Throughout the semester, The Daily Cardinal sports staff will be chatting with UW athletes to give readers an in-depth look into student sports stars' lives both on and off the fields or courts. The Cardinal begins its Q&A feature with Wisconsin men's soccer sophomore goalkeeper Alex Horwath. Look for more Daily Cardinal Q&A in the weeks that follow.
DC: What would you say is the hardest part about being a student athlete?
AH: I think finding the balance between sports and school. There's not much time at all.
DC: You're kind of new to campus (having transferred from UConn) have you found a favorite spot so far?
AH: I'm a big fan of the Terrace. I'm loving the atmosphere out there. That's my spot.
DC: When did you get to Madison and what were your first impressions when you got to the campus here?
AH: I got here at the beginning of last spring semester, so January. It's cold man - that was my first impression, because last winter was ridiculous. It was like negative 40. That's all I could think about was the cold because I'm from the coast and if it's 32, we're freezing. So negative 40 for me, man that was tough.
DC: Is there anything in particular that you miss about UConn or playing there?
AH: How can you miss anything when you're at a school like this? This school's unbelievable. It's got everything. It's got academics, sports and social. It's just a triple threat. It's unbelievable.
DC: What about growing up, did you know you wanted to be a goalie?
AH: No, I was a fat kid growing up. When I was young, I was too slow and unathletic to run around the field, so they stuck me in the goal and I just sprouted up and kind of stuck with it and got decent at it.
DC: Let's say you're not a soccer player. What sport would you play?
AH: Baseball.
DC: What position?
AH: I was a catcher - always the hand to eye thing I guess. I loved baseball growing up.
DC: Did you have any particular soccer heroes or baseball heroes growing up?
AH: Cal Ripken. When you're from Baltimore, Cal Ripken - it's not even a choice. It's in your blood to like Cal Ripken Jr.
