ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Braden Fears sampled several sports when he has growing up, playing baseball, soccer and football before his best friend suggested that he give cross country a try.

He has been running ever since.

"That was in seventh grade, and I've been running year round pretty much ever since," Fears said.

Now a sophomore at Roberts Wesleyan University, Fears is a member of the Redhawks' cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field teams.

An Exercise Science major, the Terre Haute, Ind., native carries a 3.96 grade point average and has been selected the Roberts Wesleyan University Male Scholar-Athlete of the Month for October.

Fears, who enjoys hiking, playing video games and cheering for the San Francisco 49ers will look to help the Redhawks win their 12^th consecutive East Coast Conference championship on Saturday on Roberts very own Matt St. James Cross Country Trails.

A member of the ECC Commissioner's Honor Roll last year, Fears is an active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Faith In Action club. He also credits Roberts Director of Cross Country & Track and Field Andrew Dorr with helping him develop as an athlete and a person

"He has mentored me, both in terms of my life and my athletics, in a way that I've never really had before from a coach," Fears said. "Honestly, I know I wouldn't be where I am without him, so I just want to thank him for everything that he's done, and I want people to know that if you come to Roberts, there are coaches, and especially Coach Dorr and Coach Jen (Jennifer Dorr), that are going to care for you both as an individual and as an athlete, and they're going to get you where you want to be."

Fears took a few moments to discuss life as a student-athlete at Roberts. Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity

Did you enjoy immediate success when you started running?
"I was pretty successful my first year. I actually ended up being better than my best friend, and he went and he competed at the state meet for middle school. Even though I found some early success, I've definitely battled through a lot of other things in that process, a lot of injuries and things like that."

Was there something that helped you to fall in love with cross country?
"Honestly, I think the big thing that's really kept me going is the people that I've had surrounding me, like my teammates and coaches. Obviously, I had my best friend at the time involved, but he doesn't do the sport anymore. A lot of the guys that I'm now extremely close with now and some of my best friends have all come from this sport. The community around running is really amazing. I really value the people that I'm around, and we all share similar goals and similar ideas about the way we want to spend our time and what our goals are in both in life and in sport."

What is your proudest accomplishment as a student-athlete at Roberts so far?
"Last year as a freshman I was part of the postseason squad, so I competed at regionals, and I was an alternate at nationals when we competed. So that's probably my biggest accomplishment, being a part of a team that's gone on to see some success."

Speaking of the postseason, Roberts will go for its 12^th straight ECC title on Saturday. What is it like being part of a program that has achieved so much over the years?
"There's a storied history here at Roberts in terms of distance running. There have been a lot of really, really amazing individuals to come through here. I would almost say that it makes the pressure a privilege because it's we want this, we all know what the goals are, and we know that it's not something that's going to come easily, and it will take sacrifices, and a lot of hard work. At the same time, we hopefully get to contribute to and write our own stories that will be part of the history."

How did you make your way to Roberts from Terre Haute, Ind.?
"It's just about a 10-hour drive to between Roberts and my home, so it was kind of strange. One day I ended up getting contacted by one of our recruiters that was looking for athletes, and he talked to me and honestly, I think I fell in love a lot with just the atmosphere of Roberts. I've never really been a fan of big packed colleges or places that are tens of thousands of students. I like the small campus, I like the community atmosphere, and I like the Christian-centered ideas that this campus is centered around. I took one visit here, and I actually didn't visit any other colleges. I took one visit here at the start of my senior year, and then I committed a couple of weeks later."

What went in to you becoming an Exercise Science major?
"I've touched on it a tiny bit, but I've dealt with a lot of injuries in running. Every single year of cross country from my freshman year of high school to even freshman year last year, I've dealt with injuries. I missed two months last year where I couldn't run, and I've had a lot of difficulties battling through those things and continuing to try and improve and focus on what's important and that led me to Exercise Science and, actually, Physical Therapy. I want to become a doctor of Physical Therapy. … For me, going through Exercise Science and doing what I need to do to become a Physical Therapist will really allow me to help people. I feel like I'll find fulfillment in that, and I'll be able to have a good career that I can enjoy for a long time."

Can you tell me more about Faith in Action?
"So, Faith in Action is a club that is basically about giving people an opportunity. A lot of us are busy, but it's an opportunity for us to show our faith through volunteering and action and gives students on campus an opportunity to come and volunteer.  Last year, we did this training and we learned how to teach reading curriculum to students, and then we went to an elementary school in an impoverished area of Rochester, and I taught with a student one-on-one twice a week for like two and a half months at the end of the year, and helped him to improve in his reading and speaking skills."

What does being a Redhawk mean to you?
"The mantra of the school is, "All in," and that's something that I really try to do in my life. I'm all in on all of the things that I'm committed to here, whether it's my academics or my athletics. I'm here to support my teammates, I'm here to get a degree, and I'm here to try hard in everything I do. I put all my time and effort into that, and, for me, that's what I think being a Redhawk means. It means being all in for myself and for everyone around me who is also a Redhawk."