As a Rhodes athlete who wears a hijab, Nur Hamada ’26 takes pride in how she represents her faith on and off the field. The lacrosse player and neuroscience major has found a second home within Rhodes Athletics and is now paying it forward as a student associate in the Sports Information Office of Rhode Athletics and in her internship as an athletic trainer. Hamada hopes to show that Muslim women can excel in the world of sports, whether they be players, managers, trainers, or, like her, all of the above.
The Lakeland, TN, native first visited Rhodes during her high school lacrosse career to participate in clinics and prospect days. Right away, she imagined herself in the Rhodes community. “Being at a small, liberal arts college offers the true student-athlete experience, and the feeling of overwhelming support really sealed the deal,” she says.
As the lacrosse season coincides with Ramadan, the team’s athletic trainer, Carlos Ocasio, works closely with Hamada to ensure she is prepared to participate while unable to eat or drink during the daytime. Fasting makes it difficult for Hamada to regulate her temperature during physical activity, so Ocasio keeps ice towels ready during practices. The campus dining hall also provides a halal dining station that opens after sundown to ensure Muslim students have access to late-night nutritious meals. “As one can imagine, being an athlete during Ramadan is pretty taxing. Being Muslim and playing lacrosse has proven challenging at times, but has given me meaning,” she says.
Beyond religious observances, Hamada honors her faith by wearing a hijab. “As a hijabi, I project my faith visually,” she says. “The thought of how I get to display my religion to other players, coaches, and family members who may not be familiar with Islam is very important to me.” This visual representation of her religion adds another layer of pressure on top of the physical stressors of Ramadan, but with the support of her teammates, coaches, and the rest of the athletic department, Hamada showcases her talent for lacrosse with confidence. In just her first two seasons, she has played in 28 games and scored seven goals.
Inspired by the support she received from Rhodes Athletics, Hamada wanted to get involved in extending the same level of support to other student-athletes. She began working as a student associate for the Sports Information Office to aid in managing and providing resources to all teams, not just lacrosse. She assists with statistics, photography, live streaming, commentating, and more. She hopes her presence as a hijabi both on the field and in a managerial capacity will empower other Muslim students to pursue athletics.
Hamada has recently begun an internship in athletic training in the Athletics Department, bridging her passion for sports and her medically focused studies. There, she is learning about injury prevention and rehabilitation through techniques like taping and cupping, while also helping maintain and organize equipment. Expanding on her medical interests, she conducts research with Dr. Kelly Dougherty, associate professor of biology, to investigate the relationship between epilepsy and the hippocampus.
In addition to her athletic and academic roles, Hamada joined the Muslim Student Association to foster a sense community, and says, “Take full advantage of all the resources offered. Our chaplain, Reverend Beatrix Weil, is such a helpful resource when wanting to connect with other Muslims already on campus. I love being able to grow within my faith alongside them, but it’s also important to make connections with people who are different from you. You will find your people and have the capacity to be authentic.”
Hamada says that, when facing challenges, she finds strength in Quran 94:5: “So, surely with hardship comes ease.” She encourages other Rhodes students to take advantage of the various opportunities at Rhodes, adding, “I have grown as a person and the confidence I now have is unmatched.”
By Hannah Meit ’25
