When graduation comes around, many students can look back at their time here at Sacramento State and say they had a fulfilling college career. Few can add successful college athlete as well.

For Hornet gymnast Eryn Stubblefield, she can lay claim to both.

In her junior year on the gymnastics team, Stubblefield earned a 4.0 grade point average. She has continued her academic success into her senior year as well. She is on track to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in chemistry.

She was first introduced to gymnastics by her mother at an early age. They were both enrolled in a program called Mommy and Me. In this program, Stubblefield had the opportunity to explore the equipment and have fun.

“I started when I was 18 months,” Stubblefield said. “We would just go and jump on the trampolines and play around in the gym.”

Her parents decided to enroll her as a way to help expend some of her childhood energy with other young gymnasts.

“My parents always tell me they started me because I had too much energy,” Stubblefield said. “They just wanted me to have some place to go to get the energy out so I wouldn’t be so energetic at home.”

That energy would lead her to Sac State and give her an opportunity to develop friendships.

Teammate and best friend Lizzy Norvell is one such person. The senior economics major describes her best friend as being a focused person.

“She is a very dedicated person. She puts her whole heart into what she does,” Norvell said. “Nothing is done halfway. It is always done 100 percent.”

Norvell went on to describe Stubblefield as a complete person with a great future ahead of her.

“She is a well-rounded individual. She does well in school,” Norvell said. “She does well in her academics. She also has an internship going on, so she has a lot going on.”

Stubblefield’s energy was also noticed by Kim Hughes, Sac State gymnastics head coach. Hughes saw the energy and helped Stubblefield to direct it.

“We see the energy channeled more into high level skills, focus and direction based on the caliber of her gymnastics,” Hughes said. “She is our top all-rounder. Every year she has brought new skills into her repertoire. That’s where we see her energy channeled.”

When it came time to choose a college and a place where she could continue her career in gymnastics, she had a few options: Eastern Michigan University, Oregon State University and Boise State University. However, when she visited Sac State, she felt at home.

“When I came on my recruiting visit, I found that I really liked the campus,” Stubblefield said, “and I also really like the girls and that sold me over the edge.”

Stubblefield was a two-sport athlete growing up in Oregon. She split her time between gymnastics and soccer until age 11, when she had to choose which sport she most wanted to play. Her club gymnastics coach offered her the opportunity to move up in her early gymnastics career, which was ultimately her decision.

“Finally when I was 11, I had the choice to move up to level 10 in club gymnastics,” Stubblefield said. “I think at that point, when I was 11, it really became serious to me that gymnastics was my pick.”

Stubblefield said she loves gymnastics because it is special sport, different from many other sports offered at Sac State.

“I like that it’s such a unique sport. With other sports you’ll have workouts where they will say go 80 percent or 50 percent on this,” Stubblefield said. “With gymnastics, you have to go 110 percent all the time. You can never hold back. I think that’s my favorite part about it – it’s all or nothing.”

Stubblefield’s attitude and dedication to her schooling has her working toward someday becoming a doctor.

“I plan on entering medical school this fall,” Stubblefield said. “Ultimately, my goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon.”

Stubblefield and Norvell were part of a large recruiting class of eight gymnasts in 2006. Since that time, a bond between the two developed and has grown tighter with each passing year. So tight, in fact, that Stubblefield is now a regular guest in the Norvell home.

Norvell said her friend is bound for greatness someday.

“Eryn is my best friend, I love her, I think she is just a really unique, dedicated and focused individual,” Norvell said. “I think she’s going places and has a lot to offer.”

Matt Harrington can be reached at [email protected]