Kaja is a senior on the Nordic ski team from Oppdal, Norway. She has demonstrated strong leadership skills as a team captain. Kaja has seen success athletically over her career as she has been the top finisher for the Wildcats numerous times which includes leading the way in the 15K Classic and 5K Skate at the EISA Championships. Not to mention, she continues to kill it in the classroom as she has been named to the National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team and is a member of the National College Honor Society.
Jonny is a junior on the men's soccer team from Hopkinton, Mass. He has played 37 career games with 32 starts and has posted five assists. As a red shirt freshman, he was named to the America East All-Rookie Team and was on the America East Academic Honor Roll. A year later, he was named to the America East All-Tournament Team and received the UNH Coaches Award. Jonny has been a member of two straight America East Championship winning teams.
Now that we know some of the accomplishments that our spotlight student-athletes have achieved, let's get to know them on a deeper level.
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                  Q&A WITH KAJA:
 What is the best part about competing?
I love the feeling of progression, like all the hours of training I put down was worth it because I took steps and got better. After moving to the U.S., the better part was witnessing my teammates taking steps and achieving their goals! Nothing is more fun and rewarding than to share good experiences with people I know have worked hard every single day to get to the place they are.
How has athletics made you a better student?
I think the biggest gift athletics has given me is the ability to stand through the storm! As athletes, we know that training isn't always fun, but in the end, it'll be worth it because it helps you reach the goals you have. This is also applicable to studying, as it is certainly not always fun, but I always get it done because it'll be worth it in the end! I think one of the best (and worst) part of being an athlete is that the feeling of failure is the absolute worst, which results in always putting in that extra effort to avoid that from happening.
Did you always want to ski at a college in the United States?
I knew that if I wanted to keep skiing, I had to go somewhere else other than Norway. I wanted something else, and I always had a dream of studying English. It was the perfect option and I'm so grateful I got the chance to do it!
 What are some of your favorite things about your hometown in Norway?
My favorite part is that is where my family and some of my friends (and dog) live! My other favorites are the proximity to the mountains, the ski trails and the absolute best bakery in the world!
 Was the transition from Norway to Durham difficult for you? What has made it easier?
It was hard the first semester because the school system was very different, and it was tough combining school with a lot of training. I also missed waking up to the mountains! But the ski team made it easier. I can't emphasize enough how much they mean to me and my happiness, and they really feel like my American family. I also had a very supportive coach in Cory who did everything and anything to make the transition easier.
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 OFF THE COURSE WITH KAJA:
Favorite Color: Blue Favorite Movie: Interstellar Favorite Song: Lose Yourself - Eminem Favorite Place to Travel: Sardinia, Italy Favorite Sports Figure: Petter Northug Favorite Food: Pasta Favorite Animal: Dogs!!!! What did you want to be when you were younger: Teacher Go to Karaoke song: Party in the USA - Miley Cyrus What would you do if you won the lottery: Buy a vacation house somewhere tropical Have you ever had a nickname? What is it: KJ Dream Job: Diplomat
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 Q&A WITH JONNY:
 What drives you to get up in the morning and go training every day?
Being able to prove people wrong is what drives me the most. I feel as though I have been overlooked for most of my life in sports. Being in a position and atmosphere to show people what they missed really motivates me. I also feel like I have so much room to improve individually but also want to achieve more with my team. We are able to go to practice every day to improve upon the skills we already have and better ourselves, so we are able to reach goals we have set. Having our season end in the fashion that it did last year motivates me even more because I know we had a lot left and knowing what it takes to get there helps to keep me going since I know we can achieve more and that's the end goal for me and the team.
What does your daily routine look like?
A normal day for me would be waking up around 9:00 a.m. to attend any class in the morning. Once classes are finished, I usually get ready for the day by showering and making breakfast. If I have time, I will usually watch some tv and then head to the field house to get treatment and get ready for practice. Once practice is over, I go home and make some more food, relax, and watch tv or whatever show I am currently binging. Depending on my schoolwork I will take some time out of my evening to catch up on work. Once I have done all my schoolwork, I will make dinner and continue watching shows with my roommates until around midnight and then I usually get ready for bed around that time.
What about this program has made it into a championship winning team?
I think the team chemistry and winning mentality that the coaches have instilled on this program have made it into the championship team that we are. Ever since I stepped foot on campus the team chemistry was something I noticed and was drawn into right away. Every year we bring in new guys and they always fit in with the team pretty quickly which helps in the end. Being able to call your teammates some of your best friends both on and off the field makes playing that much easier and more fun. As a player here we expect to win every game we play. Everyone wants to win but having the mentality of doing everything that winning takes is what I think separates us from most teams. We are all willing to put in the time and effort to get better and ensure we are ready for every game we play in.
 What is the best piece of advice you have gained from your coaches?
I think the best advice the coaches have given me is to always be ready when your name is called. Not playing my freshman year I never knew when that time would come and what position I would be playing. Anything can happen during a season and knowing your role and being ready has helped me get on the field and stay on the field. I have played positions I thought I never would have played at this level but with the coaching I have gotten I was prepared to fill those roles and be successful.
 Being from Hopkinton, what is Marathon Monday typically like for you?
Being at school I have missed out on the past couple years, but growing up Marathon Monday was always a fun and special day. The week leading up to the race our town was crazy. My town is usually a quiet town but for the week leading up to the race it is nothing but quiet. In the state of Massachusetts, Marathon Monday is known as a holiday, so we never had school. I only live a couple miles from the start line so my brother and all our friends would wake up early and either take a bus in or ride our bikes since all the roads were pretty much closed off. We would get into the center of town meet up with some more friends and try to find a good spot to watch all the runners pass by trying to get as many high fives as possible. When I was younger my dad ran the Marathon three different times so getting a good spot to try and see him pass us was always special. Once all the runners had gone by, we would usually hang around town until we wanted to ride our bikes back home. The years in which my dad ran, the rest of my family would watch the runners go and then drive into Boston to then find my dad and congratulate him on his achievements and then return home.
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America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen presenting Jonny with his All-Tournament Team award in 2019. OFF THE FIELD WITH JONNY:
Favorite Color: Black Favorite Movie: Lone Survivor Favorite Song: Dirt Road Anthem Favorite Place to Travel: Hawaii Favorite Sports Figure: Tom Brady Favorite Food: Chick-fil-A Favorite Animal: Wolf What did you want to be when you were younger: Baseball player Go to Karaoke song: Our song What would you do if you won the lottery: Buy my family a house and cars Have you ever had a nickname? What is it: I've had a couple two biggest ones were Wolfy or Simmons growing up. Dream Job: Professional soccer player in Europe
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Check back each week to get to know two more Wildcats as part of the Service Credit Union Student-Athlete Spotlight. Thank you to Service Credit Union for sponsoring the Student-Athlete Spotlight.
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