Samantha Jensen will be one busy young lady next year … but then, she’s used to that.
The Central Regional soccer and track star made it official this week, signing a national letter of intent to play soccer and run track at Wagner College in Staten Island.
Jensen led the Central girls soccer team with 16 goals and six assists as the Golden Eagles won the Shore Conference Class B South title last fall for the first time in school history. She also is a three-time NJSIAA South Jersey Group III and Shore Conference champion in the 55-meter and 100-meter hurdles, and finished third at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions in those events. She holds three school records – in the 100, 300 and 400 meter hurdles.
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“It’s a huge relief,” Jensen said Friday. She had been considering Caldwell College as well, but after she made her official visits to the schools in December she decided on Wagner, she said.
“All the girls were very welcoming there,” she said. “I felt comfortable knowing they would be my family for the next four years.”
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Initially Jensen planned to just play soccer, and was offered a financial package based on that and her academics – Jensen has a 100.6 grade-point average and is a member of the Math National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society – that covered her tuition, she said.
But Wagner wanted her for her track prowess as well, and offered her financial support to cover the remainder of her expenses – room and board and books – if she ran track as well.
“To come out of school owing nothing,” Jensen said, “it made sense to do it.” She admits at a little nervousness at competing in two sports on the college level while juggling her schoolwork.
“But I’ve been doing that my whole life,” she said. “I honestly think I can handle it.” What helps in part is she will be substituting track in the spring for spring soccer, and not trying to play both sports at once, she said.
“We’ve been carting her all over the East Coast since she was 11 hoping this would be the outcome,” her faither, Doug, said. “It’s a huge load lifted off our shoulders. It doesn’t get any better than free.”
“We’ve very proud and very excited for her,” said her mother, Stephanie. “She’s worked hard, especially at maintaining her GPA.
“I was very excited about the track part because I was a runner,” Stephanie Jensen said. “And she’s close enough that we’ll be able to watch her play.”
“It’s especially nice to have the full ride, with two more yet to come,” she said.
For now, Samantha is concentrating on the track seasons that lie ahead, but the preparations for her first season at Wagner will begin soon enough.
“There’s a whole training program that begins in May,” she said, and she reports to Wagner in August for preseason workouts.
She won’t be waiting until the last minute for any of it, however.
“She already wants to go dorm shopping,” Stephanie said.