(Editor's Note:  This is part of a series of stories of the RUDY Award finalists.  Two winners – one male and one female – will be announced at the conclusion of the end of the R.UD.Y.S. Awards Banquet on Monday.  

R.U.D.Y.S. stands for Recognition and celebration of University of Dayton student-athletes Year-end Showcase.  It is hosted by the UD Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Dayton Athletics administration for the student-athletes to recognize individuals and teams for their accomplishments this past year.
 
These stories were written by students in Dr. Haozho Pu's HS 353 Sports Media class.)

Written by Logan Miller, Alec Keathley, Brycen Prock

Joe Lansing is a member of the University of Dayton Football team as an offensive lineman and is a nominee for the 2024 R.U.D.Y.S awards. Lansing is currently a senior who is majoring in Marketing with an emphasis on insight selling. He is from Ballwin, Missouri and is a 2020 graduate of St. Louis University High. As a member of the St. Louis University High Junior Billikens football team, he was selected to be a team captain. Lansing was a three-year varsity letterwinner. He was selected as two-time All-Conference in the Metro Catholic Conference. In the same time Lansing accrued awards such as All-Region and was selected as a two-time All-District Member. 

On the field Lansing made a difference, being awarded scout team player of the week three times. Lansing is an active member of the team which is shown by his dedication of being a part of the team leadership council. In 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 he was named to the Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll as well as Dean's list. In his junior year the team selected him as the "best laugh" superlative which is representative of the positive attitude that he has brought to the team over his time at the university. Lansing was awarded the 2023 A.J. Cohen Flyer of the Year Award which is in memory of former Flyers wide receiver A.J Cohen and awarded to the player who embodies Cohen's positive attitude and team first approach. 

Off the field Lansing enjoys watching the NFL and MLB. He is also a stellar golfer and what he referred to as "cracked" at Fortnite. 

Q: What does being a Flyer mean to you?
A: "I would say being a Flyer means to try to do everything the right way. Like, Coach Andrews has a phrase called doing it the 'Flyer way.' And I think it's just being a good person, making the right decisions, and being the best teammate you can be."

Q: What is one of the most influential moments in your athletic career?
A: "When I was a junior and I didn't get to travel, I would say that was very influential on me because I thought I deserved to travel, but coach obviously thought differently. It made me come back even harder in the offseason to try to prove myself to the staff. And it was a good learning experience for me."

Q: Balancing sports and academics can be challenging. How do you organize your time effectively to ensure success in both areas?
A: "For me, school more times than not came first before athletics because to be available on the football field, you had to be available in school. I made sure all my schoolwork was done and everything was turned in and grades were looking right before I began to focus on football."

Q: How has being a student-athlete contributed to your personal growth and development?
A: "It's been probably one of the biggest contributions to my personal development because through football, you're just able to learn so much and encounter so many different personalities and situations. You're able to become a well-rounded person and you know what's expected of you every time you're on the football field and in turn you know what's expected out of you in life."

Q: What are your future goals and aspirations after graduating from UD?
A: "I have accepted a job doing medical sales for a company called Striker. I am in the joint replacement division. So, I do total hip and knee surgeries. I would just say furthering my career with them and turning myself into a valuable asset for the company is my biggest future goal right now."


PREVIOUS STORIES
Casey Bogues -- Track & Field
Destiny Bohanon -- Basketball
Connor Bruce -- Tennis 
Abby Carter -- Cross Country/Track & Field
Alicia Donley -- Soccer
Calan Gizelbach -- Cross Country
Elizabeth Hamilton -- Tennis
DaRon Holmes II -- Basketball 
Adam Jones --- Cross Country