By Cassie Speno, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Colleen Shea is not just a great athlete; she is also a tremendous student. In high school Shea attended Seton Keough where she earned valedictorian honors in her senior year. She was also named a National Merit Commended Scholar, a Maryland Distinguished Scholar semifinalist, two-time US Lacrosse Academic All-American, an Archdiocesan Distinctive Scholar and Seton Keough Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Shea, now a Penn State Schreyer Honors College student, Big Ten Distinguished Honor Scholar, ALC Academic Honor Roll and Academic All-Big Ten nominee will take her fifth year of eligibility next year to complete her double major in math and security and risk analysis.

In her fourth year as a Nittany Lion, Shea wants to make her last year with the class she started with a memorable experience.

"I really want to make the NCAA tournament," said Shea. "It would be really special to do it with the class I came in with as we have been on this journey together. It would be a great ending to our four years."

Shea, prior to attending Penn State, was no stranger to what it truly meant to bleed blue and white. Both of Colleen's sisters, Linsey Shea (2004-2008) and Kerry Shea (2005-2009) played for the Nittany Lions.

"I had a lot of exposure to Penn State before coming here," said Shea. "Both my sisters played here and my uncle is a professor here. I remember coming to a football game when I was a freshman in high school and was amazed by the support all of the fans and students showed for this school. I just knew I really wanted to be a part of something special."

Shea says growing up she enjoyed watching her sisters play and learning from them. Both Linsey and Kerry continue to be some of her biggest supporters both on and off the lacrosse field.

"My sisters have been my biggest inspiration," said Shea. "They are three and four years older than me, so while they are really competitive with each other they have always been my biggest cheerleaders. Whenever I ask for help they have always been there to give me advice."

In a weeks time Shea will have to submit her thesis topic to Schreyer Honors College.

"Right now I am finishing my math major," said Shea. "So in my fifth year I will be working on completing all of my requirements toward my security and risk analysis major and will also be working on my thesis. I would like to write about something pertaining to terrorism studies."

Head coach Missy Doherty says Shea is a model student athlete and excels as a leader both on and off the field.

"Colleen has done a great job," said Doherty.  "She is a leader in a lot of different aspects. Fitness wise she is always one of the most fit players on our team and defensively last year she was able to keep out some of the nations top scorers. She really brings a lot of things to the team not only just lacrosse wise, but also as a student. Colleen really puts all aspects of being a student athlete together, which is great to have as a role model on your team."

Even with her rigorous academic and athletic schedule she continues to maintain a positive attitude and embodies the term "Success with Honor".

"You're going to have ups and downs, but you have to approach everything with a positive mind set," said Shea. "In the end everything will all work out. You have your team around you as well as your coaches for support. You just have to roll with the punches and keep fighting no matter what."