedule so they can plan their tutoring. You can’t play good golf if you’re exhausted.”

Despite golf being the reason she is at UTSA, Newlin has turned her academic achievement into a life after college.

“I have always enjoyed school and learning in general, and had very high expectations of myself,” Newlin says. “I made sure to make time for school and I made sure that I wasn’t falling behind and to keep up with everything.”

After the spring season, Newlin will still be attending UTSA and already has an internship lined up related to her accounting degree.

“I have an internship this summer with Ernst and Young, so hopefully that can lead into something in public accounting,” Newlin says. “It’s one of the big four accounting firms. I’m going to be in assurance, which is kind of like audit. I’m just excited to learn and figure out the real world.”