CHICO, Calif. -- Stephen Schaefer is a do-it-all forward for the Panthers. Now on a five-game win streak, he leads the team in rebounds, can score at different levels on the court and has a great feel for the game.

“I love basketball so much because you're really able to bond with four other people on the court and the guys on the bench,” Schaefer added, "these guys are your brothers.”

Schaefer’s used to the varsity game thanks to three years of hard work and dedication. Head Coach Abe Simmons knows just how crucial the junior forward is to his team.

"The offense flows through Stephen and he's become a leader." Simmons praises Stephen for how, "he shows up, works really hard, and he's very dedicated to basketball and his teammates see that."

Basketball practices and games are time-consuming, but so is finals week which just came to a close for the Panthers. Despite the heavy workload, Schaefer managed to pull out a 3.8 gpa. That's some serious preparation needed. Luckily, Stephen embraces the grind.

Schaefer says, "The test is the big game so you've got to do well in both the practice and in the classroom to do well on the test and the game."

The junior stays fierce on the court and in the classroom. That's why he's our Subway Scholar-Athlete of the Week.