DEKALB, Ill. -- As a student-athlete, Ashley Morrow was a four-time NCAA Regional qualifier in the shot put, winning the MAC Championship in the event in 2006 while reaching the NCAA Championships in 2007. She accomplished these feats, which earned her induction into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019, without the benefit of a track and field facility at NIU.

"During my time at NIU, when we literally didn't have a track or a place to practice, my teammates and I did what we had to do with the limitations that we had and I feel like we all went through adversity," Morrow said as she reflected upon her Hall of Fame career at NIU. "Practicing in a parking lot outside the Convocation Center, literally having to draw the circles for the (throwing) rings, I'm proud to say that a lot of us qualified for Regionals without having the means, I know we complained, but we still went out there and did what we had to do. I'm very proud of that moment with my teammates because I know I wasn't alone in getting through that."

Some of those lessons learned as a Huskie continue to help Morrow today in her current role as the General Manager of the SpringHill Suites in Madison, Wis. 

"Being a student-athlete has taught me so much," Morrow explained. "I wholeheartedly feel like my drive comes from that. Although they are two different situations, they are also exactly the same. I thrive on success; I love working through adversity because it makes me stronger. I like taking a bad situation and creating a positive outcome, so I am extremely proud of that."

Overseeing a 182-room hotel property involves wearing many hats and dealing with a lot of moving parts during normal times but has required even more preparation and safety during the adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"We work very diligently to make sure that not only are our guests safe, but our team members are safe as well," said Morrow. "We abide by all CDC regulations, making sure we have proper PPE. In the beginning it was extremely difficult … we had a skeletal crew of management and a couple of hourly teammates. At one point we only had three guests in the hotel, fortunately we never closed, which I am grateful for."

Located not far from the University of Wisconsin and its hospital, Morrow explains that many of her guests are parents of UW students or hospital patients. She is thankful that during these times most of them have been diligent in abiding by the rules for wearing masks and helping ensure the safety of her team. 

"A lot of my team members were a little hesitant in wanting to come back, which is totally understandable, but having guests follow the rules helps so much."

Morrow's career in hospitality began as the weekend night auditor at the Hampton Inn in Joliet, she never imagined she would be running an entire property. 

"To be honest, I always had an interest in hospitality, but I only really wanted to be a greeter at the door and just welcome people in," Morrow explained with laughter. "But plans changed and from Joliet I have worked my way up to GM."

Moving to Milwaukee, Morrow would become the General Manager of the Home2 Suites Milwaukee Airport and under her direction it was the number one "Home2" property in North America in 2017. 

In December of 2019, Morrow moved into her current role as the General Manager of the SpringHill Suites in Madison. Just a couple of months prior, she was inducted as a member of the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019. Reflecting upon her induction a year later, Morrow was humbly reluctant to talk about her outstanding athletic achievements. 

"I was shocked and extremely honored," said Morrow. "I felt very honored and I am happy to be an inductee, to represent NIU and the women's track and field program. I was a walk-on and I know I had an impact on the university, but I didn't do it alone. Coach Dave Jennings, who was the throws coach during my time, really helped and molded me to become an inductee." 

While Morrow is hesitant to talk about her accomplishments, one look at the NIU Track and Field record book shows just how outstanding her Huskie career was. The O'Fallon, Ill., native still holds the NIU outdoor shot put and hammer throw records, as well as the fifth-best discus mark in program history and the second-best mark indoors in both the shot put and weight throw. 

It is an exceptional career by any measure, but an even more remarkable one considering that her practices took place in a parking lot, and it is those experiences that help Morrow thrive under adversity even today.