LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA (April 14, 2008) – Don't be fooled by Tanina Cook (Landover, MD/Charles H. Flowers)'s pleasant personality because beneath her Colgate smile lies a determined competitive drive that fuels the three-sport standout to unprecedented success on and off the field.
Cook plays, no make that stands out, in soccer, basketball and softball for Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. A double major in accounting and computer science, Cook has excelled all over the athletic field during Lincoln's difficult first year of transitioning from Division III to Division II. About the only thing Cook does not do is update the athletics website, play football and drive the team bus.
Amazingly, Cook never gets tired bouncing from sport to sport. She thrives on the action and enjoys staying busy. With a smile that can illuminate a dark room, Cook is also a member of Lincoln's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (S.A.A.C.) and a solid student. However, once the game begins her smile disappears into a fierce scowl. She plays with more energy than a Category 5 hurricane and F5 tornado combined.
“I did three sports in high school so I am kind of used to it,” Cook said. “I just jumped into playing three sports this year. It's different. I had to schedule my time to find time to make sure my work was done.”
Cook decided to play soccer for fun in the fall and immediately blossomed into a solid goalie. She finished 22nd nationally in saves per game. She finished with 198 saves in 17 games for a .767 save percentage. Cook posted her only career shutout during a 0-0 tie against Trinity.
Once soccer ended, Cook zoomed to the basketball court where she led the Lady Lions in rebounding (7.9) and finished second in scoring (11.6). Cook opened the season on fire by scoring a career-high 24 points in a loss to Saint Paul's in the first round of the James A. Richardson Tip-Off Tournament. Her 20 point average over the first two games of the season earned Cook a spot on the all-tournament team. Cook finished with six double-doubles and scored in double figures 15 times. She grabbed a career best 16 rebounds in a victory over Chestnut Hill.
Once hoops season ended, Cook traded her high tops in for a pair of spikes and a glove. Cook leads the softball team in hits with eight and batting with a .267 average. She is also 6-for-6 in stolen bases. Cook recorded the first hit and first stolen base in Lincoln softball history against West Chester.
Cook, who has played basketball for most of her life and softball since ninth grade, has served as an inspiration to her teammates by leading and playing with more heart than Hallmark on Valentine's Day. Cook plays through pain. She's a coaches dream because she rarely misses practice, offers words of encouragement to her teammates and has a tremendous personality.
“I think Tanina is the epitome in what every school should look for in a student-athlete,” Lincoln softball coach Chris Cummings said. “Not only does she play three sports, but she commits herself to all three. She's helped me immensely between her attitude and her rapport with other students. She believed in what I was trying to do as a coach and it made it easy for the other girls to believe in it too.”
Off the field, Cook is a huge “Hello Kitty” fan. Her hobbies include shopping. Her favorite movie is “Love and Basketball." Her favorite food is bacon and chicken and her favorite book is “Staying Pure.”
With the struggles that each team has endured, every day hasn't been easy for the 5-7 Cook. However, through it all, she has been a rock. With one year remaining, Cook knows she won't reap any additional benefits of being Division II, what with Lincoln being ineligible for NCAA postseason play until the earliest the 2010-11 season. However, Cook is in a unique position because she knows she will have served as a trailblazer for future Lincoln women.
“It's kind of bittersweet because I see all of the new things coming up and I want to be here to enjoy it,” Cook said. “But to ne here and to know I was a part of transition and lay the foundation (for future women) really means a lot.”
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