April 6th is National Student-Athlete Day! The Argyros School is home to students who are not only superstars in the classroom, but are also doing incredible things on the field, in the pool, on the court, and beyond! Let’s take a look at some of our incredible student-athletes, and what participating in their sport at the collegiate level means to them:

Brandt Bachelet

Degree: B.S. Business Administration ’24 (Finance emphasis) & B.S. Accounting ’24

Sport: Football

Brandt Bachelet is a member of Chapman University’s Football team and one of the Argyros School’s Class of 2024 and will earn two degrees, a B.S. in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Finance and a B.S. in Accounting. It was a lifelong goal of Brandt’s to pursue sports at the next level. He has always been very passionate about playing sports and competing, so it was a very easy decision when Chapman offered him the chance to continue to play football at the collegiate level.

For Brandt, it’s definitely been hard to balance being both a student and an athlete. “I think just finding pockets of time throughout the day to get some extra studying in or late nights after practice. It just takes putting in a little more effort to maximize your time throughout the day,” says Bachelet.

Brandt’s favorite part about playing football for Chapman is just getting to play and work hard with his best friends. He says, “It’s obviously an awesome feeling to throw a touchdown or make a great play, but the friendships and memories are what will last forever.”

When asked what skills his sport has provided that he will carry into the business world, Bachelet said “Having a good work ethic is probably the biggest thing I have taken away from sports. I believe that anything can be accomplished through hard work and perseverance. It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but it is always worth it at the finish line.”

Olivia Desso

Degree: B.S. Business Administration ’24 (Finance emphasis), Minor in Data Analytics

Sport: Tennis

Olivia Desso is on the Women’s Tennis team at Chapman University. She always wanted to pursue tennis at the collegiate level because of her love for the sport. Ever since Olivia started playing at a young age, she knew she wanted to experience the team atmosphere and competitive nature of college tennis.

Olivia’s favorite part about tennis is the amount of effort and passion required to play the game. “Every point matters and requires the utmost amount of focus and intensity. Tennis challenges me to never give up and keep trying no matter what.”

Like many student-athletes, Olivia found the balance of being a student and being a college athlete difficult to manage at first. “Time management needs to be a consistent priority in my routine to prevent falling behind when missing classes for matches or having extra practices,” says Desso.

Olivia’s sport has pushed her past her boundaries of mental toughness. She says, “With tennis, you are on the court by yourself and must focus and continue fighting even when you’re losing. This transfers into the world of business because I have developed my independence to handle stressful situations and make smart decisions even under intense pressure.”

Alec Desuasido

Degree: B.S. Business Administration ’24 (Marketing emphasis), Minor in Economics

Sport: Track & Field

Alec Desuasido is on Chapman University’s Track & Field team and is a very accomplished jumper and sprinter, currently ranked 11th in the country for long jump, 22nd for triple jump, and his 4×4 team is also ranked 10th in the NCAA. Alec also holds the Chapman school record for triple jump.

Alec wanted to pursue track and field at the collegiate level to compete at a higher level and continue the sport he has been doing since he was 10 years old.

Alec balances being a business student with being a collegiate athlete (among many other things) by focusing on time management. He sets a schedule at the beginning of every week with everything that needs to get done and focuses on that until everything has been completed.

“My favorite part of track & field is the feeling of competition I get at NCAA collegiate meets. The winning feeling is one of the best feelings in the world,” says Desuasido. “This sport has provided me many skills that will help me in the business world including organization, time management, dedication, patience, and persistence.”

Emily Hayes

Degree: B.S. Business Administration ’23 (Marketing emphasis), Double-Minor in Graphic Design and Japanese Studies  

Sport: Softball

Emily Hayes loves softball and the camaraderie that comes with it so much that she knew she would make connections to last a lifetime and grow as an individual by continuing her athletic career playing for Chapman’s Softball team.

Balancing her softball schedule with study has been no easy feat, but Emily says her professors in Argyros have been so amazing, always willing to work with her when she has a lot on her plate. “Having open communication and looking ahead has definitely helped me balance school with games and practice as well,” says Emily.

Hayes has always loved the competition, growth, and friendships that come with softball. She says “Learning from my teammates and coaches, learning about discipline and respect, and developing once-in-a-lifetime bonds have made softball worth playing all my life.” Not only that, but Emily says the main skills that will support her in the business world after college are teamwork, communication, leadership, and time management. “I am so confident that the strengths that softball has given me will take me far in life!”

Riley Thomas

Degree: B.S. Business Administration ’25 (Finance emphasis), Minor in Data Analytics  

Sport: Soccer

Riley Thomas plays on the Men’s Soccer team at Chapman. His passion for soccer led him to pursue his sport at the collegiate level. “Having so many positive memories of playing throughout high school, I knew playing for Chapman and representing the school would be an incredible experience.”

Discipline is the name of the game when it comes to juggling school and sports. Thomas says “Balancing being a student in business with the rigors of being a college athlete requires a lot of discipline and time management. I try to stay organized by keeping a detailed daily schedule and prioritizing my tasks, allocating enough time for studies and athletic commitments.”

Riley’s favorite part about playing soccer is the sense of camaraderie among teammates. He believes that nothing beats the feeling of coming together with your best friends and competing as a team for your school.

Riley says that he has gained valuable skills during his time so far as a student-athlete that will serve him well in the world of business “These skills include teamwork, the ability to thrive under competition, and setting ambitious goals, all of which I look forward to bringing with me into the business world.”

Jack Alexander

Degree: M.S. in Real Estate ’23

Sport: Tennis

Jack Alexander is a member of our M.S. in Real Estate graduate program at the Argyros School as well as a Chapman University Tennis player! The team aspect of tennis is important to Jack considering it is already a very individualized sport. “The energy in college tennis is unparalleled to any other level of the sport. As a kid, my main goal was to become a college tennis player, and I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue both a top-notch degree and compete with an awesome team,” says Alexander. The Chapman team always brings energy and keeps the sport of tennis exciting.

To Jack, getting involved is very important, and being a student-athlete has opened doors to amazing experiences and friendships. He also says that playing tennis has instilled value in time management skills that he’s developed through balancing work, school, and practice. Jack knew that pursuing his sport at the collegiate level would help set him up for success in the future.

When it comes to balancing school and sport, Jack says “making sure you stay ahead of the game and contact your professors and coaches early is key. Communicating early and often will help ensure everyone is on the same page.” He also says that it is persistence, hard work, and organization that he will take from Tennis into the world of business. “Anything that is valuable in life must be earned.”

To all of our student-athletes, we commend you for your commitment to your sport and studies. As always, Go Panthers!