(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 Kenny Denslow, Michael Erwin, Corey Moriarty

Calan Gizelbach is a fifth-year student who is graduating in May with a master's degree in business administration. He completed his undergraduate degree in sport management. He is from Cumming, Georgia and he attended Forsyth Central for high school. 

Calan has achieved so much at University of Dayton. His greatest academic achievements are when he won the MVP his sophomore year as well as the High Flyer Award. He also has many notable athletic achievements, such as finishing in 11th place at the Atlantic 10 Championships, holding an impressive time of 24:50 for his 8K, being top 10 all-time in University of Dayton history for the 10K, and holding the University of Dayton record which in the 3000 meter steeplechase of 9:15. He is always highly involved with his team, as always enjoys spending time with his team. He has great leadership skills, and even though his team did not have a team captain, he was always thought of as one. 
 
Aside from cross country, Calan enjoys fishing and playing golf. He is also interested in graphic design and social media, which he works on for a sports agency called GoEmpire. Additionally, 
 
Q: What does being a Flyer mean to you?
A: "Community, family, and home are three words that I would use to describe being a Flyer."

Q: What is one of the most influential moments in your athletic career?
A: "I played soccer and basketball, and I just remember my coach telling me I was just throwing it away, she was like, you can be so good, you got scholarships, and memories to make if you commit to running."

Q: Balancing sports and academics can be challenging. How do you organize your time effectively to ensure success in both areas?
A: "I think the most important thing that I found is having an understanding of your schedule. There's time to be found, and having it written down and actually looking at your schedule and knowing your classes are, knowing when your practices are. And having an understanding of that because that won't change for a four month period, so it's doing that and then finding some kind of a routine." 

Q: How has being a student-athlete contributed to your personal growth and development?
A: "I don't think I would have met the amount of people or have the amount of connections that I have today if I wasn't a student-athlete. So, it's allowed me to grow and just be confident in meeting people."

Q: What are your future goals and aspirations after graduating from UD?
A: "I want to enjoy what I do. Whether I work in the world of sports or not isn't going to make or break me."

PREVIOUS STORIES
Casey Bogues -- Track & Field
Destiny Bohanon -- Basketball
Connor Bruce -- Tennis 
Abby Carter -- Cross Country/Track & Field
Alicia Donley -- Soccer