(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 Joshua Shumpert, Christian Dale, Brendan Knight 

Annika Roush is a nominee of the Rudy Award and is also a senior Mechanical Engineering major. Annika has two siblings Charlie and Lucy and is the daughter of Maria and Ron Roush. She is from Westerville OH, and attended Westerville South High School where she was a part of Westerville South High School marching band for four years.  She was also a four-year member of the Honor Roll.

Those types of things didn't stop though when Annika arrived at UD. In Annika's freshman year she joined the rowing teams and was part of the V4+ that won the Atlantic 10 Championship Petite Final in 9:04.812.  The win came despite a run-in with a goose about 500 meters into the race that knocked them off course. Her sophomore year she was a member of 2V8+ boat that won the Petite Final at the A-10 Championships, and her junior year she was a member of the boat that finished in fifth place at the A-10 championship. 

Annika was also named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll her sophomore and junior years here at UD. She is very involved with her team as they often like to be together outside of when they are at practice. Some of her hobbies include reading, watching TV, and then just being around her friends on the team or outside of that. 
 
Q: What does being a Flyer mean to you?
A: "It is all about family, leadership, and hard work. Dayton is one loving community and everyone has to put in hard work and dedication into whatever task they are working on."

Q: What is one of the most influential moments in your athletic career?
A: "Being exhausted after working hard is  both humbling and rewarding."

Q: Balancing sports and academics can be challenging. How do you organize your time effectively to ensure success in both areas?
A:"It is all about routine, and making time for rowing and classes."

Q: How has being a student-athlete contributed to your personal growth and development?
A: "Throughout (my) years at Dayton. I went from being learning to leading. That is a big transition to take as a person."

Q: What are your future goals and aspirations after graduating from UD?
A: "To become an engineer analyst."

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
Joe Lansing -- Football