TALLAHASSEE – Soon after Seminole golfer Alice Hodge hears her name called during Florida State's commencement address on Friday afternoon, she'll shake President Richard McCullough's hand, have her picture taken in her cap and gown, hug her sister Caroline who received her master's degree earlier in the ceremony, wave at her parents, and head home to pack for Saturday's trip to the NCAA Regional Championships.
If everything goes according to plan, Hodge should make her flight to Las Vegas with plenty of time to spare.
Hodge and her teammates begin play in the NCAA Las Vegas Regional Championship at the Spanish Trail Country Club on May 6. The Seminoles participate in a practice round Sunday prior to the start of the tournament.
For Hodge, who will earn her bachelor's degree in finance, her graduation ceremony is the culmination of four years of incredible academic accomplishments. She's earned President's List honors (for a perfect 4.0 grade points average) three times and has been named to the Dean's List four times. She hasn't earned any grade less than a B+ in any of her business or liberal studies classes. Hodge expects to be on the President's List again this semester.
Hodge has been named to the WGCA All-American Scholar Team and the ACC Academic Honor Roll in each of her first three years as a Seminole. She'll certainly be named to both of those prestigious teams again this season.
She's also ranked in the top 15 for career stroke average in Florida State history, holds the school record for the lowest round in school history (65 in the 2022 NCAA Tallahassee Regional Championship), helped Florida State to nine tournament championships, played in four ACC Championships, four regional championships, and three NCAA Championship finals. Hodge has played on three top-10 finishing teams in the NCAA Championship Finals.
Hodge, who played in a U.S. Open qualifying event on April 29, credits her teammates and the Florida State coaching staff with helping her excel in the classroom and on the course.
"Time management and my teammates are the two biggest reasons for my academic success," says Hodge. "Early mornings and late nights were the times I had to set aside time for my studies. Our team concept also has a lot to do with everybody in our program being academically successful. This team takes a lot of pride in our cumulative GPA so it puts a bit of pressure on everyone to do well."
Hodge, who says she's always been a numbers person, plays the perfect sport for a student-athlete majoring in finance. Her best career individual finish (tied for third) came in the 2022 NCAA Tallahassee Regional Championship, she's carded nine rounds in the 60's, seven eagles, and one albatross (three strokes under par on a hole) while playing in 107 rounds during 36 career tournaments. Her name is prominently featured in the Seminoles' record book eight times.
"Majoring in finance is super practical," said Hodge who says her most challenging course at Florida State was financial accounting. "What I've learned at Florida State is going to help me in my career after golf is finished."
Head Coach Amy Bond, who boasts a 100 percent graduation rate among her four-year players in her 14 years at Florida State, marvels at Hodge's success.
"Alice and Charlotte (Heath) make up a very special graduating class for our golf program," said Bond, the winningest golf coach in school history. "They both came in during Covid in the fall of 2020 and have performed well academically under some incredible circ*mstances. Both students have been asked to do more in the classroom and on the golf course than any other student-athletes in the history of our program. That is why I am so proud of both Alice and Charlotte for graduating in four years."
Hodge also credits her parents, Christy and Russell Hodge, for making academic success a priority within their family.
"Academics has always been a priority for my sister Caroline and me," said Hodge. "My mom was an electrical engineering major and my dad was an accounting major in college."
Hodge was a member of the National Junior Honor Society and the National Honor Society throughout her grammar and high school academic career. She received the Scholar-Athlete Award in each of her four years as a championship golfer and an accomplished scholar in high school.
Hodge has leaned on her sister, Caroline, who was a member of the Seminole golf team during the 2019-20 season, for advice throughout her collegiate career. Caroline will earn her master's degree in accounting and hear her name called just moments before Alice walks across the stage at the Donald L. Tucker Center.
"While I'd love to say that I taught my little sister everything she knows, it's safe to say that I learned from Alice just as much, if not more, than she learned from me," said Caroline. "Over these past four years, Alice has taught me what it means to lead by example, be a team leader, a great friend, and an even better sister. She's grown into the woman everyone can count on – amid an extraordinary college athletics career. To say that I'm proud is an understatement, as I'm in awe of all she's accomplished at Florida State.
"As her sister, I've seen all that's beneath every achievement and come back from defeat. Alice has displayed a lifetime's worth of discipline, grit, and grace in these past four years and I've cherished every opportunity to be a witness. I have no doubt that her hard work here at Florida State will reward her tenfold through her professional golf career."
Hodge is respected as much by the Florida State Athletics Administration, as she is by her family, her coaches, and her teammates.
"Alice has been a tremendous student-athlete and role model during her time here at Florida State," said Assistant Director of Academic Services Corey Talley. "Pursuing a degree in finance is no easy feat, but Alice has taken on the challenge and truly excelled. During her time here she has maintained an almost perfect GPA; she is right at the 3.9 mark. Alice has put the work in the classroom and as well as on the golf course."
Hodge says the two things she will miss the most about being at Florida State are the tight-knit community of student-athletes and walking to and from classes on Florida State's incredibly beautiful campus.
Hodge will be able to take in all of that beauty and see the entire campus from an incredible vantage point as the Seminoles' plane lifts off and heads west for Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon.
